Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Ūri A Maui, under Allies Rangihuna, edged Tolaga Bay Area School 50-43 in the Division 2 boys’ final (Game 1).
Red’s athletic Ngaru Grayson was the night’s top scorer with 22 points.
Rangihuna and Chris Kururangi of Te Waiu were the only other players to put up 20 points.
Rangihuna was the star of the show in Game 1 of finals night, making some incredible shots on the move away from the hoop.
GBHS Red didn’t have it all their own way in Game 4 but did make some superb plays. Outstanding prospect Ziya Swann gave the assist of the evening — an outlet pass to Grayson.
Swann later went end-to-end to give Red a 39-37 lead and Will Collier (14) played the strongman’s role throughout for Red.
He, Swann and Grayson will be key players for Gisborne Boys’ High School at the Super 8 tournament at Napier, starting on Monday.
The Tessa Wilson-coached Ngā Ūri A Maui played a daring brand of basketball to win the Division 2 junior boys crown but it was Tolaga Bay Area School’s Tumanako McGhee (6pts), one of a crop of tall, capable youngsters, who drew first blood.
McGhee’s captain, Keanu Reedy, was equally tenacious on second-shot attempts and led their scorers with 18 points.
Nga Uri A Maui’s Reign Pohatu, one of their best offensive rebounders, was in great touch for 13 points — including a three-point play — in a quick game that showcased the best of secondary school basketball’s up-and-comers.
Coach Eugene Paea’s Lytton High School beat Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiu o Ngāti Porou by three points in Game 2, a thriller and the closest game of the night.
Talented Lytton player Anaru Vertongen (10pts) hit a three-point shot with soft touch in the first period, but Te Waiu’s Chris Kururangi almost stole the show. The left-hander’s 20-point haul included diving lay-ups and flips on the move.
Even he wasn’t able to get one over on veteran referee Donna Nepia. The eagle eye of Gisborne Basketball whistle-blowers has its best spotter in Nepia, who as trail referee nabbed Kururangi for a reach-in foul on Mason-Takoko in the front-court, three minutes into the first period.
All eight refs who ran the floor in the secondary school finals — Will Collier and former GBA president Adrian Sparks, Donna Nepia and Felix Sparks, Brendan Walsh and Amoe Tarsau, Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson and GBA life member Clifton Blumfield — set the tone and standard with their timekeeping, vigilance and, far more importantly, feel for the game.
Game 3 saw Gisborne Girls’ High School Black win the Division 1 girls’ final by virtue of their experience.
Black’s Taimarie Matahiki and GBA u13s’ Kiara Namana topped their respective teams’ scoring lists with 17 points, but the scoreline of 61-48 is one the u13s can be pretty proud of.
Black had a second scorer in double figures — Riley Lewis, with 10 — and their jumpshooters rained fire.
Natalie Tarei dropped the first three-pointer for Black, Matahiki hit her second trey from the right corner for 38-38 and Ariana Kepa hit a 25-footer, the biggest shot of the night, for 48-43.
The toughest bucket award in Game 4 went to u13s captain Namana, who proved her strength in traffic phenomenally with a three-point play for 32-31.
On an evening that saw the stands at the YMCA close to full, that hoop as well as any made this finals night a memorable one.
Men’s and women’s club basketball starts on Monday.
