Not for them the token reach-in foul or weak snatch of so many college players who lack the courage to take set defensive position in front of a player driving to the hoop, to “take the charge”.
Namana’s aims for Week 5 are simple.
“I would like my team to play hard and shoot well,” he said, adding that having a player on the subs’ bench and enjoying the game were priorities for Old School.
Boys’ High head coach Dwayne Tamatea wants both the Black and Red teams to communicate effectively, run the lanes, make easy shots and get back on defence.
To Tamatea, success for Black means his young team being competitive for four quarters.
Black captain Tamati Horua has led the way as far as that’s concerned. He has taken the ball to the basket and finished difficult plays with poise in the past four weeks, while guard Daley Riri’s speed, greater experience and confidence are also bearing fruit on the floor in terms of good passes and better decision-making.
They push a bit.
SE Systems’ Adrian Sparks and his outfit were on the end of a heavy loss (108-52) last Monday against competition leaders Boys’ High Red, but they never stopped hustling, chasing the ball and challenging the shooters at the perimeter.
SES will no doubt look to do that again against City Lights this evening.
While Red hit more three-point shots than City Lights did last week, Scott Muncaster’s Lights are among the league’s best marksmen and have been for a decade.
Defensive spacing is of critical importance against City Lights, because if — for instance — Muncaster beats an opponent off the first step, he backs himself to then score or pass to an open teammate.
SES must score to remain in touch. They cannot afford to miss backdoor lay-ups or put-back attempts. On a good night, they are capable of putting up 60 points — and they will need at least 60 to live with City Lights.
Games in the B Grade will be held at the John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre, named for the late Boys’ High sports coach and head of physical education.
Boys’ High Wolf-pack take on Lytton High School at 5.45pm, GBHS Blue play Old Surfers at 6.45pm and Campion College play the Gizzy Gilas at 7.45pm.
The Wolf-pack thoroughly deserved their 47-24 win against the Gilas last Monday. They will hope that, if it can’t again be Jonty Evans and Oscar Ruston, at least two other players can score in double-figures for the Ray Noble-coached team. Noble has done a great job with this group.
Ryan Anderson (18pts) and Darius Waititi-Leach (17pts) were dominant in Lytton’s 66-28 win against Boys’ High Blue.
Lytton played well and, after some tough seasons at club level, it is nice to think that in two or three years, they might push for an A Grade berth. The school has a strong history in the sport and basketball culture.
Boys’ High Blue are the league’s youngest team; the Surfers are the oldest by some margin.
But the Surfers’ Mark Atkins scored 22 points last week, and should he play and then get the ball often enough, his side can certainly beat Boys’ High Blue.
The Surfers have the ability to see the floor, space the court out, and then go to good mechanics (passing, player-movement, screens).
When they have done that and scored from such plays this season, it has been great to watch, even without such fearsome enforcers as Brent McGrannachan in the line-up.
Club basketball now favours finesse; the hard man and clumsy enthusiast have all but disappeared.
The Gilas’ Ray Salvation (10pts) and Orlando Pedraza Snr (9pts) led their scorers in Week 5 — their enthusiasm for the game is a great feature of the B Grade.
Tonight they meet a Campion team who have won five games in a row — derby match with Lytton High School included — and have every B Grade base covered: height with Nelson Brown, speed with Tana Ward, ball-handling with Orlando Pedraza Jnr, and a great supporting cast.
Shane McClutchie’s assistant coach Paora Dewes scored 11 points in Campion’s win against Surfers last week and they are playing good basketball.
The Gilas’ task when they don’t have the ball, is — yes — to run hard and hustle on defence but also to stop the ball on the ground, get good position, slide, and take more charges . . . and to reach for the ball and subsequently foul, far less often.
The draw for women’s club basketball at the YMCA tomorrow night is —
5.45pm: YMCA Riverina v Paikea Nation.
6.45pm: Campion College v Lytton High School.
7.45pm: Ngati Porou v Gisborne Girls’ High School A.
