The Y9-10s are led by point guard Daley Riri, who scored 18 points against Rotorua with support from Soloman Boyle-Tiatia (15pts) and Manaia McGhee (12pts).
Riri, Rikki Noble and Carew Fearnley are returning players from last year’s national tournament campaign.
Rotorua led 23-19, 42-31, 51-47 in a fast-paced game but Gisborne Boys’ High were competitive and well-structured.
Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown, captain of Gisborne Boys’ Senior A team, scored 19 points, including a three-point play in the third quarter, but — bar 6ft 5in Sam Veitch — Gisborne were outsized and struggled to score.
Rotorua led 19-14, 42-28 and 66-43 throughout.
For Gisborne, Holden Wilson scored 12 points, and Veitch and Max Scott scored seven points each.
Tuwairua-Brown said his side were good in the first half and when they pushed the ball, but they ran out of scoring options in the second half.
“We can’t afford to slow the ball down; that’s when the defence gets set,” he said.
Rotorua Boys’ High captain Thomas Kepa said: “After a game a day in the week leading up to it, with two key players injured, it took time for us to get back to our up-tempo game.
“Playing like that is big for us.”
The Gisborne A team were without head coach Dwayne Tamatea, who was on duty with the New Zealand under-15 girls’ team who won their tournament in Melbourne.
Rotorua senior A coach Doug Courtney said the Gisborne Y9-10 team were talented, quick, skilful and well-coached.
The senior team were gutsy, tough and had three crafty guards.
“Their centre was big and strong — if anything, he could perhaps be just a little bit more active on the glass,” Courtney said.
“It was a tight game early on. Your boys showed pride in that black singlet.”
