Tāne lead TAK tourney charge

The tāne (male) team who won the tāne B Grade at the national Māori Poitūkohu basketball tournament in Rotorua are (from left) coach Ray Noble, Dale Koia, Israel Kerisome, Daley Riri, Riki Noble, Stefan Pishief, Keenan Ruru-Poharama, Wiremu Gray, Adrian Peachey and Carl Riini.Picture by Camille Collier

Gisborne Basketball Association teams performed strongly at the national Māori Poitūkohu tournament.

The 15 Tūranganui-a-Kiwa teams representing the association at Rotorua did themselves proud in both the rangatahi (youth) and taipakeke (adult) sections.

In the rangatahi section, the under-7 mixed team under coach Kohine Aupouri achieved fourth place in the mixed B Grade.

The u9 tama (boys) under Te Amokura Te Rauna-Lamont were fifth in the A Grade.

The u9 kōtiro (girls) under O’Shae Rangihaeata were third in the A Grade.

The u11 tama under Willie Brown were third in the A Grade;.

The u11 kōtiro under Daniel Beets were ninth in the A Grade.

The u13 tama A team under Mikila Takarangi were fifth in the A Grade.

The u13 tama B team under Seth Miller were eighth in the B Grade.

The u13 kōtiro under Shinae Terekia were second in the A Grade.

The u15 tama under Harriet Peipi were ninth in the A Grade.

The u15 kōtiro under Thomas Tindale were eighth in the Premier Grade.

In the taipakeke section, the whaikaha team under Leityn Swann were fifth in their grade.

The u17 tama under Adrian Sparks were fifth in their grade.

The u19 tāne under Justine Pivac-Solomon were third in the tāne A Grade.

The tāne (males) under Ray Noble won the tāne B Grade .

The wāhine under Quentin Solomon were second in the tāne B Grade.

Gisborne Basketball Association chairwoman Camille Collier said: “I was so proud to see our 10 rangatahi teams and five taipakeke teams represent Tūranganui-a-Kiwa in this special tournament — a tourney that encourages our players and whānau (family) to experience basketball as Māori with the values of Te Ao Māori.”