Three teams top the table

Rare play: Keenan Ruru-Poharama (left) made a rare four-point play for Dragons against SE Systems in club basketball on Monday night. Systems won the match 43-39. File picture by Paul Rickard

TONIGHT we find out who can bump, who can shoot and who can run.

In Week 6 — the halfway point — of the Gisborne men’s club basketball league, defending champions City Lights take on the Dragons in a top-of-the-table clash at 5.30pm, open-court legends Pure Sound play high-flyers East Coast at 6.30pm, the third team in equal-first place — Old School — play SE Systems at 7.30pm, and Lytton High School play the 9ers at 8.30pm.

In the women’s league tomorrow, the Lytton-versus-Gisborne Girls’ High School derby starts at 5.30pm, Paikea and Hearty follow at 6.30pm, and a high-quality Campion College team meet champions Ngati Porou at 7.30pm.

Gisborne Boys’ High School and Campion then play the men’s “overflow” game at 8.30pm.

Two of the three teams atop the league table — City Lights and the Dragons — play each other, and the league could have a clear leader after tonight’s games.

If City Lights can get into rhythm early, their range of scoring threats from Dom Wilson through to Scott Muncaster will be difficult to pull back.

That said, Ray Noble did a solid coaching job at courtside for the Dragons last Monday, and if he does so again, they will maximise their talent: Keenan Ruru-Poharama’s skills at guard, the inside game of Jasper Wills and Te Ahi Te Hau-Otene, and the outside shooting of Te Angi Te Hau.

The Dragons have greatly improved since the 59-44 grind against Systems in Week 2.

“We have to keep playing the same way,” Dragons captain Keenan Ruru-Poharama said.

“We’ve got to play hard defence, contest every shot, and rely on our big men and defensive help to protect the basket.”

The match-ups in Game 1 are mouth-watering. Wills is the league’s tallest player at 6ft 8in, City Lights’ Luka Kablar is 6ft 6in and plays with polish around the rim. Ryan Walters is 6ft 3in and has a keen eye for cutting teammates. After years of playing with Muncaster, he knows that if his skipper is open, he’ll be keen to drop that first three-point shot as soon as possible.

“Game by game, we are getting better — when we know we should win, we hold back a little,” Muncaster said.

“We adjust to each team’s style, that’s all.”

City Lights’ 67-point margin of victory against Lytton is off the table tonight, and whichever team gets into foul trouble early could pay dearly for it. If Wills can establish dominant position close to the hoop early and score, that will be a huge factor.

If Muncaster and company set the tempo, then a win here bodes well for their overall campaign. They have both inside and outside game and it is their array of threats — rather than one dominant scorer — that makes them harder to beat.

Old School are the favourites.

Reggie Namana leads a team of huge men who have experience and great ability. While it is unlikely that Old School’s Rongomai Smith will have things all his own way to the tune of 35 points in an 80-20 cruise — as was the case against the 9ers in Week 5 — it would take a magnificent effort, a game-of-the-season performance, for SE Systems to upset the biggest all-round unit in the league.

“We hope that three or four of them sleep in and miss the game,” SES captain Adrian Sparks said.

“They are the league juggernauts. We’ve nothing to lose, nothing to fear, and everything to gain.”

Last Monday, Systems played excellent basketball against the Coast with Kahn Grayson turning in a stellar hand for 11 points. He is athletic, he can score and he will learn a great deal on the floor with the likes of Adam Tapsell and Anton Riri as teammates.

The young man may also learn something this evening from Namana and an Old School outfit whose most impressive attribute — despite the fact that it would be all too easy for them to allow their standards to slip — is that they want to develop their team-play, and improve their standard.

“We want to press, steal and score,” the Old School captain said.

“Everyone thinks Tom (Thomas Tindale) is just a post-up player but we want to use him in other ways and if we need him to score, then we can go to him there — as a second option. He understands the role he has to play for us to be better all-round.”

Tindale and Smith in the front-court could pulverise most teams in the competition, but the drive to use all players to their potential and extend them is a far-sighted strategy. It is all done with a view to improving court-sense, court-vision and scoring easy baskets.

For SES to be competitive, they will need to be well-organised on defence with no price on communication. They must stop the ball from reaching Tindale and Smith early in each possession — force Old School’s scorers to take the outside shot, if possible. If they can do that, then they may be able to keep the scores low. The lower the scores, the greater Systems’ chances of an upset win.

That was too close for comfort.

While East Coast were relieved to beat Systems 46-44 last Monday, they know that Pure Sound are at least as dangerous.

“They’re veterans. No one should underestimate them,” Coast captain Brandon Paul said.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing against Dale Hailey. He has great vision and cuts to the basket hard. I admire the fact that he doesn’t whinge to the refs.”

Paul leads an athletic group, but with no player 6ft3in or above, they body up in defence and are especially competitive against club ball’s titans: the likes of Smith, Tindale, Wills — and now Hailey.

Pure Sound are coming off a 54-32 win against Campion — Hailey scoring 23 points — as the Pound were able to give their young players more time on the floor.

Pure Sound skipper Billy Maxwell said Coast had got better with each year in the league.

“They’ll be more than competitive,” he said.

Pure Sound have seven points — a win for three points would give them 10.

The Coast broke their duck last week, winning their first game, and will no doubt look forward to running in Week 6.

Paul and Sam Manuel are scintillating in the open court, yet Axel Campbell could be just as important for this evening. He is a solid forward who rebounds well. Drae Calles provided the shooting clinic of Week 5 with five three-pointers against Systems and Coast could punish the Pound for turnovers. Once upon a time, Pure Sound ran much as the Coast do now; these days, their approach is more measured.

Still, as nippy as Paul, Jesse Torrey and their Coast teammates are, if they lose the ball, they will have to sprint back: few if any in the competition can reel Wi Brown in on a breakaway.

Desperation stakes.

That’s Game 4 in Week 6 is for Lytton and the 9ers. Neither team have a win in 2017 yet, and the chance to perform well tonight — as opposed to focusing on their position on the table or even competition points as such — is more relevant.

Either team could win Game 4: Lytton can hit jump shots, the 9ers attack the hoop.

“For us, it’s a confidence thing — we just need to make our first few shots,” said 9ers captain Marquand Samuels, whose team began their first club ball campaign against Campion in Week 3, and who last Tuesday night tangled with Old School.

Hoera Mohi, the 9ers point-guard, has superb hands and if he can find Samuels or Tamanui Hill cutting to the basket, then his passing game could come to the fore. He plays with the same flair as Myles McIlroy, another one-man of his vintage.

Callan Whaitiri-White, who featured in some memorable plays in Week 5, could be a central figure in the lane for the 9ers. His height and remarkable reach could make the key a no-go area for the students.

Lytton could not attack the basket last Monday, with City Lights’ Walters in front of them, but their jump shooters did come to life in the fourth period. Raven Leach shot the ball with excellent form for eight points. His captain, Louie Rangihuna, hopes that the hot hand will return for his boys this evening.

“We want to play as a team and play hard,” Rangihuna said.

“Jackson Leach and Dom Wilson have been helping us at training — we’ve loved that. Still, we can’t wait to get our ace, Genesis (Bartlett-Tamatea), back next week.”

Men’s draw, Week 6 of 12, YMCA, TONIGHT —

5.30pm: City Lights v The Dragons.

6.30pm: Pure Sound v East Coast.

7.30pm: Old School v SE Systems.

8.30pm: Lytton High School v The 9ers.

Women, Week 4, YMCA, TOMORROW —

5.30pm: Lytton High School v Gisborne Girls’ High School.

6.30pm: Paikea v Hearty.

7.30pm: Ngati Porou v Campion College.

Men’s overflow game

8.30pm: Gisborne Boys’ High School v Campion College.