Tight premier netball games in store

Send it on: Gisborne Girls’ High’s Hinerauiri Cotter-Luke looks to fire the ball downcourt as Waikohu’s Princess Tomoana defends. GGHS take on Horouta Gold tonight at 6pm in premier grade netball. Waikohu face High School Old Girls at 7.30pm. Both games are at the YMCA. Picture by Paul Rickard

Horouta Gold and Gisborne Girls’ High School will have a good go at each other at the YMCA tonight in what should be the more competitive of the two premier games.

The 6pm game in the Pak’nSave premiership pits two fairly evenly matched teams against each other.

JT Contractors Horouta Gold and Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A were in the challenge round (Round 1) and have yet to record a win in Round 2.

So both teams will have targeted this game for a win.

Last time they played each other it was close and Horouta Gold’s experience helped them to pull through by three goals.

Girls’ High have been developing pretty well and another competitive contest should be in prospect tonight.

The second game, at 7.30pm, will feature Claydens Waikohu (1) up against F45 High School Old Girls.

Waikohu have been working as a team throughout the court and using their bench without altering their flow.

They were relentless in pressuring HSOG ball carriers last time the teams met, when Waikohu won by 12 goals.

High School Old Girls have given glimpses of their strong movement of the ball through the court, but it has not been consistent.

To match Waikohu tonight, they will need to bring their top game for the full hour.

Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said it could be a tough game but she felt her girls were up for the challenge.

“They’re ready for it.” she said.

“They are a lot fitter this year.

“They’re playing as a unit, and I hope they maintain that togetherness tonight.

“Our whole game is where we want it to be at the moment.”

HSOG player-coach Alex Sinclair said her players were still finding their connections this season.

“Covid has made it difficult to get the whole team at training, but we are now starting to get our groove back,” she said.

“I expect Waikohu will come out strong against us tonight.

“But our main focus at this stage is to get our through-court links working properly again.

“We expect a tough one tonight — a hard one-hour game.”