Their shooters played well. Princess Tomoana worked the goal circle effectively through either driving quickly into the circle to collect the pass and then shoot; pulling her defender away and leaving the space free for the other shooter to collect the pass; or using in-and-out passes to get into a better position.
Fellow shooter Karyn Matiaha positioned herself well by holding her defender up high, which allowed her to collect the lob in behind her.
Tomoana and Matiaha’s combo gave Waikohu’s attackers good options to deliver the ball.
Horouta made changes but could not stop Waikohu’s flow through the court.
YMP were also untroubled in their win over Girls’ High. They led through all quarter breaks – 15-10, 34-18 and 48-26.
YMP started strongly, with the whole team gelling. They used long and quick passing through the court to get the ball to their shooters.
They were also tight on defence. The students often had to pass the ball around and back before there was an opening, which sometimes resulted in an error for YMP to pounce on and turn into a goal.
YMP’s win lifted them to the top of the table, with Waikohu and Taste One High School Old Girls two points behind, although both have a game in hand.
That game is the only Premier Grade clash in the YMCA on Saturday (10.15am start) and it promises to be a good one.
It is a couple of months since these two teams played each other – Waikohu winning 53-41 – and both teams have developed strongly since then.
Each side have lost only game at this stage of round 2 – Waikohu’s an upset defeat by Girls’ High – so fans can expect a highly competitive contest played at speed.
Three Premier Reserve games will also be held in the Y on Saturday: Gis Glass Ngatapa v Aorangi Contracting HSOG at 9am; Horouta Rangitira v Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit at noon; and Waikohu P2 v YMP Masters at 1pm.
Other senior grades, along with secondary, intermediate and Years 5 and 6 grades, are back on the new Victoria Domain courts from 8.30am to 3.15pm.
