EYES AHEAD: Jonty Evans, of Gisborne Boys’ High School Wolf-pack, tries to go past Ryan Anderson, of Lytton High School. The Wolf-pack won this game 45-42. Picture by Paul Rickard
These were hard games.
Week 6 of the men’s club basketball league in Gisborne had three incredibly tough A Grade games at the YMCA.
Meanwhile, the youngest team in the B Grade claimed a huge scalp at the John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre.
The huge scalp was that of Lytton High School — the Gisborne Boys’ High School Wolf-pack, under Ray Noble, beat them 45-42.
Lytton had led 14-10, 21-17, 31-27 at the quarters, yet for some reason, the feeling that Rikki Noble (12 points), Finn Vette (7pts), Jonty Evans (6pts) and company might still be in Game 1 would not go away.
Lytton’s Darius Waititi-Leach (11pts) and Ainsley Waititi-Leach (9pts) both had a good night offensively but hustle and heart play a big part in sport: as Noble’s team proved.
“Finn Vette was Mr Hustle — he caused havoc defensively,” Noble Snr said.
“Rikki dominated at the offensive end and Ben Hutchings’ 100 percent commitment set the tone. But the key was Jonty Evans and Errol Tamihana gaining parity on the boards against a much bigger team.
“We held them to one shot attempt per possession.”
The Filthy Dozen are fun to watch.
They bump; they occasionally bang. GBHS Red won the late A Grade game against them, 62-53, at the cost of a few pushes.
Gisborne club basketball has always been a tough school and so school teams — rightly — don’t get an armchair ride.
Red’s Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown led all A Grade scorers with 29 points. (City Lights captain Scott Muncaster was next on the list with 25, against SE Systems.)
Red were without three-point-shooting big man Sam Veitch due to an injured left knee yet the Dozen — with Jimmy Wilson (12pts), Dom Wilson (11pts) and Wi Brown (11pts) — would have attacked the hoop regardless. Three scorers in double-figures can make a club team competitive, but that doesn’t always equate to a win.
Red are playing with a hard edge because they must, and it’s bringing the best out in them.
“Against a team like the Filthy Dozen, we tried to play a halfcourt game without Sam where we needed to push the ball,” Red team captain Max Scott said.
“They hit some tough shots and that didn’t happen for us until the fourth quarter.”
Boys’ High Red led 10-9, 30-26, 46-44.
Tuwairua-Brown and point guard Holden Wilson (18pts) are both quick in the open court. Up front, teammates such as Ofa Tauatevalu and Khian Westrupp had to contend with good hard defence from the older crew.
Neither outfit whinged at the referees, rather opting to play the game with passion.
Old School beat Boys’ High Black 71-43 in Game 2, the young team trying anything and everything to stop Rongomai Smith (21pts) and Thomas Tindale (20pts) at close quarters, without success.
On the plus side, Daley Riri scored 15 points, and the Black guard is really starting to assert himself on the floor. Some of that is tied to the court-vision that comes from experience and the confidence that follows success — for example, his two three-point shots in the first period.
Both Smith and teammate Will Locquard (14pts) made three-point plays before quartertime (Old School led 26-11, 45-24, 58-34 throughout).
Old School’s first field goal of each of the first three periods was a cracker: a Locquard three-point play, a Locquard three-point shot and a length-of-the-court assist from Smith on the left to Locquard running right-side to score.
The younger team had their heroes, such as Zorik Peneha (8pts) and Tamati Horua (6pts).
On the run down the right, Horua drove at and spun off legendary Rising Sun Reggie Namana to score, and Horua made a three-point play at Smith’s expense.
Smith, one of the league’s most passionate players, said: “Tamati played well and he’s tough. He doesn’t take rubbish from anybody.”
There’s no higher praise for a school student in Gisborne club basketball.
Muncaster doesn’t care who it is. When able to, the City Lights captain will score.
On Monday, he sank a league-high six three-pointers in his 25-point tally as City Lights beat SE Systems 52-42.
Lights missed both strongman Ryan Walters (rib injury) and quick guard Carlos Pedraza (out of town) but were well-served in their absence by Zade Donner (12pts).
David Glendenning gave an assist the equal of Smith’s to Locquard in the game to follow with a two-handed chest pass to Donner on his left for 28-17.
City Lights controlled events 13-6, 30-19, 42-28.
SES deserve credit for matching up heads-wise (three substitute players a team).
Thomas Kepa (10pts) scored SE Systems’ first points with a long jump shot and it was great to see him turn out for his old club.
SES — formerly Sparks — have always been a club to foster young talent and that loyalty is repaid.
Cliff Blumfield, as always, set a high standard of vigilance for referees on the night, when as the trail official he picked up Systems’ Marty Ngaira for progress in the front-court, one minute 57 seconds into Game 1.
Scoring details —A GRADE
City Lights 52 (Scott Muncaster 25 points, Zade Donner 12) SE Systems 42 (Thomas Kepa 10) City Lights led 13-6, 30-19, 42-28.
Old School 71 (Rongomai Smith 21, Thomas Tindale 20, William Locquard 14) Gisborne Boys’ High School Black 43 (Daley Riri 15) Old School led 26-11, 45-24, 58-34.
GBHS Red 62 (Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown 29, Holden Wilson 18) Filthy Dozen 53 (Jimmy Wilson 12, Dom Wilson 11, Wi Brown 11) GBHS Red led 10-9, 30-26, 46-44.
B GRADE
GBHS Wolf-pack 45 (Rikki Noble 12, Finn Vette 7, Jonty Evans 6) Lytton High School 42 (Darius Waititi-Leach 11, Ainsley Waititi-Leach 9) LHS led 14-10, 21-17, 31-27.
Old Surfers 66 (Mercy Bristow 22, Mark Atkins 18, Konnor Gibson 16) GBHS Blue 42 (Luka Russell 8, Cody Tarei 6, Seth Miller 6) Old Surfers led 17-6, 35-17, 52-42.
Campion College 55 (Paora Dewes 18, Orlando Pedraza Jnr 10) Gizzy Gilas 27 (Ray Salvation 9) Campion College led 16-8, 28-14, 42-21.