Waikohu, YMP look strong

pressure Netball: Horouta Gold goal shoot Jahneia Kemp receives the ball under pressure from Waikohu (1) defender Naomi Alovili during the Kathleen Henderson Memorial Tournament. Horouta and Waikohu both won their games at the YMCA last night.Picture by Paul Rickard

Horouta Gold, Waikohu and YMP won their premier-grade netball games at the YMCA last night.

A vocal crowd enjoyed the action in the Pak'nSave competition, where good netball skills were on display.

Horouta Gold beat Gisborne Girls' High School Senior A 35-32, and Girls' High gained a bonus point for finishing within three points of their opponents.

Claydens Waikohu (1) beat F45 High School Old Girls 39-27and YMP (1) beat Whangara Old Girls 48-22.

The Horouta Gold-Girls' High game was a close, competitive game to start the night.

While Horouta led at the quarters — 10-6, 16-12 and 25-22 — Girls' High started the third quarter well and took the lead for a short time.

Horouta tightened their team defence through the court and were able to peg back the difference.

The fourth quarter was intense as the teams went goal for goal, Horouta managing to pull ahead in the last couple of minutes.

Horouta Gold shooters Jahneia Kemp (for the full game), Lexie Rutene (first half) and Ashlee Maka (second half) are moving well in the goal circle, working together and making themselves available for the circle feeds.

Midcourters Ngahuria Akania and Paare Ahuriri-Leach helped by driving to the top of the circle, delivering good ball and being available for the in/out passes.

Girls' High worked hard throughout, but experience showed in the way Horouta Gold pressured the students into errors at critical times. Girls' High earned a bonus point for their close loss.

In the Waikohu-HSOG game, Waikohu worked as a team on attack and defence, pressuring HSOG throughout the court.

The quarter scores started level but a strong second quarter gave Waikohu a cushion. After the first quarter ended 9-9, Waikohu led 21-12, 32-19 and 39-27 at fulltime.

Waikohu made several changes, but that didn't alter the flow of ball. Shooters Arihia Ruru, Princess Tomoana (first half) and Ashleigh Brown (second half) combined well in the goal circle and made it easier for their feeders to deliver the ball.

Ashleigh Brown played well at wing attack and then moved into the goal circle to display her shooting skills.

HSOG worked hard to combat the tight marking but Waikohu were relentless.

YMP (1) are playing strong netball. They beat Whangara Old Girls 48-22 and led the quarters 10-8, 21-11 and 33-15.

YMP play a fast game. Players run on to the ball, deliver long, hard passes and back each other up.

The attacks, Lyric Wesche and Grace Tahuri, were working together last night, driving on and off the goal circle to give their shooters options and feeding passes into the right space.

Shooters Paku-Jane Skudder and Jayda Banks moved well to collect some very good lobs close to the goal.

YMP players worked together to pressure Whangara into errors, and then capitalised by moving the ball quickly through the court, scoring goals and pulling steadily away.

Only one premier-grade game is set down for Saturday at the Victoria Domain courts . . . F45 HSOG play Whangara Old Girls at 11.50am.

They lost their games last night so they will be out to make amends on Saturday.

Both teams had some good passages of play but had to withstand intense pressure from their opposition.

Expect a close, competitive game.

Another busy day is expected at the courts as school teams complete their grading games.

From 8.30am, 79 games will be played, with the last round going on at 2.50pm.