YMP impress in dominant performance

HIGH BALL: High School Old Girls goal defence Alex Sinclair (centre) gets a hand to the ball before Whangara goal attack Nadia Whaitiri-White can claim possession in Gisborne senior netball. HSOG and Whangara had a tight contest at the YMCA last night, HSOG winning 51-47.File picture by Paul Rickard

YMP were too strong for Horouta Gold and High School Old Girls held off a late charge from Whangara Old Girls in premier-grade netball at the YMCA last night.

Top-of-the-table YMP (1) remained unbeaten after they dispatched JT Contractors Horouta Gold 61-43. F45 HSOG beat Whangara 51-47, the latter team earning a losing-margin bonus point.

YMP are playing well and showed their strength in all areas of the court in a dominant performance.

They led all the way — 17-11 after the first quarter, 34-22 at halftime and 51-31 at the three-quarter mark.

Seamless changes made at each break showed their depth and the good understanding that has developed between the players.

This was particularly noticeable when a YMP player created turnover ball and teammates were quick to capitalise on the tip and speedily move the ball through the court to their shooters.

Goal keep Lucretia Taitapanui impressed for Gold, who won the final quarter 12-10. She has excellent awareness and went out hunting, securing several tips and intercepts.

HSOG also led throughout their contest with Whangara — 15-10, 28-20 and 40-31.

Both teams had strong passages of play, moving the ball at speed as players ran on to the pass.

HSOG came out out of the gates flying, at 12-3 forging a lead that they never relinquished.

Defender Alex Sinclair has a great vertical jump and used this strength to stop several high balls getting to the Whangara shooters.

Whangara made changes but it was only in the last quarter — which they won 16-11 — that they started to pull back the deficit.

In this quarter their play was more focused. They made fewer errors and reduced the deficit to five goals with two and a half minutes to go.

But HSOG kept their composure to earn the victory, which put them into third place on the table.

YMP lead on 24 points, Claydens Waikohu are on 20, HSOG are on 10 and Whangara, Horouta and Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls' High School Senior A are all on nine points. Whangara are fourth on goal differential.

Netball takes a break this weekend, with no games at Victoria Domain or the YMCA.

Premier netball returns to the YMCA on Wednesday night next week, while other senior grades resume on Saturday, July 23.