YMP top of Gisborne Premier netball table after win over HSOG

Multi-talented YMP defender Bronya McMenamin was a powerhouse for her team in their Premier Grade netball victory over High School Old Girls in the YMCA on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, McMenamin was named in the Ngati Porou East Coast Hamoterangi women's rugby squad for the Heartland North Island competition. Photo / Paul Rickard

YMP reclaimed top spot on the Gisborne Pak’nSave Premier Grade table with a strong win over nearest rivals High School Old Girls in the YMCA on Wednesday night.

Turanga FM YMP’s 52-37 defeat of Taste One HSOG lifted them to 38 points, two ahead of HSOG with defending champions Claydens Waikohu third on 32 points (but with a game in hand).

YMP were in front right the way through - 11-8 at the first-quarter break, 28-21 at halftime and 37-29 going into the last 15 minutes.

Both teams were speedy and used long, hard passes - the ball zooming up and down the court.

The first three quarters were close and the scoreline only blew out in the last quarter, which YMP won 15-8.

The YMP players worked as one, pressuring the ball carrier and creating many turnovers.

They also worked hard off the ball, timing their movements to collect the next pass at speed and using the lob into shooter Paku-Jane Skudder. She rewarded that with a high shooting success percentage.

But YMP are no one-trick pony. The shooters varied their movement in and around the goal circle to counteract the pressure from HSOG defenders Alex Sinclair and Joaquina Kaa, who worked tirelessly.

YMP’s Bronya McMenamin was out hunting the ball at every opportunity and collected several intercepts, while Ata Mangu had a strong game, driving through the middle of the court and linking both ends.

In the other Wednesday Premier game in the Y, Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A defeated Old Girls Whāngārā 45-40.

It was a competitive game for the whole hour. Girls’ High led through the quarters - 12-11, 25-19 and 35-31.

They got the margin out to eight goals several times, but OG Whāngārā’s never-say-die attitude saw them close the deficit.

Girls’ High defender Rhiley Wirihana-Vosaki impressed, collecting some crucial intercepts. She worked well with Areeza Skudder in the goal circle. They stopped many balls going into the opposition’s attackers.

Wirihana-Vosaki positioned herself well to confidently collect rebounds.

At the other end, shooters Saige Brown, Kayla Namana and Neveah Smith combined effectively to counteract the pressure from the OG Whāngārā defenders and give good options for their feeders.

OG Whāngārā defenders Kelsi Hohipa, Torepe Taumaunu and Jessica Crawford linked nicely across the students’ attacking end to put pressure on all ball that entered the third.

The win solidified Girls’ High’s fourth place (20pts) on the table, six ahead of Horouta Gold.

The students are back in action at the YMCA on Saturday against Waikohu at 9am.

The last time these two teams met, Girls High produced a confident performance to stun the defending champions 43-36 - their first loss of the season.

Horouta Gold are up against Whāngārā Old Girls at 10.30am.

Horouta won by six in the previous encounter between these sides. Both teams enjoyed runs of goals in that match only for the opposition to pull them back.

Two Premier Reserve games will also be held in the Y on Saturday - Horouta Rangatira v Waikohu P2 at midday and Gisborne Glass Ngatapa v Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit at 1pm.

The other senior grades, along with secondary, intermediate and Yr 5 & 6 grades, will be in action on the Victoria Domain courts, starting at 8.30am and finishing at 3.15pm.

The secondary and intermediate competitions are into the semifinals phase.