Basketball: Raw talent work in progress as coach assesses first game

Hawke's Bay's Harris Solomon (white) battles for posession against Waikato's Kirk Rangiwha-Green (left) and Delroi Heu. Photo Duncan Brown

The need to grow the knowledge base and a lack of physicality were the two things that stuck out like sore thumbs to basketball coach Theo Tait.

"We have a lot of work to do," was Tait's assessment after his Hawke's Bay side beat Waikato 74-66 in Hastings on Saturday.

It was the first game of the SAS Sport-sponsored Central North Island second division CBL competition held at the Hastings Sports Centre.

The CBL is designed to offer a decent competition to regions that do not have an NBL team as well as expose promising youngsters in NBL sides to more court time.

Tait, who was Tab Baldwin's assistant in the NBL, said his players were predominantly schoolboys compared with Waikato's under-23-heavy side.

Bay captain Ravi Mani is the oldest at 21 and Matt Bird, holidaying in Australia for a fortnight, is the only other non-schoolboy.

Former Hawks point guard Aidan Daly didn't play on Saturday because he was laid up after pushing himself too hard at training, but Tait said they would field him whenever he was available.

"Ravi and Matt Bird need to be in shape because they are not match fit," the coach said, after the Bay trailed 25-21 in the first quarter before bouncing back 20-13 in the second to lead 41-38 at halftime.

The hosts maintained that pressure into the third spell (17-12) but Waikato came back to level 16-16 in the final quarter.

Tait said just because a couple of his players trained with the Hawks didn't mean they were fit.

In fact, when he injected teenagers, who are training and playing for their Bay school competition, they showed more fitness.

"It's a good opportunity for them [Hawks squad members] to put in some off-court work."

Guard Harris Solomon, 16, of Hastings Boys' High School, impressed Tait, who knows little of his players.

"I had heard rumours he was a bit of a hothead and this and that.

"Harris needed some matches but he distributed the ball well and his defence was good," he said but he felt, like others, he had a long way to go.

Mani and Bird top-scored with 17 points while the latter had a double-double with 11 rebounds.

Wilfred Dickson scored 13 points and Jackson Macfarlane added 10.

For the visitors, Tamaki Courtney and Kirk Rangiwha-Green scored 17 each while Eru McCullough added 16.

Tait also noted the raw talent of Andrew Wilson, 16.

"HBHS are dominant here so this competition is now a stepping stone for them."

He said schoolboys, who were "superstars" in their schoolyards were often despondent to gain no game time in making the Hawks squad.

While Matt Wilson would return for the away game against Gisborne on August 2, Tait said Matiu Spooner held his ground on Saturday.

The Bay will play Tauranga at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, in their next home game on August 16 before hosting Gisborne at the Centennial Hall the next day.