Big weekend ahead for basketball fans

It will be a case of all roads leading to the Genesis Recreation Centre in Masterton for Wairarapa basketball enthusiasts over Labour weekend.
Six men's teams and six women's teams will be contesting a tournament named in honour of two former stalwarts of the sport in the Wairarapa region, Ralph Carrroll and Sharon Waitere.
Hot favourites to win the Ralph Carroll Memorial Trophy in the men's grade will be Highwayman Motel Scorpions, who have an ex-Tall Black in Kent Mori and a current Palmerston North Jets national league player in Dan Simon in their line-up.
They will be opposed by three teams from the Wellington area and two local sides, Block Styles which will have the talented Henare Te Whare calling the shots and an unnamed side to be led by another quality player in Jason Brown.
Hiona should be the team to beat in the women's section where the Sharon Waitere Memorial Trophy will be up for grabs. Interestingly enough two of the key players in the Hiona team will be Sharon Waitere's daughter Eboni and Ralph Carroll's daughter Geraldine.
Block Styles will also field a women's team which will be led by Kelly Te Whare with the other four women's sides travelling over the hill from Wellington.
Tournament play will get underway at 9am on Saturday with the two finals scheduled for about midday on Monday.