The final quarter saw Horouta Koura subjected to a 27-6 goal-scoring blitz.
YMP started the game with intent to forge a 10-goal lead, but Horouta stemmed the flow a little over the next two quarters.
The last 15 minutes proved one-way traffic as YMP, rather than resting on their winning advantage, stepped their game up another notch.
They used the ball impressively, opened up the court and delivered the ball at speed into shooters Paku-Jane Skudder and Jayda Banks, who finished off with aplomb.
At the other end, defenders Bronya McMenamin and Keasi Williams-Fonohema stifled the ball going into Horouta Koura’s shooters and collected a bunch of tips and intercepts.
Gisborne Girls’ High always had their noses in front, but their lead was never comfortable.
The students led 10-8 after the first quarter, 25-19 at halftime and 38-33 at the three-quarter rest.
They started the game confidently - delivering long passes through the court, where teammates positioned themselves away from defenders to give the passers options.
However, it was no walkover. YMP also moved the ball well, were tight on defence and kept in close contact on the scoreboard throughout.
Girls’ High shooter Sage Brown played well. She moved nicely around the goal circle, going up and then dropping back, speeding along the baseline, moving in unison with her other shooter and giving her feeders options.
At the other end, defender Jazmin Gardner used her height well to stop the high ball going into the YMP’s shooters and got some good rebounds.
The teams went into the game with Girls’ High narrowly ahead. They are now four points clear - YMP missed out on a losing bonus point by just one goal - and only a point behind fifth-placed East Coast OG Whāngārā.
Midweek netball in the Y tomorrow starts at 6pm with second-placed Claydens Waikohu (1) going up against TR Builds Horouta Koura.
It was a big win for Waikohu last time they met, but that did not reflect the competitive aspect of the game.
Waikohu’s players worked together throughout the court and built on their lead at each break. But Horouta remained in touch, and it was only in the last quarter that they let it slip and Waikohu pulled ahead to win convincingly.
Whāngārā Old Girls take on Girls’ High at 7.30pm.
Whāngārā trailed the students by five in the first quarter of their previous meeting, but pulled it back to be leading by two at halftime, then added to their lead over the remaining two quarters to win by 13.
It was a competitive game, with both teams having little runs of goals, but once Whāngārā took the lead, they stayed in front.
GGHS worked well on Saturday and looked confident in all areas of the court.
They will need to bring that same type of play if they want to take the win against their higher-seeded opponents.
Saturday marked the end of the round-robin games for other senior grades. Their semifinals are next weekend.
The Premier Grade semifinals are to take place on August 21.
An intermediate tournament held at the Victoria Domain courts last week featured eight teams in two grades.
The A Grade title was decided by goal differential, while only three points separated the top two in the B Grade.
YMP Toru won the A Grade from Wairoa.
Rebels won the B Grade from Nga Uri a Maui.
A big thank you to the organisers for what was a fun tournament for these rising netballers. There were smiles aplenty.
Senior results (bonus point for losing by three goals or less):
Premier Reserve: Aorangi Contracting HSOG 38 First Light Electrical GGHS Snr B 16, Steve Craill Builder Ngātapa 32 Claydens Waikohu P2 20, TR Builds Horouta Taimana 30 Brendan Fry Builder Sportsfit 19.
A Grade: YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 26 Gisborne Glass Ngātapa 11, Pioneer 32 Claydens Waikohu (2) 25, GGHS Jnr 33 Whalis 33, Pioneer 31 YMP Hine Taiohi Whakato 23.
First Grade: Claydens Waikohu Social B 41 Smash Palace Sportsfit 27, Whāngārā Paikea 36 Campion Snr A 19, Smash Palace Sportsfit 31 OBM Blue 15.
First Reserve: Pirates Manawa 33 Allwood Enterprises HSOG 28.
Second Grade: Tatapouri Sportsfit Social 32 OBM OG 26.
