Two teams head to basketball champs

Rotorua Girls High School (pictured) and Reporoa College will be in Palmerston North next week competing in the SAS Secondary Schools National Basketball Championships.

Secondary schools basketball
Reporoa College's senior girls' basketball team have had to fight for every point this season.

At the SAS Secondary Schools National Basketball Championships in Palmerston North next week, they intend to make every team they play do the same.

The team qualified for the A tournament - the competition for schools with a roll under 600 - from the North Island tournament in Tauranga over winter tournament week.

Rotorua Girls' High School's senior basketball team also qualified for next week's nationals and will compete in the AA tournament for schools with a roll of over 600.

The A tournament features teams from seven North Island and five South Island schools.
Reporoa coach Ross Barker said it was about 35 years since the school last qualified for the nationals.

''They play in the A grade in the Rotorua competition and they have been playing well and have been really consistent. They fight for every point because we haven't go the numbers, but they are awesome,'' he said.

There is a camaraderie in the team.

''They really like each other and like each other's company.''

Barker said the team has been built around Jade Wharemate.

''She made the Rotorua rep team. She is outstanding - really top class,'' said Barker, ''and there are three or four who are pretty good so we have built the team around that.''

Barker admits there is one team in the same pool as Reporoa who he doesn't think his team can beat - Opunake High School.

''They are really good and really fast, but we are going down there to have a heap of fun and we are going to fight like hell. That's our approach and we are going to make every team fight for every point and see what happens.

''Out philosophy has always been to get better each week and to enjoy the moment.''

Rotorua Girls' High School's senior basketball team grabbed the fifth and final qualifying spot by beating neighbours Western Heights in the playoff for fifth at the regional championships earlier this month.

The are the Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty secondary school champions

Since securing their spot in the nationals, they have been preparing to face the challenge.

''They are training regularly and quite hard, and working on their fitness,'' said Holt.

Awatea Leach, captain of last year's New Zealand Under-17s, is in the team, and there are also several Rotorua rep players.

Holt said the goalis to finish in the top eight in Palmerston North.

Girls' High have been drawn in the same pool as Hamilton Girls' High School.

''We are aware of them as we travel over to Hamilton every Friday evening to play in their competition. They will be a challenge,'' said Holt.

Also in the same pool as Rotorua Girls' are Epsom Girls' Grammar School, New Plymouth Girls' High School, Marlborough Girls' College and Hutt Valley High School.

Reporoa are pooled with Buller High School, St Kevin's College, Kavanagh College, Te Aroha High School and Opunake High School.

The tournament starts on Monday.