Basketball: Rotorua Volcanics well on way

Rotorua's Special Olympics basketball team is one step closer to achieving their goal of competing at the national summer games after placing second in their first tournament.

The Rotorua Volcanics, made up of 10 players aged between 15 and 54 and with a range of physical and intellectual abilities, placed second in the C grade at the Special Olympics Ribbon Day in Auckland on July 21.

Special Olympics Rotorua basketball team manager Stella McLeod said the players, who have been practising together since the beginning of the year, were all stoked with their performance.

"This was their first competition as a team," she said.

"And they played so well together."

Goal shooter Carla Meelker, 18, who shot 15 goals for the team, said she had loved playing in the competition.

"It was mean scoring all of those hoops," she said.

Auckland Special Olympics volunteer and coach Fred Senior was impressed with the team's first performance.

"The Rotorua Volcanics caught my eye," he said.

"It was so neat to see them win second place in their grade."

The team must now participate in the Special Olympics Regional Basketball Games in Hamilton in November to qualify for the Special Olympics National Basketball Competition.

The Rotorua Volcanics practise every Thursday from 5.30 till 6.30 at Rotorua Girls' High School.