Massive Marauders forward Stefan Pishief (centre) in action for Team Tom in the 2021 GBA Draft League. Pishief opened the scoring in game three of week seven on Tuesday. Photo / Paul Rickard
The last round of regular-season play in the GBA Men’s Premier League at the YMCA on Tuesday was a continuation of the frantic pace and frenzy for rebounds seen in the men’s open grade 24 hours before.
Game one, the Gisborne Boys’ High School Senior A’s 59-34 win against Waengapu Stallions was hectic and rambunctious.
Gisborne Boys’ marksman Ollie Tong counted three three-point shots and a three-point play in his 17-point haul, emerging forward Te Ratahi Hills was also great value for 13, but the beefy Stallions refused to give the younger team free rein.
The Stallions made the first two big plays of week seven, with Hukanui Brown up to block a shot by Hills, then made a driving right-side for a lay-up.
David Sweeney hit a wicked jump shot on the turn, left baseline, for 10-5.
The second and third periods were filled with tough scoring and defensive plays, and referee Cam MacGregor struck an excellent balance in not allowing the bigger team to overwhelm the younger team, while still allowing good, traditional physicality.
Felix Sparks facilitates the development and involvement of his teammates as well as any GBHS captain in the last 25 years, from Richard Hart to the present day, and they play with flair: as with CJ Tarei’s hook-pass to hard-running Sam Crosby for 46-29.
Defending champions City Lights beat Old Surfers by default in game 2.
The guard who led the Dwayne Tamatea-coached GBHS in 2019 to the National Secondary Schools Tournament, their first appearance there in 28 years — Max Scott — turns out each week for both a Surfers’ crew fighting hard not just to give their veterans a good competitive run but to ensure there is no bye in either the Men’s Open or Premier League.
For him to turn out for the veterans versus Scott Muncaster’s Lights, and play as well as he did in the late game, SE Systems’ 49-46 upset versus Green Up, is a fine thing.
Some thought game three would be a walkover, but the bout between the fearless Raiders and the Massive Marauders, was no walkover.
The Raiders beat the big men 54-52 — their high-flying duo of Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson (26) and Allies Rangihuna (11) were dynamic — but Dom Wilson of the Marauders made an incredible 31 points.
Like his older brothers, legendary Rising Suns Errol and Robbie, Wilson can do it all and with poise, and even he was astounded by the amount of strong, effort-based basketball the referees allowed.
He took the ball into the chest of Connor Mitchell, drew a foul and completed a three-point play for 13-10.
It was delicious stuff, from the moment Marauders captain, the towering Stefan Pishief, opened the scoring with a jump-hook, right-side of the basket.
Both teams took the ball to the hoop aggressively, veteran Ray Noble of the Marauders was twice the only player close to Ngarangione-Pearson when he went up to dunk the ball.
SE Systems’ 49-46 win over Green Up was a classic.
From the moment referee Brendan Walsh set a high standard (he nabbed Green Up’s Khian Westrupp for a moving screen in the first period), the late game was set to go the way of the team that held its nerve.
Systems’ Will Collier hit a three-pointer and later a floater versus his former Boys’ High teammate Cody Tarei, who played gutsy basketball and blocked shots with force.
Luke Smith scored 12 for Systems off genuine assists, and Adrian Peachey wowed the crowd with his tenacity on the offensive boards.
Smith, Thomas Kepa and Max Scott each scored seven points; every bit as valuable as 20 in a lesser contest.
Basketball scores- Tuesday, October 1
Gisborne YMCA
Week Seven, GBA Men’s Premier Grade
Gisborne Boys High School Senior A 59 (Ollie Tong 17, Te Ratahi Hills 13, CJ Tarei 9, Sam Crosby 6) Waengapu Stallions 34 (Hukanui Brown 13, Henry-Roy Kepa 6, David Sweeney 5). Q1 GBHS 13-10, HT 31-21, Q3 42-39.
City Lights 60 (Scott Muncaster 20, Israel Kerisome 9, Carl Riini 8) Old Surfers 33 (Max Scott 14, Jonty Evans 9, Jorje Tofilau 4). Q1 City Lights 15-7, HT 28-20, Q3 49-27.
Raiders 54 (Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson 26, Allies Rangihuna 11, James Aston-Nielsen 9) Massive Marauders 52 (Dom Wilson 31, Luke Bradley 11, Jason Tuapawa 8). Q1 Marauders 14-13, HT Raiders 33-26, Q3 43-35.
SE Systems 49 (Luke Smith 12, William Collier 10, Adrian Peachey 7, Max Scott 7, Thomas Kepa 7) Green Up 46 (Cody Tarei 14, Dominique Wilson 10, Holden Wilson 8, Nuku Patea-Taylor 7). Q1 Green Up 14-11, HT 26-21, Q3 41-33.