Horouta versus the Astros was a shining example of how the late game can touch the heights.
The Gisborne Basketball Association Men’s Open Grade 2 vs 3 semifinal was an incredible display of athleticism from two young teams, and resulted in a 64-52 upset win to the Astros.
GBA club ball can be a wild ride for newbies, but Astros captain Riley Cox-Peratiaki and his crew have loved every step of their journey this season.
“Our team struggled initially but we’ve improved since. We lost 54-61 to Horouta four weeks ago, but our coach Carl Riini told us to set the level early on in the semi and our energy was unreal,” said Cox-Peratiaki.
“We now know what to expect every Monday, whether at the YMCA or the John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre [at Gisborne Boys’ High School] and we now have a game plan.
“Big ups to Horouta, too. They played super well and didn’t make it easy for us.”
The 2 vs 3 clash began with a feisty defensive effort from Astros’ Logan Mason-Takoko, who stole the ball from Horouta Te Waka’s Bjorn Raroa-Haraki in the back court.
Raroa-Haraki (23) and Owen Buchanan (15) led Horouta’s scorers in stirring style, but it was the Waka who made spectacular plays to set the tone.
Astros left-hander Ryland Bright (11) produced a magic steal and right-handed lay-up and Isileli Taliauli, right side, made the bombardier’s adjustment shot of the night - a high-arcing three-pointer over a leaping Raroa-Haraki.
Kelly Rangihuna hit a 10-metre shot from the top of the key and Rangihuna got a great assist to Shaarn Ratima running on the left.
Rangihuna, Bright, Raroa-Haraki and Buchanan have consistently been outstanding this club season but Ihaka Marino played his best game of 2024 on Monday night. The big forward opened the scoring in the second period and was a solid, upright defensive presence and did not commit a foul.
Raroa-Haraki hit a 12-metre shot for Horouta to close their deficit to 33-31 and Buchanan did everything from swooping in to score to blocking Taliauli’s shot late in the third quarter - such was the ebb and flow.
The fastest game of the Open Grade season finished on a three-pointer from Te Ahu Sadlier.
Haenga said: “Kudos to the Astros, a young team, for maintaining their lead and composure. We clawed back to within five points of them in the third quarter. It was a good showing from us with key players injured and two others playing their first season of structured basketball.
“We’re looking forward to playing Hustlers next Monday for third place, and are hoping that our boys developed a taste for ball and return next year.
“Special mention to our younger players Bjorn and Owen, who want to make the step up to the Premier Grade next season, and to our coaches Shinae Terekia and Adrian Peachey, who have supported us and the wider basketball community throughout 2024.”
The 1 vs 4 semifinal was a bruising 50-26 win to twice-straight Men’s Open Grade champions the Setting Suns over the Hustlers.
Suns captain Mike King said: “For us, it was a good team performance and the whole bench got game time. We’ve had three season-ending injuries, so having a solid player-base to continue with has been beneficial and it was nice to get a convincing win after a very close game, 53-50, against the Bruvs last week.”
King pointed out that his teammates were 40-plus or 13, that their basketball knowledge was limited and how big it was for his team to have Reggie Namana on deck as a mentor.
Namana’s physicality and hard-nosed approach manifested itself in strong drives to the basket. The Suns have the broadest shoulders in the grade and made good use of their size advantage, even as the Hustlers worked to overcome it.
Hustlers’ Kaea Swann, with skilful dribble-penetration, gave tall left-hander Elijah Swann space to hit a three-point shot for 6-5 to the underdogs. Shortly afterwards, Namana went through and over Jovan Potter like a tank for 9-6 - perhaps the defining moment of the semi. Young players not used to sliding their feet or keeping the ball-carrier in front of them have always struggled to stand their ground with him on the warpath.
The powerful King made a remarkable deep scoop shot for 15-13 and in the second quarter, Namana right-side sent a magnificent length-of-the-court assist the way of 13-year-old Luka Tong, who finished the fast-break under pressure from Potter for 23-15.
Kaea Swann made a near-impossible lay-up left side of the floor for Hustlers 21, Setting Suns 31, Matt Tong hit a three-metre effort in front of the ring for 33-21 and Elijah Swann made the athletic defensive play of the game, pinning King’s shot to the backboard, to complete a breakneck sequence.
Matt Tong made a trey for 37-23 and, in the best comic tradition of club ball, 0.03 seconds before threequarter-time, Namana sent another baseball pass end-to-end for the hard-running King.
Before the Suns skipper could complete the play, the stadium lights - set on a timer - went off. They were restored immediately and on that note, the teams went to the break.
There was more slapstick to follow, Sun James Alder muscling his way down the right baseline into Rylan Tuwairua-Brown before lead official Adrian Sparks ruled the ball-carrier put a foot out of court.
Alder is a gutsy player who gives his all, even if off balance, as he was when, falling backward, he not so much had his shot blocked by Elijah Swann, rather shot the ball up into the taller player’s hand.
Yet Alder made a one-handed shot from five metres for 45-26 and his teammate Fabio Geranazzo, another solid contributor, popped a sweet short shot from left of the baseline on the next play.
The two most memorable shots of the fourth period were treys: Kaea Swann’s effort from the right side was the Hustlers’ only field goal, even points, down the home stretch and it was GBHS Year 9 Luka Tong who had the last word from the left-wing, 6 seconds from time.
Without Rongomai Smith, Hawaiiki Hou might have faltered in their fifth-to-eighth semifinal.
Missing Quentin Solomon and Xavier Pivac-Solomon, Smith led all scorers in the Men’s Open Grade with 24 points in a 51-45 win against Raiders B.
The veteran Raiders, led by Siaki Tui, had only one substitute on the bench, and - with more players to call upon - have tested the best teams in the competition.
Tui said: “It’s always good to have a run because we still love the game - and this 5th-8th play-off could have gone either way - but Hawaiki Hou deserved the win. The young guys we played are the next generation of ballers.”
With 30 seconds remaining in the first period, Smith hit a jumper off the dribble right-side for 16-14 and Raiders’ Daniel Beets gave his skipper an around-the-back pass for 18-16, the first field goal of the second quarter. Beets and Smith both hit three-pointers for 27-27. Raiders B were 32-30 up at the break and another Beets try put them 35-32 in front.
Chad Rose hit a pull-up jump-shot for 37-34 and Jaxon Leach twice found Siaki Tui on backdoor plays at 39-36 and 41-36. Rusty Weteni later hit a jump shot low-left on the baseline for 43-41.
The Raiders were scoring baskets and in good shape.
Te Haeora Kerekere-Puke scored a tremendous put-back for his brother, Hawaiiki Hou teammate Tuwhakaea Kerekere-Puke and the lead, at 46-45, and with 37 seconds left to play Smith found Etai Gilbert open, right side of the floor. Gilbert hit a eight-metre shot for 51-45.
Bruvs won their semifinal 47-42 over Kiwi Lumber-Jacks in an unstructured but hugely entertaining clash. Lead official Felix Sparks nabbed Bruvs’ Ainsley Waititi-Leach for fouling Leigh Watene - Watene made the shot.
On the right baseline, Bruvs Latrell Walker blocked Kenneth Smith’s shot out of court with the score at 21-8. Smith later hit a trey, as did Waititi-Leach from the left corner for 29-19.
In addition to open jumpers, both teams scored from offensive rebounds.
Watene scored off a third shot attempt for the Jacks. Smith made a strong play in going end-to-end for the Kiwi Lumber-Jacks, but the Bruvs never relented.
From the left side, Watene drove at Latrell Walker and scored with a floater and with 1 min 47 seconds left their captain David Rameka hit an eight-metre shot from the top of the circle and 15 seconds from time, Izaiah Kerisome, left side scored the last field goal for Lumber-Jacks.