The Rising Suns celebrate after their 87-66 win over Hamilton Marist that clinched them the Northern Conference title in 2001 and earned them a place in the national second division playoffs. The Suns took Gisborne basketball to new heights during their 1988 to 2010 era and the Gisborne Basketball Association men’s representative team are looking to revive such heydays when they kick off the Tupu League against Hawke’s Bay at the “home of Gisborne basketball” — the YMCA — this afternoon. The 2001 Suns in this picture are standing (from left): American import Ron Powell, Reggie Namana, Adrian Torrie, Rikki-Lee Crawford, Butch Wills (obscured), co-captain Ray Noble, Gary Harding and head coach Frank Russell. Middle: Khan Bradley and Robbie Wilson. Front: David Glendenning, co-captain Dwayne Tamatea, Joshua Calles and Glen Brown. Photo / Paul Rickard
The Gisborne YMCA generates a basketball energy that elevates the home team and can — and has — overcome visiting teams.
From the days during which Gisborne Basketball Association’s 60-year servant Clifton Blumfield and his no-nonsense refereeing partner Bruce Copeman controlled Rising Suns home games to now, no crowd reaction was more wild than that of the second-division fandom that...
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