Initiative wins Community Innovation category at BBNZ Awards

Two basketball half-courts were built at Waikanae Beach as part of the Hoops in Parks Tairāwhiti initiative, which was recognised at the 2023 Basketball NZ Awards in Wellington. At the official opening of the courts last December are, back row: Micah Tapsell, Gisborne Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga, Tall Black Ethan Rusbatch and Daniel Dawick of Basketball NZ. Front: Te Katuku Unasa Wilson, Mason Poi, Cael Neho, Evah-Mae Beets and Kees Beets. Picture by Liam Clayton

Gisborne Basketball Association’s Hoops in Parks Tairāwhiti initiative has been recognised at the 2023 Basketball New Zealand Awards in Wellington.

The Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell-chaired GBA won the BBNZ Community Innovation Award.

The initiative resulted in the creation of four outdoor courts in Tairāwhiti — two half-courts at the Waikanae beachfront, one at Te Papa Takaro o Te Araroa and one at Kahukura Park at Tikitiki.

Plans are afoot to instal a full outdoor court next to the existing half-court at Te Puawaitanga in Ruatoria.

Hoops in Parks is a collaboration between GBA, Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ), Gisborne District Council and Hoe! Gallery and is aimed at giving the community access to quality facilities free of charge.

It has been extremely popular.

BBNZ said the Community Innovation Award “recognised exceptional community initiatives delivered by member associations in community leadership”.

Turuwhenua-Tapsell said: “This award speaks to the amazing support we’ve received from our partners . . .  without our partners, it’s hard to get these things done for our keen ballers and our communities.”

The Basketball NZ Awards also featured the induction of Ngati Porou-affiliated Tania Tupu (nee Brunton) into the BBNZ Hall of Fame  alongside such notables as former Tall Blacks head coach Tab Baldwin, and his team who placed fourth in the 2002 world championship.

Tupu, now a successful jewellery designer, has ties to East Coast through her mother Miriama Brunton (Ngata).

The 49-year-old mother of two boys is a two-time Olympian, who represented New Zealand between 1992 and 2004, and was head coach of the Tokomanawa Queens who won the inaugural Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa title last year.

She and husband Chris Tupu, a Tall Black international from 1991-2000, ran clinics for young players, adults and coaches on the Coast in 1997 and 2006.

Born in Porirua, Tupu’s holidays were spent at Tikitiki with her maternal grandmother — Kui Ngata  and the whanau.

“To be acknowledged for a period during my life in which I committed to wearing the black shirt, something that took hard work and time, it’s a reminder of an era in Tall Ferns basketball,” Tupu told the awards gathering.

“We made it to the Olympic quarterfinals in 2004. We beat China to make it out of pool play to face the Aussies again.

“For my mum, with the sacrifices that she made, to be there for my induction was special. I got to know the parents of almost all of my teammates . . . family support can play an important part in making it to the top.”