Praise for Gisborne spirit and resilience at Super 8

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Jared Martin has a high basketball IQ.

And the man whose Tauranga Boys’ College crew were pushed to the brink by Gisborne Boys’ High School on Wednesday morning knows just how close run a thing the game between the teams was.

TBC came from behind to beat GBHS 76-72 in the playoff for seventh and eighth at the Super Schools 8 tournament in Taradale.

“We threw a lot at Gisborne but couldn’t upset their mindset and couldn’t shake them,” said first-year head coach Martin, who marvelled at the Boys’ High outfit’s spirit and resilience at what for them was a tough three days.

“Their pure effort and hustle negated our efforts to change things up.”

Gisborne, skippered by Felix Sparks, led Tauranga  20-12 at the end of the first period, only the second time in five games they had been in front of their opponents into a break.

Ngaru Grayson scored Boys’ High’s first three field goals in his 26 point-haul against Tauranga. Sparks (15) and Cody Tarei (14) also reached double-figures.

Senior players Grayson (who averaged 20 points), Will Collier (16) and Tarei (11) were Gisborne’s heaviest scorers over the week of the tournament held at Taradale’s Pettigrew Green Arena.

They stepped up offensively while all eight members of the Keenan Ruru-Poharama-coached Gisborne team fought tooth and nail on defence and at the backboards at both ends.

SUPER 8 BASKETBALL RESULTS

Round 3: Gisborne Boys’ High 93 (William Collier 26, Ngaru Grayson 21, Qkylau Leach 12) Tauranga Boys’ College 110. Q1 30-19 TBC, HT 54-49 TBC, Q3 79-77 GBHS).

Round 4: Gisborne Boys’ High 52 (Ngaru Grayson 18, Qkylau Leach 11, Will Collier 9) Hamilton BHS 108. Q1 29-14 HBHS, HT 49-32, Q3 82-48).

Playoff for 7th/8th: Gisborne Boys’ High 72 (Ngaru Grayson 26, Felix Sparks 15, Cody Tarei 14) Tauranga Boys’ College 76. Q1 20-12 GBHS, HT 31-30 GBHS, Q3 58-49 TBC).