Basketball: Donors pledge support to cash-strapped code

Four "Good Samaritans" have come to the aid of financially stricken Basketball Hawke's Bay.

Four "Good Samaritans" have come to the rescue of a financially stricken Basketball Hawke's Bay.

Board chairman Gerry Sullivan said the saviours sought anonymity but the funding pledges were expected to drop tomorrow into the account of Basketball HB Wairere Trust, which also owns the code's HQ premises in Onekawa, Napier.

"At times like this, quality people shine through because they say what you're doing is worthwhile and we'll help you get through the tough times," Sullivan said.

"They are Good Samaritans, just nice people who want to support basketball but they don't want to be acknowledged publicly as benefactors."

The amateur body's immediate goal is to clear $30,000 owed for the hire of court venues but also make the Pettigrew-Green Arena Trust's debts a priority.

Sullivan juxtaposed the arena trust with the basketball one, claiming they served a similar function.

"The PG Arena Trust relies on us to make contributions because it's a service to basketball. We didn't expect PG Arena to write off our debts.

"So it looks like everyone is receiving something and the balance [of the debts] will come from the income of our leagues."

Sullivan felt BBH were in the "home straight" and on Friday week they would be wiser.

It was imperative, he said, for the organisation to move away from dependency on handouts.

"Last year we were less than 50 per cent dependent on grant income."

They expanded from 300 teams to 900 in the past five years but sticking to the same number of staff was a mistake.

The debts arose because of the staff "mismanagement" in the handling of rep tourneys.

Kath Samia, recovering from surgery, is expected to succeed Chris Hart, who quit only weeks after becoming general manager.