Club basketball is back with vengeance,with plenty of positive feedback from players and supportersafter the first round of the new Super Six basketball competition.
Run by the Northland Suns Basketball Trust, it tipped off on Friday at Whangarei Girls' High School when Raumanga Royals dominated Kamo Stars throughout the game to
win 81-28.
It was a low-scoring affair in the first quarter but then Raumanga hit second gear, defended tenaciously and played an attacking offensive game, led ably by Northland Suns guard Beau Mackey.
Kieron Henare top-scored with 28 points for his team, while Mackey put up 16.
The two games on Saturday were much closer. City Hawks went down 72-56 to the Kaikohe Cougars, while Portland Blazers defeated Maunu Lights, 63-51.
The Suns' Atama and Arahi O'Donnell, from Kaitaia, have joined up with the Cougars, and made their presence felt on the court, scoring 13 and 14 points respectively. Their skipper Israel Tahere led by example, shooting 18 points.
Northland rugby flanker Joel McKenty switched codes in the offseason, playing his first game of basketball since he was a teenager, while Suns guard Travis McIlroy top-scored for the side, with 21 points.
In the final game of the first round, the Portland Blazers and Maunu Lights faced each other in what was a polished performance.
Both teams were more structured and contained good ball handlers and play makers. Maunu were leading at half-time, but Portland made their comeback in the third quarter, nabbing the lead and maintaining it in the fourth.
Shooting guard Sean Clunie stood out for Portland, along with point guard Hayden Bird. Portland's Harlyn Clunie said the first round had gone without a hitch and would only get better.
"The teams are still finding their feet, it will take a while to sort out who is going to be the strongest team in this competition. It should really take off in a couple of weeks," he said. There was scope and interest for more teams to enter the competition next year. It's definitely a good thing having club basketball back in Northland," he said.
