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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 THE DOMINION POST dompost.co.nz B13 with Liam Hyslop email: [email protected] COLLEGE SPORT (04) 474-0279 Double hoopla for Rongotai youngsters BASKETBALL immensely. ‘‘We were blessed to fore this year’s win. talent at the school was having have those guys coaching us.’’ The past 15 years have not been kids train with the New Zealand RONGOTAI COLLEGE is on the Tupu, a Rongotai College old so kind to any Rongotai team. Basketball Academy. verge of a return to basketball rel- boy and teacher at the school, said The senior team has been in Both To’o and Vaigafa are part evance. they had tried to instil a ruthless and out of the premier division of it and were playing for the acad- That’s if their junior team is winning mentality into the team since 2006, dropping as low as the emy in Las Vegas when Rongotai anything to go by, having won the which they hoped would continue third-tier division two, while the suffered their only loss of the Wellington (Thompson Cup) and as they moved into the senior juniors’ best finish was a second to season, 67-62 against Wellington lower North Island junior titles team in the coming years. Wellington College in the 2010 College in round eight of the Wel- this season, losing just one game ‘‘That winning culture and Thompson Cup. lington competition. out of 19 along the way. mentality is important with this Tupu said installing an attract- Those two also combined to Shooting guard Ezrah Vaigafa group moving forward. ive junior basketball programme score 47 of their team’s 63 points said the lower North Island win ‘‘Across any sport, that ruthless at the school was the key to long- when they beat Tawa College by 12 came as a surprise. They won all attitude about being the best you term success in an environment points in the Wellington final, six of their games, including Rongotai College can be at all times is important. where you can’t recruit players although Vaigafa dismissed against a tough Napier Boys’ High celebrate We stressed that and it came from other high schools. suggestions that they were a two- School (69-67) in pool play and winning the through in the way they played.’’ ‘‘We want to attract those ball man team. Palmerston North Boys’ High Thompson Cup, The 1990s were heady days for players in the area to come to ‘‘Every individual player School (69-63) in the final. beating Tawa in Rongotai College – they won five Rongotai – there’s a bit of compe- stepped up for every game. It ‘‘It felt really good, we weren’t the final 63-51. Pohlen Cups (Wellington senior tition to get kids these days. wasn’t just one player playing expecting it. We reached the final title) in seven years but haven’t ‘‘We’re not offering scholar- well, it was about the team.’’ and it was great to just be there. Centre Jaylin To’o said the kind of game and it came down to Rob Clarke, former Tall Black tasted success since their 1998 tri- ships or money but we’re saying to It’s that sort of teamwork, ‘‘We made a lot of mistakes and tournament result could have the last couple of seconds and I got Chris Tupu and Wellington Saints umph. the kids that are considering Ro- coupled with that ruthless win- a lot of turnovers due to nerves [in been different had they not beaten fouled and got put to the free- assistant coach Zico Coronel – a As you would expect, their ngotai that we are in the mix as a ning mentality, which should see the final], but once that was out of Napier Boys’ in their second pool throw line and made both of lineup which wouldn’t be out of juniors were also strong in those strong basketball programme in Rongotai return to being competi- our system the boys put every- match. them.’’ place on a National Basketball days. They won two Thompson the years to come.’’ tive in Wellington senior basket- thing into it.’’ ‘‘It was a back and forward To’o said their coaching team of League bench – had helped them Cups, the last coming 20 years be- Another part of increasing the ball in the next three years. Silver lining for Curtin at Youth Games BOWLS SEAMUS CURTIN has achieved his goal of winning a medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games. The 15-year-old Aotea College student put in an outstanding per- formance to overcome all but one of his opposition in winning silver in the singles at the Games in Samoa earlier this month. He followed up that result with fourth in the mixed pairs along- side Ashleigh Jeffcoat (Hamilton Girls’). The singles didn’t start as he planned, suffering a loss in his first pool game to Englishman Bradley Coles. But he wasn’t too put off by the loss, saying he was still adjusting to the greens in Apia. ‘‘I lost my first game to Eng- land, but I was really happy, it was nice to get hold of how the green Wairarapa College hat-trick hero Lucien Burt, left, tackles Wellington College midfielder Paul Horrocks as he is surrounded by Wairarapa defenders. Photo: MARGO BREMFORD was going. ‘‘Our greens over here range from 16 seconds upwards, that’s Aotea College year 10 student Seamus how fast the bowl gets down to the Curtin competes during the lawn other end, and over there it was bowls mixed pairs at the Youth Same again as Wairarapa reign supreme running about 13 seconds. Commonwealth Games in Samoa ‘‘It was much different, so it earlier this month. Photo: GETTY IMAGES means a completely different HOCKEY ‘The boys dug deep, I pushed back. Wellington’s Hiren come up with the goods in the fi- game.’’ well. We played better in the Mani made numerous intercepts AT A GLANCE nal. He had tried to prepare for the bronze medal match, but again WAIRARAPA COLLEGE have couldn’t be more happy.’ but was unable to get the ball Wairarapa captain Gus Wake- different conditions by practising they just played better than us, but done the double in the Wellington through to Wairarapa’s circle. Wairarapa College 3 (Lucien Burt ling said he was ecstatic with their on Plimmerton Bowling Club’s we were happy with fourth.’’ secondary schools premier hockey Wairarapa captain Gus Wakeling Wellington made the decision 3) Wellington College 1 (Hunter win. croquet green, but nothing can Curtin played from 7.45am to tournament for the second year in in the last minutes to substitute Stent). HT: 2-1. ‘‘The boys dug deep, I couldn’t replace rolling on the actual green. 5pm for three days straight and a row. their goalie Sam Dearsly for an ex- be more happy. Once he had adjusted to the said the 30 degrees Celsius heat The boys team beat Wellington tra player. ‘‘I thought Wellington College conditions, he won his next four took its toll from early on. College 3-1 last Friday, while the ton’s fate with a hat-trick. His first The risk did not pay off, with walked slowly off the field. had the second half, not on the games to make the semifinal, ‘‘It wasn’t draining so much girls defeated St Matthew’s 4-0 in came after nine minutes before he Wairarapa pouncing on the gap in Wairarapa side coach Grant scoreboard but in general.’’ against Northern Irishman physically but mentally. Our their final last Wednesday. hit Wellington again from a pen- the defence. Burt was able to com- Brewster said, through a grinning Wellington College coach Stephen Kirkwood. coach was really strict on keeping It replicated last year’s results alty corner just before halftime. plete his hat-trick as he snuck smile, that he was incredibly Manoj Parbhu was disappointed at The match proved to be a tense the fluids up to keep focused, so I between the same opposition, Wellington looked to fight back through the Wellington defenders proud of his team. the end result, but said Wairarapa affair, he said. was drinking about four bottles of although those games were much in the 30th minute, with Hunter with 13 seconds to go, successfully ‘‘It’s been an even contest over just played a better game. ‘‘It was neck and neck the water per game.’’ closer with the boys winning in a Stent breaking through securing a strong win for Waira- this year. ‘‘Wairarapa deserved to win on whole way in the semifinal and he Curtin will now travel to an shootout and the girls triumphing Wairarapa’s tough defence to rapa. ‘‘This game came down to er- their performance and their ex- got a bit ahead, he got to two under-26 championship in Christ- 1-0. score his side’s only goal. It made way for the final ror, or luck.’’ ecution of skills was superior to points left. church this week, before his focus This year would be much more However, Wellington were un- whistle, where an elated He was referring to the fact that ours. ‘‘He was playing short ends, so turns to nationals at the end of the comfortable, as Wairarapa Col- able to equalise, having lost most Wairarapa College celebrated and Wellington had beaten Wairarapa ‘‘Ultimately that’s what won I won an end and put the jack long year. lege’s Lucien Burt sealed Welling- of their possession as Wairarapa a downcast Wellington College twice this year, but were unable to them the game.’’ and got a three to win [21-19].’’ When asked for one thing he The final did not go to plan – a would take away from his Games 21-14 loss to Australian Jonathan experience, he said it was the Davis – but Curtin said he was camaraderie in the New Zealand COLLEGE SPORT BRIEFS pleased with how he played.

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