Toro Atu showed why they should be considered amongst the championship contenders in 2020 after battling with defending champion Kings tooth and nail for 40 minutes. Kings started the game how they started most games; with a barrage of three’s. An amazing seven first-quarter three’s from Kings gave them a 27-16 lead after one quarter, but Toro Atu came back to within three to trail 45-48 at the half thanks in large part to captain Ravi Mani’s 14 first half points. Kings hit another five three points in the third quarter, giving them 15 for the game, to take 73-61 lead into the final quarter. Kings big 3 of Kareem Johnson, Dom McGovan and Daniel Christensen didn’t disappoint. Each of them had well over 20 points each in this game. Toro Atu refused to go away though. Their own big 3 of Ravi Mani, Josh Anderson and Kobe Kara continued to keep the game competitive right into the final seconds as the game until Kings closed out the game at the free throw line.

Kings 88 (D McGovan 30, K Johnson 25, D Christensen 24)
Toro Atu 87 (R Mani 33, K Kara 14, J Anderson 13)

In the other men’s games, Texans & Akina continued to show why they are considered real contenders in 2020. Texans had a slow start to the game but a 23-6 second quarter put them in cruise control against Hastings BHS. With Alonzo Burton missing, Texans weren’t short of firepower with Tall Black and 2020 NZNBL Showdown Champion Jarrod Kenny making his season debut. Kenny had 13pts while Matt Edmondson used the game to show out with 34 points. Akina won every quarter and rotated through heavily against the Blazers. It was the young guns for Akina that got the bulk of playing time and shots with Year 10 Hastings BHS student Kaden Makea and Year 12 Lindisfarne College student Lanson Randell featuring as the team’s high scorers.

Akina 96 (K Makea 20, L Randell 18, S Mataira 14)
Blazers 56 (C Kotuhi 11, Z Hohepa & T Wright 8)

Texans 92 (M Edmondson 34, J Murphy 26, J Kenny 13)
Hastings BHS 65 (T Smiler Jr 17, D Tuala-Fata 13, K Pomana 10)

Defending Women’s Champions Napier GHS had their first game of the competition in Round 2, but featuring a small side with their oldest player sitting at 14 years of age. Heretaunga overwhelmed with size early in the game going up 15-3 to start the game. The schoolgirls got going in the third quarter with a series of three’s and transition baskets, even briefly taking the lead, before Heretaunga continued their interior dominance on both ends of the floor.

Heretaunga 73 (S Mitchell 17, M Smiler 14, K Nahora 12)
Napier GHS 65 (M Cunningham 18, A King 16, I Kerr 14)

Ahuriri continued to show why many consider them to be the favourite in 2020, despite an early stumble in round one. Bridge Pa stayed competitive throughout the first half even taking the lead 39-37 into the major break. The third quarter was all one way traffic however as Ahuriri won it 27-8 thanks to Zoe Ebbitt, Mahia Isherwood and Emma Mead. The Flyers were without Kaya Lord this week but the pace and skill of their guards were too much for the younger Bridge Pa side. Sequoia Sadler & Pahlyss Hokianga contributed to the bulk of the scoring for Bridge Pa until the fourth quarter where the younger Sadler, Storey, scored 10 points in a row in attempt to bring Bridge Pa back into the game. But it was too little, too late for Bridge Pa as Ahuriri Flyers took their first win of the season.

Ahuriri Flyers 90 (Z Ebbitt & M Isherwood 22, E Mead 20)
Bridge Pa 68 (St Sadler 20, Se Sadler 15, P Hokianga 14)