Opunake secure another national basketball title

Will Johnston

Opunake High School’s basketball prowess continues after claiming its fourth national women’s basketball title.

Competing in the national secondary school’s A championship across four days in Palmerston North, Opunake beat Aquinas College of Tauranga 59-45 in the final on Thursday.

Opunake teacher and coach Angelo Hill, who has coached Taranaki men’s and women’s teams, saw the team win the same competition in 2011, 2016 and 2017.

Hill said there is no secret ingredient, but the form is likely due to the support and resources available in the community.

He said the previous titles are all different, but this year’s team had to work harder to become a team.  

“This year it took us a while for them to adjust to me and learn the new plays and systems,” he said.

There was a change of focus from scoring the most baskets to being effective on defence.

“Trying to get the kids to understand that every little thing matters in a team sport, you have to teach that. And it took us a long time to let the points go and look at the little stuff that contributes to winning games.”

The adjustment was evident in the final. Opunake’s rebound stats were phenomenal; with 72 in total.

Hill said the team’s defence contributed to a low-scoring final against a team which beat them in the opening day. Opunake led 19-5 after the first quarter to cruise through the final effectively unblemished.  

It was a gruelling schedule that sometimes saw the team play two matches in one day. Hill said the squad stayed fit and healthy during the tournament. Because of an easier draw, he was able to rest players during the week.

Opunake finished second in its pool. In the semi-final on Wednesday against Nga Taiatea Wharekura, Opunake only scored five points in the first quarter with a finals position in doubt.

They trailed until the fourth quarter to eventually win 54-49.

“The girls showed great resilience in the second and third quarters. We’ve been there before and slowly played well and started scoring some points. The defence was in that game was outstanding, they only scored 20 points in the second half.”

Next year, Opunake will lose several players and Hill acknowledges the team will have to rebuild.

Opunake’s boys’ teams were the defending champions this year and also won in 2019 but finished fourth out of 12 teams. Stratford High School girls finished sixth in an eight-team competition.

Beth Cook, Paige Taylor and Arna Bright, all of Opunake, were selected into the women’s tournament team along with Stratford’s Zeta Barber. Jaree Summerfield, Opunake, was picked in the boys’ tournament team.

Opunake High School girls’ championship winning team:
Arna Bright, Lilly Bright, Charlie Carr, Beth Cook, Tessa Cook, Zariah-Jay Forlong, Holly Gasson, Jessica Holmes, Corie Lowe, Jorja Symes, Paige Taylor. Coach: Angelo Hill, Assistant Coach: Liza Gasson, Manager: Catherine Cook.