The Hawks Bay 2^nd Division team moved into joint first place in the SAS Sport Continental Basketball League with wins over previous leaders Tauranga and bottom placed Gisborne.

The results for the Hawkes Bay has vindicated the decision by Basketball Hawkes Bay and the IMS Hawks to go with a team of young players capable of becoming future Hawks and national team players, supported by two senior professional senior players who had the ability to mentor and support the team. The two; Aiden Daly and Arthur Trousdell have played that role very well by showing in training and games the level of intensity and skill required to play at the top level through mentoring and example.

Head Coach Theo Tait felt the philosophy was right and that his role was to develop the core of young players so that they understood what was required to become an IMS Hawk, gain a scholarship in USA or a place on the Breakers roster.

He felt that the young players had the athletic ability to perform at that level but needed to understand the tactical side of the game, making better decisions to progress.

The competition also helped the players to stay in good physical condition over the off-season and the opportunity to play against players from other areas who had played at higher levels.

“The challenge is to develop a culture of “being the best you can be every time” and learning that winning was a play by play process not an outcome’, said Coach Tait.

Hawkes Bay defeated Tauranga at PGA on Saturday 16 August by 81 to 75. The game was close through out and was won by 9 Hawkes bay players scoring with Arthur Trousdell (20) and Matt Wilson (12) the only players scoring double figures. The most pleasing aspect was the young players making foul shots in the last minutes of the game when Tauranga were fouling in an effort to get back in the game.

The Sunday game against Gisborne at Centennial Hall started slowly with the local team down by 13 to 16. The introduction of the young bucks in the second quarter upped the defensive intensity keeping Gisborne to 5 points while scoring 24. The Hawkes Bay team dominated the second half and won by 94 to 54. The defensive and team player of the younger players was a feature and an out of bounds slam duck by Arthur Trousdell a highlight. Once again Matt Wilson and Arthur Trousdell were too big and strong for the opposition both achieving double doubles.

Hawkes Bay 81 (Arthur Trousdell 20, Matt Wilson 12, Ravi Mani 9, Mathew Bird 7, Harris Solomon and Matiu Spooner 6) Tauranga 75 (Matt Fullerton 21)

Hawkes Bay 94 (Matt Wilson 22, Arthur Trousdell 20, Aidan Daly 8, Ravi Mani 8) Gisborne 54 (Shaq Hohipa-Wilson 15)