King Kapisi shoots some hoops at one-day tourney

As predicted – the New Year’s one-day basketball tournament on Tuesday was an action packed affair with local and visiting teams taking up the challenge.

The games ran all day ensuring a full on day of basketball and fun on the courts.

Basketball officials were kept busy officiating games and even playing for teams with some fantastic basketball skills seen.

At times though – there was so much action on the court that some games resembled a rugby match but players admirably kept their cool through the rough and tumble.

In the women’s finals – team A-Town couldn’t maintain their first round win against visiting women’s team Ponsda who easily disposed of the local side to win with an 18 point lead.

Sweet As cruised into third place without even breaking a sweat after their opponents Southsiders forfeited their game.

In the men’s finals – combined local and visitors team Rito faced off with the fancy high flying Friends crew.

It was a close encounter with the scores drawn at 13-all in the last minute of the games before team Rito earned a penalty.

Budding player and local boy Tamatoa Carr showed extreme calm and composure under pressure – especially after dropping the first penalty shot to land the second and give his team a 14-13 win over Friends.

Carr’s composure is even more remarkable considering that Pacific singing celebrity King Kapisi was at the Telecom Sports Arena surrounded by his film crew shooting clips for a music video.

Kapisi took to the court as one of the Spice Boyz crew who faced off against Mals Boys in the men’s division grand finals.

Bodies were put on the line and the floor as both sides went point for point.

And with film cameras rolling – the atmosphere was intense but Mals Boys kept their cool to sink the final basket to beat the celebrity boosted Spice Boyz and win the New Year’s tournament.

Organisers of the basketball tournament would like to thank all the teams and supporters that made the tournament a big success.