Tournament Week provided another opportunity to compete at a high level.

Last week, the OHS Senior A Boys Basketball team competed at the AA Premiership Zone 1 Tournament, a qualifying tournament for Nationals. The team went into the tournament following a good season, which included making the final of their league and earning the right to compete at the Greater Auckland Tournament. Although they narrowly missed out on the playoff for the Premier grade, co-captain Tiaki Strickland said the team arrived at the AA Premierships with high hopes of competing well against some of the best teams in the upper North Island.

While the results were not what the team wanted, Tiaki reflected that the tournament was still a good experience. It gave the players the opportunity to compete against different teams and test themselves at a higher level. There were some tough games throughout the week, but these also showed the team where improvements need to be made and what will be required to take the next step.

A highlight was the game against Pakuranga. It was a close contest that came down to the wire, with OHS securing an important win. For Tiaki, the game showed that when the players stuck together and kept working, they could get the result they wanted. It was also a special tournament for co-captain Tyler Tahapeehi-Litaio, who played his 50th game for the Senior A team, an excellent milestone after several years representing OHS Basketball.

One of the biggest lessons Tiaki took from the tournament was the importance of preparation. “You can’t expect to play well at a tournament if you haven’t prepared properly.” Showing up to training, putting in the work and working together as a team all make a difference when competing at this level. Tiaki also thanked the senior players who played their final games for OHS during the tournament and wished those returning all the best for 2027.

Photo credit: Filmbydwayne