Rotorua-based school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata have come out on top of their grade at the secondary school national basketball tournament held in Palmerston North on Thursday, beating Tauranga school Aquinas College in the finals, 90-68.
Group coach Kereti Rautangata said it’s a blessing, considering not many kura Māori make it into competitions like this.
“Torutoru noa iho ngā wā e taea ai ngā kura pēnei i a mātou te haramai ki ēnei momo whakataetae, ka tahi. Ka rua, ki te whiwhi, ki te rongo i te angitūtanga, kua harikoa (Firstly, it’s rare for schools like ours to be able to come and compete at these kinds of competition. Secondly, to win it is a very pleasing outcome).”
Two of their players were named in the tournament team with co-captain Waikaharoa Pakaurangi taking the MVP trophy. Reflecting on the tournament he said it wasn't an easy feat.
“I uaua tēnei kaupapa whakaharahara, kua roa ngā whakaharatau, a, i heke mai te werawera (This competition was hard, we've been training for a long time which tested us to our limits).”
It’s the first time the kura has participated in the event. A composite school with a roll of just under 200, they qualified for the A Zone tournament. With their current pool of talent, Rautangata said they’re confident to take it to new heights next year.
“Kei waenga i a mātou ko ētahi tama hiakai ki te tākaro i tēnei kēmu, nō reira hei te tau e tū mai nei ko te hiahia kia kake ake ki te whakataetae o ngā kura nui... whakapono au ka taea (We have a group of boys who are very eager to play basketball, so next year we want to compete against the big schools... I believe we can do it).”
It’s the second time Ruamata has hit the headlines for a sporting achievement. Last month its hockey team made history by becoming the first kura kaupapa Māori to qualify for New Zealand’s top high school hockey tournament, the Rankin Cup, finishing 11th out of 32 school teams.
Glossary:
kura kaupapa Māori – Māori-language immersion school
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