The Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball All Stars have won their fourth consecutive Trans-Tasman campaign, defeating the New Zealand Maori National Team two games-to-one, in the best-of-three annual series played across Aotearoa’s North Island.
A last-second lay-up by big-man Chris Patton secured a thrilling 82-81 victory in the opening game played in Te Awamutu. The Aussies then backed up with a clutch 89-88 clutch win in Tauranga the very next night.
The rising star for the All-Stars was William Hickey who nailed the series clinching basket in the series second game.
The New Zealanders then regrouped for the dead rubber game, also held in Tauranga, and avoided suffering a clean sweep by defeating Australia 104-77.
The Australian Indigenous team was chock full of NBL experience with dynamic shooting guard Deba George exploding for 22 points in the opening game and then added 24 in game two.
Team captain Chris Cedar, a former Townsville Crocodiles posted an efficient 16-point outing in the first game to get the team rolling.
First-time All Star and former member of the Melbourne United Chris Patton was dominant in the paint throughout the series. The 208cm center finished with 19-points and 7-rebounds in game one, before tallying 23-points and 8-rebounds in the second bout.
Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball All Stars Head Coach Joel Khalu was thrilled with his sides’ retention of the Trans-Tasman trophy.
“We definitely faced some adversity and to the players credit, they battled away, making the big-plays when we needed them,” Khalu said.
“To take the series on two, back-to-back buzzer beaters was heartbreaking for the Maori, but a great sign of our teams’ ability to execute in pivotal moments.”
“We just found a way to win and that’s a habit our squad has developed over the past four-years.”
Khalu also praised the contributions of those players injected off the bench.
“The subs we had coming in filled their roles perfectly. They each brought the energy and enthusiasm we needed and were critical to our overall success.”
Melbourne-based swingman Dion Patten was one player in particular coach Khalu commended.
“I though Dion was terrific. He was our sparkplug. He had to match-up with players a lot bigger than him in that small forward position, but the way he competed, particularly on the glass, was truly remarkable.”
With the Trans-Tasman cup staying in Australia for another 12-months, the All Stars will shift their focus to the 2019 World Indigenous Basketball Championships that will take place in New Zealand next March.
2018 Trans-Tasman Basketball Series – New Zealand
Game 1: Apunipima Australian Indigenous 82 (Deba George 22, Chris Patton 19) defeated
New Zealand Maori 81 (Hyrum Harris 20, Tom Vodanovich 15)
Game 2: Apunipima Australian Indigenous 89 (Deba George 24, Chris Patton 23) defeated
New Zealand Maori 88 (Dominique Kelman 22, Everard Bartlett 17)
Game 3: New Zealand Maori 104 (Dominique Kelman 27, Hyrum Hippolite 16) defeated
Apunipima Australian Indigenous 77 (Jakobe Hunter 15, TJ Diop 12)
Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball All Stars win the 2018 series 2-1.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
