16/06/2026
Te Aka Poitūkohu EBOP Basketball is proud AS to be backing three local rangatahi chasing a big dream all the way to Nationals next month. 💪
Maire-rangi Tutua and Albie Cameron from Whakatāne High School - Te Kura Tuarua ō Te Mānuka Tūtahi along with Te Aturangi Matenga-Kara from Trident (hi Trident High School News!), have qualified for the Basketball New Zealand Foot Locker Under 16 National Champs in Ōtautahi these school holidays. Their TCBA U16 A rep team finished second behind Rotorua Basketball Association at Mid North champs, going toe to toe with the best young players in the region and doing us all proud.
Every kid who laces up has a dream. For some it's lining up alongside Wemby with an NBA final on the line. For others it's dominating the offensive boards, the put-backs, the screens that free up a teammate, the hard graft that might not make the highlights reel but wins games. These three are chasing their dreams the hard way, like we do out here.
Most kids in our rohe don't have acess to the high school basketball academies, the flash courts down the road, the strength and conditioning coaches. For Maire, Atu and Albie, every training is a near three-hour round trip to Tauranga, twice a week. While other kids were getting their threes up after school, ours were in the car, and shooting practice started once they got home, or before everyone else was awake the next morning.
That's why second at Mid Norths isn't just a good result. It's proof our Eastern Bay rangatahi can cut it with the best, even when the odds are stacked against them.
They've backed themselves since trials late last year, and their whānau have worn the cost the whole way: petrol, gear, fees, the never-ending "I need new shoes"... the lot. No guarantees at the end, but the mahi has paid off. Now they're one step from the national stage some kids only dream about. This is where the rest of us come in.
The biggest thing you can give these boys is your support. Flick them a comment, a bit of encouragement, anything to let them know the Eastern Bay is watching.
Even just drop a 💪 below if you reckon they're doing us proud.
Give this a share too, it's the easiest way to help get these kids to Christchurch.
If you're able to chip in, Te Aka Poitūkohu has set up a dedicated fundraising account. Nationals isn't cheap, more than $1,300 a player, so anything helps. Big or small, koha whatever you can and we'll split it evenly between the boys. Link's in the comments. Watch out: do a bank transfer NOT a credit card payment, or you'll get stung with a bank fee.
All koha needs to be in by 5pm Sunday 28 June so we can get everything sorted before they fly out.
Want to help one of the boys directly? Flick us a message for their BPAY details.
We know times are tough, so please don't koha if it means going without. Either way, we're telling these three that the Eastern Bay is right behind them, all the way to Nationals.
Poipoia te kakano kia puawai. 🌱
