Kaponga cleans up courts | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

IT HAS been a successful year for Kaponga Primary's Kiwi Magic Basketball Team, winning league competitions across central and south Taranaki.

During Term 3, the team won the Stratford league competition, claiming back the Kevin Blanchard Challenge Shield after a break of six years.

"It was definitely the best game to watch," said Kaponga Primary School principal, Shane Downs, commenting on the league competition final, "the team really lifted their game in the last few minutes."

Victory in the final had looked in doubt owing to some complacent play at the start, but under the watchful eye of coach Greg Campbell, the team managed to pull their game together and take the trophy.

"They worked well as a team and used the top netball skills of some of the players to shoot well," said Shane. The success didn't stop there for the team and, after some serious opposition from the winners of both the Opunake and the Hawera league competitions, managed to scoop the Emma Healy Trophy the first winners of this new competition.

"The team really struggled with only six players and they had to play two games in a row, so energy-wise, the second game was hard."

"They won the first and lost the second game, but won overall on points and I think they did extremely well for such a small team."

As well as team success, Casey Wanakore (12), a Year 8 at the school has been selected for the Koru Development Squad and is off to compete in Australia at the start of next year.

"The team's wins have been a testament to the excellent coaching of Greg Campbell, as well as the great support given to the team, by parents and staff in the school," said Shane.