For Taika ... Gisborne Boys’ High basketballers dedicate tournament to fallen friend
Two friends, fellow surfers and basketballers, made an emotional trip to the Gold Coast today to pay tribute to the former Gisborne teenager killed in a motor vehicle incident on August 28.
Taika Cleland-Pottie died after being struck by a car on a highway near Brisbane on Friday. The 17-year-old and his family shifted to the Gold Coast from Gisborne two years ago.
His funeral is in Nerang on Tuesday.
Among those attending will be Gisborne Boys’ High School basketball team captain and prefect Ollie Tong and teammate Santino Smith.
The pair flew to the Gold Coast today to pay their respects to a Wainui Beach, Ilminster and Gisborne Boys’ High schoolmate who shared their love of surfing and hoops.
Taika played age-group basketball for the Gisborne Under-13s B team in 2022 and the Boys’ High junior development team.
“Taika was a good guard, ball-handler, passer, could shoot mid-range jumpers and three-pointers. More importantly he was a great person, always happy and smiling,” Tong said.
“I stayed with him and his family for a week in 2024 and it was the best time of my life, surfing and exploring.
“The last time I saw him was in January of this year at his house in Wainui. We surfed at Makorori and hung out the day before he left. He was just a week older than me. I just gave him a hug and said I’ll see you soon.”
Tong led his team at the Basketball NZ AA Zone 2 secondary schoolboys tournament in Rotorua last week.
Gisborne placed 14th out of the 20 teams and Taika was at the forefront of the minds of several of the team.
“Santy, Sam Crosby, Aidan O’Brien, Ryland Bright and I dedicated our tournament effort to Taika,” Ollie said. “I had his name on my arm and my shoes every game. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than this; it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.
“Taika was one of my best mates. I’ve got very happy memories of him.”
I couldn’t imagine anything worse than this - it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.
Tong averaged 20.6 points per game, was the eighth-highest scorer overall and the only Gisborne player to score in double figures in every game.
Gisborne made history on day 1 at Unison Arena with the biggest form reversal in the school’s history.
Defending champions Mount Maunganui College, boasting two first-division players and Junior Tall Blacks, trounced Gisborne 94-34 in Game 1.
But Gisborne bounced back in Game 2 with Tong scoring 39 points, Bright 34 and Kelly-Morehu Paenga-Rangihuna 15 in a 95-93 win over Ōtūmoetai College.
No Gisborne Boys’ High Senior A team at a regional tournament has ever lost by 60 points and won their next game.
Gisborne, coached by Felix Sparks and father Adrian, followed that up with an 87-66 victory over Pāpāmoa.
A bad second quarter in Game 4 against St Paul’s Collegiate School cost Gisborne, who were outscored 22-9 in that period and went on to lose 68-46.
It placed them third in their pool and put them into a preliminary quarter-final against John Paul College (Rotorua), which they lost 87-78.
That dropped them into the play-offs for ninth to 16th.
They lost 91-80 to Te Awamutu College which dropped them into a 13th-16th playoff against Whakatāne High, which they won 95-20, with Paenga-Rangihuna scoring 24 points.
Their final game of the tournament was a playoff for 13th-14th against Taupō-nui-a-Tia. Bright put up 17 points as Gisborne lost 82-76.
Tong had a message to the players remaining and those to come: “Don’t leave it too late. Work hard from as early as you can on your game, while you’re at school, whatever the sport, it makes a huge difference.
“Definitely this year has been my highlight for my performances and tournaments, but I went on some great trips in my junior years and as a senior.
“It’s been a great run, just with a bittersweet ending.”
- Taika’s funeral will be livestreamed on Tuesday from 12pm (NZ time). Go to https://www.somervillefunerals.com.au/funerals/upcoming-funerals/3DW5T/