Texans enter the 2020 Men’s competition as the favourites after acquiring Alonzo Burton from Toro Atu & Jacob Murphy after he graduated from Napier BHS in the off-season as well as putting Jarrod Kenny on the roster. Defending champion Kings return with 2019 MVP Kareem Johnson surrounded by the shooting of Darryl Jones, Dom McGovan and Daniel Christensen; while Akina feature a lineup stacked full of talent. Toro Atu may have lost Alonzo Burton after going 5-0 through last years round robin phase but they have picked up Kobe Kara. Current Taylor Hawks, aspiring Taylor Hawks and BBHB High Performance Programme squad members are spread throughout these four squads. They are joined by the top three High School programmes in the region and the newly formed Blazers.

Akina
After going down in overtime in the 2019 Grand Final, Akina are looking to go one better in 2020. They retain their core of 2019 Elite League All-Star 5 member Reece Tuala-Fata, Jacob Nahora, Geoff Heather, Kaleb Edwards and Devante Miller. Sheldon Mataira & Harris Solomon add a lot of high-powered scoring punch while 6’10 Forward Will Heather may be one of the best bigs in the competition in 2020. The team is rounded out by some of Hawke’s Bay’s most promising young talent in Lanson Randell, Kaden Makea and Kahuranaki Treacher.

Elliot Edwards, Forward
Kaleb Edwards, Guard
Geoff Heather, Forward
Will Heather, Forward
Kaden Makea, Point Guard
Sheldon Mataira, Guard
Devante Miller, Guard
Jacob Nahora, Forward
Lanson Randell, Guard
Harris Solomon, Guard
Kahuranaki Treacher, Guard
Reece Tuala-Fata, Guard

Blazers
The newly formed Blazers feature some of the top players from around the 2019/20 Summer League circuit. They are the only non-high school side without anyone in the Taylor Hawks squad which may indicate struggles against the top four sides. But as the competition goes on we can expect this team to become a more cohesive unit. With a good mix of youth, experience, size, speed and shooting; Blazers have all the ingredients to play some great basketball.

James Buchanan, Forward
Evan Clare, Forward
Sam Cunningham, Forward
Korbin Eggers, Point Guard
Zane Hohepa, Guard
Nick Jones, Guard
Cairo Kotuhi, Guard
Jareth Russell, Point Guard
Lei Sau, Forward
Jaeden Savage, Forward
Travis Wright, Forward

Hastings BHS
Hastings BHS continue to build by bringing through their 2019 Champion Junior outfit. La’mour Spooner, Tzar Smiler Jr and Denim Tuala-Fata lead the team which has developed good size and skill throughout its roster. This league will continue to help Hastings BHS players develop by playing against the best adults in the region.

Kane Collier, Forward
Jeston Craig, Forward
Phoenix Flavell, Forward
Ludovick Hawaiki, Forward
Noke Karepa, Guard
Sam Marshall, Guard
Jade Miller, Guard
Kalani Pomana, Guard
Leiki Rihia, Guard
Tama Ropiha, Guard
Tzar Smiler Jr, Guard
Gurnarbhey Sodhi, Guard
La’mour Spooner, Forward
Denim Tuala-Fata, Forward
 

Kings
Defending Champion Kings are running it back it big Kareem Johnson in the middle surrounded by shooters. Darryl Jones, Dom McGovan, Ti Poto, Sean Kaata Dwen, Dom McFarlane and Captain Kerry Rayner are all returning in an attempt to go back-to-back. The team have lost the Davies trio of Cruz, Dee and Bugg but have picked up the services of Daniel Christensen who will provide yet another shooter to make the Kings incredibly challenging to defend. Having started the champion with a 4-point victory over Akina in the 2019 Grand Final re-match, they have started off the right way in their title defence.

Daniel Christensen, Guard
Sean Kaata Dwen, Guard
Kareem Johnson, Centre
Darryl Jones, Forward
Dom MacFarlane, Forward
Dom McGovan, Guard
Kerry Rayner, Guard
Jack W, Guard (TBC)

Napier BHS
Boys High will rightly consider themselves Secondary School National Championship contenders in 2020, and thus the Elite League will be important preparation for them. Playing bigger, stronger, faster opponents will prepare them for the best of Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and the rest of nation at Nationals later in the year. 2020 Taylor Hawks squad members Clifton Bush III & Tommy Fergusson lead the way for an experienced Napier Boys side stacked full of Year 13’s.

Clifton Bush III, Forward
Xavier Clarke-Lloyd, Guard
Tommy Fergusson, Forward
Jordan Frisby, Guard
Jakob Gooch, Guard
Toby Kendon, Guard
Ryan McGuire, Forward
Seth Peakman, Forward
Hawaiki Pollock, Guard
Rixon Pollock, Guard
Noah Smith, Guard
Mitchell Taylor, Guard
Karybe Te Kira, Guard
Wairehu Waata, Guard
Brodie Walker, Guard
Adam Winnie, Guard

St John’s College
St John’s College enter the Elite competition for the first time after developing some quality young talent. BBHB High Performance Programme member Braxton Payne features with a stack of HB Rep players including Sam Start & Lochie Stent for this young side. As this programme continues to build and develop, the Elite League will be key experience in exposing these players to different styles of play that they may not see in their high school leagues.

Ezra Aguilar, Guard
Daniel Bennett, Forward
Jamie Chamberlain, Forward
Finn Downing, Guard
Cramer Hannan, Guard
John Keenan, Guard
Chaka Luki, Guard
Eli McGovan, Guard
Braxton Payne, Guard
Jacob Ramsay, Guard
Parmvir Singh, Forward
Robi Manihera-Dankwa, Forward
Sam Start, Guard
Lochie Stent, Guard
Harry Unwin, Forward
Paul Watson, Forward

Texans
The favourites tag is attached to the Texans after they bolstered the roster with the additions of Jarrod Kenny, Jacob Murphy and Alonzo Burton. Everard Bartlett, Aidan Daly, Ben Hill, Matt Edmondson and Captain Craig Findlay return from 2019. The roster is rounded out by Carl Nicholson & Jack Smidt. With an incredibly stacked roster, the competition might just be the Texans to lose – but Kings, Akina and Toro Atu may just have something to say about that.

Everard Bartlett, Guard
Alonzo Burton, Guard
Aidan Daly, Guard
Matt Edmondson, Guard
Craig Findlay, Forward
Ben Hill, Forward
Jarrod Kenny, Guard
Jacob Murphy, Guard
Carl Nicholson, Forward
Jack Smidt, Guard
 

Toro Atu
3^rd placed in 2019, Toro Atu enters 2020 as somewhat of an underdog. Yet many forget that Toro Atu went undefeated through the regular season. Alonzo Burton is gone but they have added Kobe Kara to replace him. Toro Atu have also gotten bigger with the additions of Roger McPherson & Scott Sclater. Electric guard Mana Barber may also add some speed to this team that is already stacked full of shooting as well. The brotherhood of Toro Atu will consider themselves as bigger threat as any team in the competition.

Nick Agnew, Guard
Joshua Anderson, Forward
Mana Barber, Guard
Dan Evans, Guard
Kobe Kara, Guard
Roger McPherson, Forward
Johnny Ruhi, Forward
Ryan Ruhi, Forward
Scott Sclater, Forward
Jayden Winterburn, Forward