Last Saturday (3^rd October) Church College captained by Basketball Fiji’s golden girl Letava Whippy retained the New Zealand Women’s National Secondary School Girls Basketball Title. It was a fitting climax to the week long tournament that saw CCNZ demolishes opponents by an average of 40 points per game. Their final opponents, New Plymouth Girls High School, after disposing of favorites, Rangitoto and Fraser High, and under the steady play of Tall Fern guard Zoe Kensington, tried their best to stay with Church and at the half led by five. This was the first time that CCNZ were behind in any quarter throughout the tournament. As expected Church regrouped at the beginning of the third quarter and with their balanced offense and stifling defense stemmed the tide eventually winning by 23 points.

Fijian International, Letava Whippy made the tournament team and again garnered the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award for the third year in a row, thriving in her Captains role and taking on and shutting down Kensington throughout the game. At 18 Letava Whippy already is one of the most influential players in the National Team.  The daughter of head coach Mike Whippy has followed in the footsteps of her role model-sister Mikaelar. After graduating from Church College of New Zealand in 2009 – the same high school as Mikaelar – she will pursue a NCAA career with Long Island University.

The Long Island University Head women’s basketball coach Gail Striegler announced the addition of Letava Whippy (Suva, Fiji) to the recruiting class for the 2009-10 seasons. Whippy, the sister of former Blackbird standout and current director of basketball operations Mikaelar Whippy will join an already strong recruiting class that received honourable mention status on the Blue Star Basketball Top 50.The goal is realistic, especially when you consider her level at South Pacific Games and the recent declarations of her sister. “I know Letava will be a much better player than me,” Mikaelar said. Further declarations by Long Island University Coach “Latava is a great addition to the women’s basketball program,” Striegler said. “She’s very accurate from 15 feet to three-point range. Latava is a good passer that can handle the ball well and will put points on the board. She’s a great find for us and rounds out a solid incoming class.”

Unfortunately for Letava’s Church College School this will be there final year competing in the New Zealand Secondary School Championships as the school closes at the end of this year. After the tournament teams were announced Basketball New Zealand fittingly presented the principal of CCNZ with a banner commemorating all of CCNZ’s championships for boys and girls, since the tournament’s inception. CCNZ responded with a traditional maori song from their girls followed by a lively haka by their boys, members of the faculty and their supporters, bringing the curtain down on a great spectacle of basketball and the end of a basketball dynasty. On the other hand, this is a new beginning for this promising individual to build on her own basketball dynasty.

One can be truly amazed on the achievements gained and the future has no barriers for this promising young individual. Congradulations Letava Whippy and we look forward to reading on your future achievements!!!