The Zone 1 Secondary Schools Premierships boys final again featured a match up between Rangitoto College and Westlake.
The two teams had met three times previously this season, Westlake holding a 2-1 advantage before the game.
Dan Fotu made an early three for Rangitoto but the first quarter was dominated by Tall Black Tai Wynyard who raced to a double double inside ten minutes (11pts/10rebs) as Rangitoto led 22-10 at the seven-minute mark. Logan Hunt and Isaac Letoa pulled Westlake closer to parity but they still trailed 29-22 at quarter time.
Letoa demonstrated another classy drive early in the second period and when Matt Freeman made a tough baseline jump shot look easy Lake were within three points although their cause wasn’t helped when point guard Letoa was forced to the bench after picking up his third foul.
Young Rangitoto guard Logan Anderson knocked down a triple followed by neat efforts from Fotu and Sam Waardenburg but Westlake came back strongly in the shadows of half time. A penetrating drive from Hunt was supplemented by a three from Corey Annandale, the Westlake swingman engaging in a spot of chest pumping as he led his team into the half time huddle marginally adrift 46-45.
Wynyard had failed to score in the second quarter but he scored the first two buckets of the second half as Rangi embarked on a 15-0 run to take the game away from Westlake. Coach Phil Campbell called a time out but a Fotu three prolonged the agony before a Letoa basket, the first of the quarter for Westlake almost five minutes into the period, temporarily stopped the rot.
A Freeman breakaway dunk and a basket apiece from Letoa and Greg Vukets helped the Westlake cause but they still had plenty to do at the final break trailing 74-60.
The two W’s Wynyard and Waardenburg helped themselves to some early final quarter points and when Letoa picked up his fifth foul at the offensive end Westlake found themselves twenty points in arrears, 80-60 with just under five minutes to play, and could easily have thrown the towel in.
To their credit the Swans kept chipping away at the lead, Freeman making 9 points in the quarter, and an anxious Rangitoto coach Kenny Stone was forced to send his starters back on court with 1:54 to play as the lead narrowed to 86-77.
Rangi regained their composure and Braden Inger sealed the win and the title with the last two baskets of the game.
Two wins apiece do date this season for these two local rivals. It remains to be seen if a fifth and deciding game will take pace at Secondary Schools Nationals – we will find out in three weeks time.
Final score;
Rangitoto College 91 – Wynyard 25pts/20rebs, Fotu 18, Waardenburg 14, Josiah Williams 6pts/5rebs/6assists Westlake Boys 80 – Freeman 30, Letoa 16, Hunt 16.
Boys Qualifiers from Zone 1 for Secondary Schools Nationals:
- Rangitoto College
- Westlake Boys HS
- Auckland GS
- Mount Albert GS
- Onehunga HS
- Liston College
LACEY LOWDOWN 