LACEY LOWDOWN

Dominating performances from Kelcy Ballantyne and Kendell Heremaia, both forwards recording double doubles, carried Waikato to a 64-50 victory over Otago in the Women’s Under 23 Championship game in Tauranga on Saturday.

Threes on consecutive offences from Brittany Richards and Aleisha Ruske gave Otago an early 6 points advantage.

A Chelsea Savage triple plus a Heremaia reverse layup cut into the advantage but Otago led 14-12 at quarter time.

Eight points from Stirling Walker-Pitman and a brace of put backs from Ballantyne propelled Waikato to a 24-20 lead – Otago coach Natalie Visger deciding a timeout was prudent.

Richards made a deep two on the resumption but Walker-Pitman sunk her second triple of the game to keep Waikato ahead. Jeanie Pattison penetrated for a basket and Nicole Ruske made a triple as a free flowing half ended with Waikato 31-29 to the good.

The hard working Heremaia began to exert domination on the boards at both ends taking her rebound tally into double figures. Her efforts set up Ballantyne for an easy basket to take Waikato to a double digit lead.

Ballantyne made it three straight baskets to extend the lead to 45-33 and when Heremaia demonstrated her all round ability with a three Waikato were in total control.

Pattison broke an 8-0 Waikato run with a trey but the Heremaia /Ballantyne combination worked again as Waikato led 54-39 at the conclusion of the third period.

Otago needed early points in the final quarter and Aleisha Ruske obliged with a three but points were becoming hard to come by for the Blue and Gold’s. Krystal Leger-Walker, departing for the University of Northern Colorado on Monday, showed her qualities with a basket, block and assist on consecutive plays to extend the Waikato lead to 60-41 with 4:37 to play.

Otago never gave up trying, despite being without injured forward Zoe Richards, and Nicole Ruske and Brittany Richards made long shots count but the strong Waikato perimeter defence limited Otago’s opportunities and played a major part in carrying them to a deserved victory.

Waikato coach Anthony Corban was pleased with his team’s defensive effort.

“It’s the focal point of our rep programme and you saw today that we really just wore them down. It took us three-quarters of the game but eventually we just ran them off the court.”

Corban also complimented the performance of his captain Krystal Leger-Walker who claimed her fourth national title in the past 18 months.

“I have always thought she was Tall Ferns material from the first time I saw her play. Today it wasn’t so much the scoring it was the assists, the defensive rebounds and we know Northern Colorado are getting a very good player,” he said.

Leger-Walker modestly pointed out that Kendell Heremaia was a huge influence in the game.

“She was awesome, she always comes out to play, she is a beast, you can’t stop her. We’ve played together for the last two years and we work well together. She knows where I will be and I know exactly where she will be – she’s just so nice to play with and she was probably the difference that got us over the line today.”

Final Score: Otago 50 – Nicole Ruske 20, Richards 11, Aleisha Ruske 8, Pattison 9 Waikato 64 – Ballantyne 17/10, Heremaia 12/15, Walker-Pitman 10, Leger-Walker 8/14

In the Women’s 3^rd/4^th play-off game North Harbour defeated Tauranga City 91-55.

Referees – Apai Apai (Hawkes Bay), Rhys Hamilton (Auckland), Tayla Ammunson (Auckland)

The second Women’s semi-final at the 2016 Under 23 National Championships in Tauranga was between North Harbour and Waikato.

Krystal Leger-Walker and Tiarna Clarke exchanged triples and a spin drive from Alyssa Hirawani, with 6 points in the quarter, took Waikato to a 22-16 quarter time lead.

Forward Zhanay Hettig made the opening basket of the second for Waikato, Georgia Perrott-Hunt replicated for Harbour.

A third foul on Akiene Reed didn’t help the Harbour progress, coach Justine Reed needing a timeout with her team 29-23 behind.

An arching Hettig baseline two extended the Waikato advantage to double figures, 33-23. Back to back baskets from Chelsea Savage increased the Waikato advantage further to 37-25 at half-time.

Tall Fern Leger-Walker, heading to the University of Northern Colorado on Monday, led all scorers at the break with 13 points closely followed by Clarke (12 points).

A Clarke three brought the Otago lead back to ten but Waikato’s offensive rebounding, aggressive defence and Leger-Walker’s finishing were all troubling Harbour. A series of free throws, primarily from Reed, kept Harbour in the hunt but trailing 50-42 at three-quarter time they still had plenty to do.

Another Clarke three helped Harbour’s chances although a neat pass from Kendell Heremaia set up Hettig for a simple deuce.

A Savage three restored Waikato’s double-digit advantage and an easy Heremaia lay-up took the lead to 61-49 necessitating a Harbour timeout with 5:21 to play.

A falling lay up from Hirawani almost clinched the game but a pair of Clarke threes kept Harbour’s remote chances alive – 65-55 with under three to play.

Ella Fotu scored to take Harbour within 8 points followed by a Reed And 1 play 66-60 with just over a minute to play.

It became 66-62 after an Annabelle Jenkins transition basket but the nerves were settled on the Waikato bench by a Savage basket.

A Fotu three was too little too late as Waikato deservedly moved into the final.

Final Score: Waikato 69 – Leger Walker 21, Hirawani 16, Hettig 12, Savage 10

Harbour 65 – Clarke 26, Reed 16, Fotu 12,

Earlier in the first semi-final Otago, despite missing the services of Zoe Richards after breaking her leg in the final pool game against Waitakere on Thursday, proved too good for Tauranga City. The injury has occurred 6 days before Richards and twin sister Brittany return to Gillette Junior College in Wyoming.

Nicole Ruske opened the scoring for Otago with Mikayla Daysh replying immediately for Tauranga.

Daysh scored the first nine points for the hosts as they led 22-12 at quarter time.

A long three from Renee Bennett was sandwiched between triples from Brittany Richards and Aleisha Ruske as Otago closed to within 6 points, 27-21, – home coach Rachel Gwerder calling a timeout.

Courtney Wilson scored after the timeout but a couple of fouls by the experienced Tauranga guard presented Otago with a couple of visits to the charity stripe accepted by Richards and Aleisha Ruske.

Daysh led all scorers at half-time with 20 points but Otago had closed the gap trailing by a single point – 30-29.

An early second half trey from Richards propelled Otago into the lead for the first time in the game, 41-38. A tight third ensued with no more than a single basket separating the teams a floater from Aleisha Ruske keeping the southerners ahead 45-42 at the last break.

The Ruske sisters exchanged baskets with Kaatia Watene and Wilson but neither side could grasp a telling lead although an Aleisha R put back gave Otago a 60-55 lead with 4:30 tp play.

Cairyn-Marie Rogers made it a single possession game with a three but a finger roll basket from Olivia O’Neill forced a Tauranga timeout – the hosts trailing 58-53 with 3:20 to play.

The Tauranga cause was hampered with Daysh and Briarley Rogers fouling out on consecutive plays and with Jeanie Pattinson making a basket Tauranga were facing a challenge trailing 60-53 with 2 minutes to play.

Otago were able to snare a couple of important offensive rebounds to take time off the clock and when Cairyn-Marie Rogers fouled out Tauranga were forced to play the last 90 seconds with just four players.

Final Score: Tauranga 55 – M Daysh 32/12, C Wilson 7, K Watene 6 Otago 65 – A Ruske 24, N Ruske 15/11, B Richards 11, J Pattison 8

The first Women’s semi-final at the 2016 Under 23 National Championships in Tauranga featured hosts Tauranga City and Otago.

Otago were missing the services of Zoe Richards after breaking her leg in the final pool game against Waitakere on Thursday. The injury has occurred 6 days before Richards and twin sister Brittany return to Gillette Junior College in Wyoming.

Nicole Ruske opened the scoring for Otago with Mikayla Daysh replying immediately for Tauranga.

Daysh scored the first nine points for the hosts as they led 22-12 at quarter time.

A long three from Renee Bennett was sandwiched between triples from Brittany Richards and Aleisha Ruske as Otago closed to within 6 points, 27-21, – home coach Rachel Gwerder calling a timeout.

Courtney Wilson scored after the timeout but a couple of fouls by the experienced Tauranga guard presented Otago with a couple of visits to the charity stripe accepted by Richards and Aleisha Ruske.

Daysh led all scorers at half-time with 20 points but Otago had closed the gap trailing by a single point – 30-29.

An early second half trey from Richards propelled Otago into the lead for the first time in the game, 41-38. A tight third ensued with no more than a single basket separating the teams a floater from Aleisha Ruske keeping the southerners ahead 45-42 at the last break.

The Ruske sisters exchanged baskets with Kaatia Watene and Wilson but neither side could grasp a telling lead although an Aleisha R put back gave Otago a 60-55 lead with 4:30 tp play.

Cairyn-Marie Rogers made it a single possession game with a three but a finger roll basket from Olivia O’Neill forced a Tauranga timeout – the hosts trailing 58-53 with 3:20 to play.

The Tauranga cause was hampered with Daysh and Briarley Rogers fouling out on consecutive plays and with Jeanie Pattinson making a basket Tauranga were facing a challenge trailing 60-53 with 2 minutes to play.

Otago were able to snare a couple of important offensive rebounds to take time off the clock and when Cairyn-Marie Rogers fouled out Tauranga were forced to play the last 90 seconds with just four players.

Final Score: Tauranga 55 – M Daysh 32/12, C Wilson 7, K Watene 6

Otago 65 – A Ruske 24, N Ruske 15/11, B Richards 11, J Pattison 8