In the penultimate round of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade regular season there were wins for all the top four teams on Monday –three were by a substantial margin and the fourth a default.
Unfortunately Avondale College, already demoted to the Senior A competition next year, were unable to field a team against Mt Albert Grammar.
The local derby between Westlake Girls and Carmel College was something of a fizzer as Lake got out the gate in something of a rush -storming to a 37-6 quarter time lead – Sophie Dil quickly into double figures
Carmel made a much better start to the second as Tayla Dalton and Estelle Davidson made scores.
However poor transition defence hurt the Carmel cause and Rosie Dil and Jordyn Maddix took advantage to make easy baskets. That said a more even stanza ensued (26-24) – Lake ahead 63-30 at half-time.
Keeley Tini converted a couple of inside moves and Jess Moors did the same as Westlake began the third quarter strongly.
Dalton landed a long three and Emily Broomfield a neat basket but the Westlake advantage was still a convincing 74-36 after a Maddix trey.
Westlake guard Tabitha Leyson scored after her own steal at half court the lead 89-44 at the last break.
Millie Simpson scored ten points in the final quarter for Carmel who will retain their Premier Grade status if they beat Avondale College on Friday, Westlake now looking ahead to semi-final action.
Westlake 116 – Maddix 26, Tini 20, Moors 16, Shearer 10, S Dil 10, R Dil 10
Carmel 66 – Dalton 22, Broomfield 16, Simpson 14, Davidson 8
Massey High also scored 37 points in the first quarter against Rangitoto College. Three triples from Massey guard Ramona Fuaivaa were the highlights of the opening period.
Kaitlin Burgess, Mania Spooner and Bella Elgar shared all but two of Rangitoto’s first half points but with Kataleena Leslie posting ten points in the second stanza Massey led 56-38 at the break.
A dozen points from Shauna Povey ensured the momentum remained with Massey in the third as the lead extended to 77-52.
Burgess and Elgar continued their good work in the final period but Massey were relentless as they eased to a convincing 109-65 victory.
Povey, Schuster and Leslie each added threes in the closing minutes – Massey connecting with a total of ten on the night.
Massey 116 – Leslie 27, Povey 22, Schuster 21, Fuaivaa 15
Rangitoto 65 – Burgess 31, Spooner 8, Elgar 21
It was an even more one sided affair at Carmel College where Auckland Girls Grammar overpowered Orewa College 108-20.
Alex Still knocked down an early triple for Orewa but Teneva Ropati helped herself to ten points in a first quarter that concluded with Grammar 22-5 ahead.
It got worse for Orewa in the second as only Megan Hoare found the net – Zhanay Hettig and Mele Latu pushing the Grammar lead out to 51-7 at half-time.
With Mariah Ropati and Karma Skilton-Roberts joining in the scoring frenzy Grammar warmed up nicely for their top of the table clash with rivals Mt Albert on Friday.
Orewa 20 – Wentworth 6, Hoare 5, Pretorius 4
AGGS 108 – Latu 27, T Ropati 24, Hettig 13, M Ropati 12
Girls Premier Grade Standings
12-1 AGGS, Mt Albert
9-4 Westlake
8-5 Massey
5-8 Rangitoto
3-10 Carmel, Orewa
0-13 Avondale
LACEY LOWDOWN 