Northcote College, thanks to a 97-86 home win against Massey High School on Monday night, have booked themselves a semi-final berth in the Auckland Secondary Schools Senior A play-offs.
Their semi-final opponents on Friday night will be St Peter’s College.
Captain Sam Hadley made seven points as Northcote made a brisk 16-4 start in front of another good crowd, the lead still a useful 25-18 at quarter time.
The second quarter began with a series of untidy turnovers from both sides but Miggy Falqueza ensured the hosts still held the advantage at half time leading 50-39.
Ropene Kurukaanga stimulated a 12-5 burst from Northcote at the outset of the third – the lead a comfortable 76-56 at three-quarter time.
Massey did cut into the lead in the fourth but with Oliver Hayward (21 points) and Hadley (20 points) bossing proceedings a Northcote victory was never in doubt.
In the other catch up game on Monday Liston College proved too strong for Pakuranga College winning a close one 94-89. Liston will therefore take on Avondale College in the other semi-final on Friday at NSEC.
Boys Senior A standings at end of the regular season.
13-1 St Peter’s
10-4 Avondale
8-6 Pakuranga
7-7 Northcote
7-7 Pakuranga
4-10 Western Springs
4-10 Massey
3-11 Manurewa
* Northcote claim fourth spot boasting the head to head advantage over Pakuranga but it couldn’t have been much closer with just one basket separating the two teams. Pakuranga won the first game by 30 points (102-72) but the tables were turned in the second match up with Northcote prevailing by 32 points (113-81)
In the final regular season game of the Premier competition Westlake Boys thumped St Kentigern College 90-50.
The result had no bearing on the final placing’s of the comp with Westlake consigned to third spot despite having the same 11-3 record as rivals Auckland Grammar and Rosmini College – they will meet Rosmini in the semi-final on Friday at North Shore Events Centre.
St Kentigern was assured of Prem status in 2018 after beating Macleans College last Friday. Only Max Shorter and Kyle Robb managed double figures for the hosts in this one – in contrast Westlake, led by a 28 points haul from James Moors, had five players with ten points or more.
St Kentigern 50 – Shorter 19, Chan 13, Watson 9
Westlake 90 – Moors 28, Malingin 13, Martin 12, L Mennenga 12,Winter 10
Boys Premier Grade Standings at end of regular season
11-3 Auckland Grammar
11-3 Rosmini
11-3 Westlake
9-5 Rangitoto
6-8 Mt Albert
4-10 St Kentigern
3-11 Macleans
1-13 Kelston
* Rosmini and Auckland Grammar hold better head to head records against Westlake – Grammar also have the head to head advantage over Rosmini.
LACEY LOWDOWN 