LACEY LOWDOWN

L-R Clarke, Blair, Leger-Walker and College of Idaho alumni Jaycin Tini

In the latest news from college hoops three editions of Kiwi versus Kiwi have been played out in the past few days.

In episode one Northern Colorado Bears who gained the upper hand in the second half to win 63-57 spoiled Brooke Blair’s 50th game for the Idaho State Bengals, in which she scored 13 points.

The Bears of course have a couple of Kiwi’s in their lineup – fellow Tall Fern Krystal Leger Walker came up with 4 rebounds and 2 steals whilst former Harbour guard Tiarna Clarke scored 6 points (3/5FG).

24 hours earlier the Bears were beaten for the first time in Big Sky Conference play going down 82-73 to Weber State but they still hold a 5-1 conference record.

Episode two also featured three Kiwis with the Rams from Virginia Commonwealth University taking on the Rams of Fordham University in Atlantic 10 Conference play.

Fordham entered the contest with a 4-0 start in conference play compared with VCU’s 1-3 record. After a tight first half a decisive 19-10 third period carried Fordham to a hard fought 64-54 road win.

For the thirteenth time in seventeen games Tera Reed was in double figures – a perfect 8 from 8 from the foul line – as she produced 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists for VCU.

Zara Jillings, fresh from a career high 8 assists in the previous game, contributed 5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists for Fordham. Former Waikato forward Kendell Heremaia, who played alongside Jillings and Reed in the 2016 Junior Tall Ferns, came up with a game high 3 steals plus 6 points and 4 rebounds for Fordham.

There could have been a fourth Kiwi on show but Fordham’s Cantabrian forward Mary Goulding is recovering from a hand injury although expected back on court in the next couple of weeks.

In the third episode Stella Beck and St Mary’s Gaels got the better of Dru Toleafoa and Santa Clara winning 59-46 in West Coast Conference play. 2014 Tall Fern Toleafoa was one of the better performers for Santa Clara with 12 points and 4 rebounds. Beck, capped by the Tall Ferns a year earlier chipped in with 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Beck was more prominent a couple of days later scoring 12 points and adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists in a 75-62 victory against Pepperdine – St Mary’s now 5-1 in conference action.

Jacinta Beckley put in a powerful performance as Seattle Redhawks outscored Kansas City 62-58 for a 2-1 record in the Western Athletic Conference. Beckley top scored for Seattle scoring 18 points (7/15FG) whilst also blocking 3 shots and accumulating 6 rebounds.