Mt Albert Grammar forward Sharne Pupuke-Robati was the highest individual score of the round scoring 36 points v St Kentigern.
The major feature of the first round of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier competition was a first ever Premier win for St Mary’s College.
However the game of the round was at Rangitoto College where Carmel College came within a whisker of defeating Rangi before going down 64-62 in an exciting finish.
Rangitoto appeared to be heading for a comfortable win at three-quarter time leading 52-42 but 14 final quarter points from Tayla Dalton set up a grandstand finish.
Back-to-back baskets from Estelle Davidson and Dalton sent some alarm bells ringing in the Rangitoto camp forcing Tony Pompallier to call a timeout early in the fourth quarter.
Hannah Wentworth and Mania Spooner scores gave Rangi something of a cushion but Dalton made it seven points on the bounce – 59-56 with 3:20 to play.
The Double-D combination of Dalton and Estelle Davidson made it a one point game but Wentworth’s timely triple eased the Rangi nerves as they led 64-60 with 1:30 to play.
Carmel weren’t finished and Junitta Moa made it 64-62 with 30 seconds to play. Rangi then turned the ball over presenting Carmel with the final possession.
The visitors got a shot off but the effort failed to drop and Rangi breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Earlier a deft left handed drive from Tayla Dalton opened the Carmel scoring – the visitors 19-13 ahead at quarter time despite 8 points from Spooner.
A Wentworth three reduced the margin but Izzy Cartermole replied for Carmel. An Ella Moore triple gave Rangi their first lead of the game but it was short lived as Cartemole landed from beyond the arc also.
Aroha Rogers scored her first basket in Rangitoto colours but was unfortunately forced to the bench with an ankle sprain – Rangi shading the first half 32-30.
Moore began the second half where she left off in the first, with a pair of triples as Rangi extended its lead to 40-32.
Bella Elgar complimented her rebounding efforts with a couple of baskets however a brace in reply from Dalton and one from Georgia Green kept Carmel in touch at three-quarter time. A fourth trey from Moore stretched the Rangi advantage to 52-42 at the last break – a frenzy of action followed in the fourth.
Rangitoto 64 –M Spooner 18, E Moore 13, B Elgar 10, H Wentworth 8
Carmel 62 – T Dalton 30, G Green 10, I Cattermole 7 E Davidson 6
St Mary’s College visited Westlake Girls High for their first ever Secondary Schools Premier game and came away with a 66-56 win.
Jess Moors and Tabitha Leyson scored early threes for Westlake but Jazz Kailahi-Fulu, who finished with a game high 23 points, scored 9 first period points as St Mary’s opened up a 22-13 early lead.
Leyson scored seven points in the second and Zaliyah Kailahi-Fulu replied with the same – St Mary’s ahead 31-26 at half-time.
Jordyn Maddix landed a three and Piper Manolas chipped in with six points as Westlake tied the scores at 44 apiece with ten minutes to play.
The Kailahi sisters combined for 15 points and Riana Matiseni scored six of the last eight points, as St Mary’s dominated the last period to secure a deserved maiden Premier win.
Westlake 56 – T Leyson 11, P Manolas 9, J Moors 8, J Maddix 8, R Dil 8
St Mary’s 66 – J Kailahi-Fulu 23, R Matiseni 13 Z Kailahi-Fulu 10, L Te Nana-Williams 9
St Kentigern College’s first game back in the top flight didn’t have the ideal outcome as they were beaten 81-51 at home by Mt Albert Grammar School.
St Kent’s made an understandably nervy start and fell 18-7 behind in the first period. Misaki Chen and Renee Flay got the scoreboard ticking for the hosts in the second but Sharne Pupuke-Robati, Jada Manase and Moanekah Va’ai helped Mt Albert build a 38-27 half-way lead.
Pupuke-Robati continued to dominate in the second half, going on to total the highest individual score of the round (36 points).
Emma Halliday (10 points) top scored for St Kent’s but they were outgunned on the day and will hope to fare better when they travel to Massey High next Friday.
St Kentigern 51 – E Halliday 10, M Chen 9, C Griffiths 6, N Leishman 5
MAGS 81 – S Pupuke-Robati 36, M Va’ai 16, J Manase 14, T Talo-Tomokino 9
Defending champions Auckland Girls Grammar began their campaign in a successful manner defeating Massey High School 61-50.
Shauna Povey got Massey off to a good start scoring 10 first quarter points to help the hosts establish a 14-11 lead.
Despite triples from Laticia Jost and Terina Aratangi Grammar were able to reel in the hosts in the second quarter. Tuia Tuala and Laetitia Tuaiti scored freely to carry Grammar to a 28-25 half-time lead.
The third quarter was all Grammar – a couple of threes from Laetitia Tuaiti and inside baskets from Mele Latu and Zhannay Hettig propelled them to a commanding 50-36 advantage.
Povey, Aleysha Shuster and Yzabelle Taveo showed some resistance in the fourth but a balanced scoring effort from Grammar ensured a first up win.
Massey 50 – S Povey 22, Y Taveo 10, A Schuster 9, L Jost 5
AGGS 61 – M Latu 14, T Tuala 11, L Tuaiti 11, E Tuaiti 10, Z Hettig 8
LACEY LOWDOWN 