Week Two of the Canterbury Secondary Schools McDonald’s Thomson and Whelan Competitions are completed, with some fantastic support evident for the school basketball teams across the region.
Our two matchups selected for Game of the Week did not leave anybody disappointed – Christchurch Girls’ just fell to Rangi Ruru in overtime, while St. Andrew’s won by a solitary point in their matchup with Shirley Boys’.
Rangiora and the Middleton Grange Gators had a double header involving both genders, and the Whelan game – with the Phil Burns Cup on the line – was a back and forth affair. No team led by more than six points at any stage of the game, and the score was tied or changed hands 29 times throughout!
Gators’ Katie Jo Van den Bogaert (23p) and Sofia Kennedy (17p) converted some tough buckets in the closing stages of the game to help the Gators leave with a 71-67 win. Rangiora was paced by the trio of Jemma Hughes (11p) Elsie McRobb (11p) and Holly Monopoli (10p).
The Avonside Lady Eagles did not give themselves any favours – ceding a large first half lead to Lincoln, but turned the defensive clamps on in the second half, as Samantha McCrone was the only player to approach double figures for the hosts (9p). Molly Cockburn and Megan Shannon both had 17 apiece in the 65-37 win for Avonside.
On the boys’ side, Kaiapoi was similarly too strong for Lincoln, with four players hitting double figures for the visitors: Kam Currey (22p), Ross Divall (16p), Arjun Bisht (13p) and Ryan Sangster (11p). Lincoln had some tremendous numbers, but struggled for points outside of their top four scorers: Cody Wareham (20p), Kyle Koster (19p), Jamie Atkinson (11p) and Jonathan Allan (10p).
The Gators boys also hosted Rangiora, and made the visitors struggle to get any points – holding them to only eight in the first quarter. Rangiora did close the gap to only eight points after three quarters largely on the back of Jack Exeter’s 27p and Lachie MacFarlane’s 14p, but could not get closer than this, falling 82-69. Ah Li Fenika (19p) led the way for Middleton, with Ben Carlile-Smith (17p), Jarred Burnett (15p) and Harry Roth (12p) all reaching double figures as well.
The Cashmere Boys team was not troubled by the newcomers to Division I from Hillmorton as they held on to the Dowson Cup with a comprehensive 125-57 win. St. Bede’s gave Burnside all they could handle, with Caleb Conyers hitting 7 from 12 from behind the arc as part of his 36 points. Tom Hughes scored 18 himself, only to just fall short 88-84.
Report from James Lissaman.
Week Two Results
Whelan Division II
St. Margaret’s 70-24 Hillmorton
Avonside 65-37 Lincoln
Papanui 50-44 Marian
Ellesmere 51-50 Villa Maria
Burnside 56-52 Te Pā o Rākaihautū
Whelan Division I
Rangi Ruru 68-65 Christchurch Girls’ (overtime)
Middleton 71-67 Rangiora
Ashburton 94-63 Cashmere
St. Andrew’s 60-49 Kaiapoi
Thomson Division II
Papanui 86-78 Cathedral
Ashburton 73-62 Linwood
Kaiapoi 96-63 Lincoln
Hornby 85-79 Rangiora New Life
Riccarton 79-64 Ellesmere
Thomson Division I
Burnside 88-84 St. Bede’s
St. Andrew’s 80-79 Shirley
Middleton 82-69 Rangiora
Cashmere 125-57 Hillmorton
Christchurch Boys’ 74-52 Christ’s
LACEY LOWDOWN 