Macleans College Boys and Botany Downs Secondary College Girls have gained promotion to the 2019 Premier Grade competition after contrasting Senior A Grand Final wins.
Macleans led from start to finish to beat Liston College 88-64 whereas Botany Downs were forced to come from behind to defeat Epsom Girls Grammar 61-54.
MacLeans had 12 points on the board before their opponents made a basket and that was extended to 31-5 by quarter time as nothing went right for Liston.
Things improved for Liston in the second quarter but they were still in trouble at half-time trailing 45-23.
A good third frame ensued for Liston, a mighty effort getting them within eleven points at the three-quarter mark (55-44).
That was as close as it got – Macleans reeled off a 9-0 run to open the fourth period and cruised through the closing stages to claim the win, the Senior A trophy and a return to the Premier Grade for coach Adrian Boyd and his charges after an absence of just one season.
Macleans captain Sai Kuvelkar played extremely well on both end of the floor and he received excellent assistance from Tyson Kempton and Michael Babaran.
Liston gained terrific service from Edward Maagdenburg, Lev Prokov and Kiani Saxon but will now have to wait until next April to secure a spot in the Premier Division – a play-off game against St Peter’s College awaits them.
Macleans College 88
Liston College 64
Epsom Girls chose the wrong time to relinquish their unbeaten record in the Senior A competition, run down in the fourth quarter by a fast finishing Botany Downs, to lose their first game of the season.
It was tight throughout but Epsom did lead 45-42 at three-quarter-time and 52-48 midway through the last.
However the loss of three starters, all falling victims of the five foul count, meant Epsom were powerless to halt the Botany charge.
Tafito Pomarlina Lafaele made the go-ahead points (53-52) with 2:36 to play but it was Sophia and Ngapipi Herewini that did most of the damage. The pair combined for 16 points in the final quarter (43 points in the game) to carry Botany to Premier status.
Earlier the two teams tied the opening period 16 points apiece before Epsom dominated the second quarter to establish a 35-27 half-time lead – Aria Todd-Pemerika and Sarah-Joy Aruwa combining for 13 second quarter points for Epsom.
Florence Dallow scored eight straight points for Epsom in the third but Sophia Herewini notched half a dozen for Botany as they reduced the deficit to three points with ten minutes to play.
Critically Dallow and Aruwa both fouled out early in the fourth and although Sarah Scoular and Todd-Pemerika made baskets it was Epsom that dominated the closing minutes to clinch automatic promotion.
Botany Downs 61 – S Herewini 24, N Herewini 19, T Herewini 8, T Lafaele
Epsom 54 – F Dallow 14, A Todd-Pemerika 11, S Aruwa 9, M Satele 6, S Scoular 6
Other 2018 College Sport Auckland Secondary Schools Basketball Championship results.
Junior Boys
Auckland Grammar 36 – Cody Brown 9, Caleb Landon 9, Toby Caldwell 7, Daniel Boyd 5
Westlake Boys 30 – Harry Barnard 7, Tawhiao Kaitapu 7, Ethan Winch 6
Junior Girls
Carmel College 33 – Katie Linstrom 15, Qaizden Stephano 6, Marina Lough 5
Onehunga High 32 – Eden Ill 12, Jada Tairea 8, Tina Tu’ifua 8
U17 Girls
Auckland Girls Grammar 36 – Heeni Blakey 19, Imogene Noble 9,
Massey High 28 – Levi Fuimaono 6, Yzabelle Taveo 6, Ramona Fuiavaa 5
U17 Boys
St Kentigern College 41 – Alex McNaught 19, Martin Gan 9, Levic Kerr 8
Rangitoto College 35 – Ethan Skelton 13, Tautoko Wynyard 10
Open Girls
Westlake Red 47 – Samantha Woolford 17, Isabel Pugh 15, Maia McBirney 8
Aorere College 28 – Maria Tatupu 10, Mary Masoe 5, Maama Vaipulu 5
Open Boys
Mt Roskill Grammar 55 – Justin Sapoi 14, Harjot Johal 9, Isaiah Halafihi 9, Harlem Iaea 6, Sephaniah Damu 6
Long Bay College 35 – Hayden Druce 11, Tobeas Livock 11
LACEY LOWDOWN 