LACEY LOWDOWN

Kendell Heremaia and Shalae Salmon both returned career best NCAA scoring performances over Thanksgiving Weekend.

Salmon scored a career high 19 points (8/15FG) as BYU went 2 from 2 at the San Diego State Thanksgiving Classic. California Baptist were defeated 76-69 with Salmon also snaring 7 boards on a productive night that helped BYU registered a fourth straight victory.

At the Gulf Coast Showcase Tournament in Florida, Fordham University Rams finished runners-up to Texas going down 72-54 in the final. Despite the loss the former Waikato forward Kendell Heremaia improved her career best points tally twice during the event making 17 points in the final after tallying 13 in the semi-final win the previous day.

Cantabrian Mary Goulding scored 16 points (plus 14 rebounds) in the opening game with Zara Jillings posting 6 points and 3 assists in game two.

Akiene-Tera Reed scored a season high 20 points (8/15FG) as Virginia Commonwealth Rams clawed Weber State Wildcats 64-36 on Saturday. She led the Rams scoring again 48 hours later with 17 points. However VCU dropped that game losing 64-62 to Purdue University Indianapolis. 

Amiee Book continued her good work for California State Fullerton Tigers. The Tigers went down 83-74 against Portland but Amiee still managed 13 points converting three from seven from beyond the arc. In her first five NCAA Division 1 games Aimee is 11 from 21 from three-point land at a striking 52%.

Krystal Leger-Walker scored 10 points, including a step back three to tie proceedings at 46 apiece, as Northern Colorado Bears eked out a 53-47 win against Colorado State. L-W added 6 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals for the Bears who have made a 3-2 start to their campaign.

Kayla Manuirirangi scored 8 points and shared 4 assists as Tulane University moved to 4-1 for the season after defeating Cleveland State 81-72. 

Tegan Graham produced 6 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as Colgate Raiders enjoyed a first win of the season defeating Canisius 67-53.

Pareunora Pene made her debut for Tennessee Chattanooga in their 75-60 win against Liberty. The Rotorua freshman scored with both shots, one three, to record 5 points in her first appearance for the Mocs.

Last weekend may have been Thanksgiving in the States but there was little time for rest for our Kiwi college players.

Matt Freeman and Jack Salt headed to the Bahamas for the 8-team Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament over the holiday period at Paradise Island. 

It was anything but a vacation playing three games in three days but hopefully Jack and the Virginia Cavaliers got to sample some of the resort delights after beating Wiconsin 53-46 in the final.

Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett was full of praise for his captain. 

“Jack was a warrior, playing position and playing hard. He means a lot for our programme, statistically he may not show it but it was a special performance.”

High praise for a man who finished with just 2 points, 5 rebounds, a block and a steal but as Bennett said the game is more than just about statistics.

The two didn’t get to play against each other as they were on opposite sides of the draw but Freeman and the Oklahoma Sooners clinched third spot after a 65-54 win against Dayton – Matt knocking down his only shot for three points and a pair of rebounds.

Also attending a famed location were St Mary’s College Gaels taking part in the MGM Resorts Main Event in Las Vegas. Despite going down 80-63 to Utah State Dan Fotu scored 11 points and also added three rebounds including two at the offensive end.

In their other game in Vegas Fotu came up with 2 points, 5 rebounds and an assist as the Gaels lost 61-57 to Mississippi State.

At the Wooden Legacy Tournament Miami Hurricanes fell agonisingly short in the championship game going down 83-81 to Seton Hall on Sunday night with Sam Waardenburg producing a quintet of points and rebounds.

Earlier in the tournament Waardenbutg scored 10 points as the Hurricanes cruised past La Salle 85-49.

Isaac Letoa and Dartmouth Big Green are headed across the Atlantic to Ireland where they will play in the Belfast Classic beginning on Thursday.

Taki Fahrensohn scored a season best 7 points as Portland Horned Frogs eased to a comfortable 77-57 win against Lewis and Clark.

In a Kiwi v Kiwi match-up it was Tobias Cameron and Abilene Christian that got the better of Callum McRae and University of California Riverside winning a sixth straight game 60-48.

However in terms of personal productivity the outcome favoured McCrae. The former Palmerston North Boys High centre had 10 points, on 5 from 6 from the field, plus 6 rebounds with Cameron getting just a minute of court time. 

Sacramento States Hornets beat Cal State Fullerton 87-82 in overtime for a third consecutive win with Izayah Le’afa scoring 14 points. The Hutt Valley native obviously has the green light to shoot the three-ball launching no fewer than 14 attempts in the contest. He landed four of those and also provided 3 assists to go with 5 rebounds.

Jackson Stent was part of an historic occasion as Houston Baptist University defeated Wake Forrest 93-91 in overtime – the first time in programme history that HBU had beaten an Atlantic Coast Conference member. For the second game running Stent was a perfect 2 from 2 from the field – both triples.

Sam Timmins may lay claim to one of the qickest accumulation of fouls in college basketball this season The Kiwi centre fouled out in just seven minutes as Washington Huskies were pipped 68-66 by Minnesotta – he managed a pair of rebounds and two points in that time.

Look out for the women’s college wrap being posted tomorrow.

Of the sixteen Kiwi men playing NCAA Division I basketball this season seven are freshmen and all have seen cort time at  

In Division I action Matt Freeman scored at almost a point a minute as Oklahoma Sooners won their home opener 75-64 against Wofford. Matt scored 11 points in 12 minutes, knocking down three from four from beyond the arc.

Matt and the Sooners have headed to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament this week which will also be attended by Jack Salt and the Virginia Cavaliers. We will bring you news of that event and all the other Thanksgiving Weekend play in the next roundup. 

Sam Waardenburg has been entrusted with a starting spot at Miami where the Hurricanes have begun the season with a trio of wins after pushing past Bethune-Cookman 78-70. The second year forward scored 8 points (4/6FG) and totalled 4 rebounds in 27 minutes in the win.

St Mary’s College Gaels, after three straight wins, fell to their first loss of the season going down 80-63 to Utah State. However it was a good outing for Dan Fotu who knocked down a pair of threes (4/6FG) on his way to 11 points. The former Rangitoto standout also added three rebounds including two at the offensive end 

Isaac Letoa was 3 from 3 from the field as Dartmouth Big Green handed Elms a hiding. A reverse lay-up from the Tall Blacks guard brought up the ton as Dartmouth won100-54.

Yanni Wetzel scored a couple of points for Vanderbilt in the 79-54 win against Alcorn – the Commodores off to a 3-0 start.

Former Auckland Grammar standout Taki Fahrensohn scored his first college points as PortlandUniversity Pirates beat Multnomah. The freshman scored 2 points as the Pilots won a high scoring affair 111-103.

Angus McWilliam debuted for Texas Christian. The Cantabriam forward coralled three rebounds as TCU beat Oral Roberts 79-62. 

Flynn Cameron scored 6 points for De Paul as the Blue Demons doused Morgan State 91-63.

Seven points from Jackson Stent helped Houston Baptist secure a 75-72 win against Fordham. Stent went a perfect 2 from 2 from the field and also knocked down both of his free throws.

Krystal Leger-Walker was in outstanding form for Northern Colorado Bears. In a productive night the Waikato native scored a career high 22 points (9/12FG) and dished 6 assists in the 74-66 win against Denver.

The Kiwis were prominent as Fordhan University Rams improved to 2-2 after a 71-64 win against Charlotte 49ers. Mary Goulding continued her strong form with 16 points and 12 rebounds, Kendell Heremaia scored 14 points (6/8FG) and Zara Jillings (7pts) was also amongst the scorers for the Rams.

Shalae Salmon crafted 14 points on 5 from 8 shooting from the floor and a perfect 4 out of 4 from the charity stripe as Brigham Young University Provo beat Eastern Washington 80-65.

Amiee Book didn’t miss a shot in California State Fullerton’s 79-65 win against Cal Baptist. She accumulated 14 points on 6 from 6 from the field that included 2 out of 2 triples. Book then scored 12 points (5/9FG) as the Titans went down 83-72 against San Diego.

Also making a dozen points was Tera Reed as Virginia Commonwealth Rams won a low scoring affair against Wake Forest 53-40. The Rams only gave up eight final quarter points as they improve to 3-1 for the season

Sariah Penese was busy for University of Maryland Baltimore in the 81-43 defeat of  Notre Dame. The Retrievers have won their first six games – the best start in programme history – and Penese came up with 3 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and a block in the win.

Kayla Manuirirangi scored 11 points (three from six threes for the second game running) as Tulane University held off Washington to win 63-51 for a third consecutive win.

Tegan Graham was another to score 11 points but Colgate Raiders slipped to a third straight loss, pipped 64-61 by George Mason.

Suffering a fourth loss on the bounce were La Salle going under 92-68 against Towson. Michelle Nicholls was a bright light in the defeat scoring 11 points on 5 from 8 shooting for the Explorers.

There is a feast of basketball ahead in the coming days as many college teams are taking part in Thanksgiving Weekend tournaments.