St Kentigern College completed a notable double during the latest round of Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Basketball.
Rangitoto College and Auckland Grammar were also in the winner’s circle in Round 7 action whilst the Liston College v MAGS fixture was postponed until next Monday.
St Kentigern defeated Rosmini earlier in the season and on Monday night, on their home court, again overturned the defending champions winning 79-73 despite Sean Murphy scoring 35 points for the visitors.
The industrious Elliot Watson opened the scoring for St Kent’s and his six points along with an identical contribution from Martin Gan took their team to a 21-17 first quarter lead.
The rapidly improving Levic Kerr (23 points) and Shalom Broughton (21 points) were a constant menace on the offensive boards, the pair scoring 15 consecutive points for the hosts in the second. Rozza were relying heavily on Murphy as his 19 first half points kept them in touch at the main break trailing 40-36.
Kerr and Alex McNaught fired the opening shots in the third stanza and when Sam Chan dropped a long three in the shadows of three-quarter time the St Kent’s lead was a healthy 60-48.
Rosmini rallied at the outset of the fourth as Murphy, Cian Emery and Thomas Morgan struck from deep. With the lead reduced to two points (62-60) St Kent’s Head Coach Aaron Young needed a timeout.
The chat worked a treat as McNaught knocked down a triple and Broughton reeled off three straight buckets and when Josh Child put down a two handed dunk the hosts were ahead 75-67 with three minutes to play.
Murphy moved his outstanding contribution into the thirties with a fifth three but to the delight of the home support Broughton put the icing on a solid victory with an alley-oop play off a McNaught pass.
St Kentigern 79– L Kerr 23, S Broughton 21, A McNaught 10, E Watson 10, M Gan 8
Rosmini 73– S Murphy 35, M Williams-Dunn 10, T Abdon 9, T Martin 6
In a high scoring affair at Westlake visitors Auckland Grammar prevailed 113-104 with the Junior Tall Blacks pair of Sam Mennenga and Jaga Mete in sensational shooting form.
The duo will be teammates when they board a plane on Wednesday headed to the FIBA U19 World Cup in Greece but on Monday engaged in a pre-tournament shoot-out.
Westlake forward Mennenga scored 42 points while Mete went a couple better scoring 44 points for Grammar. For a while it looked as if they may be upstaged by AGS guard Connor Ngan who scored 35 points including six made threes.
Grammar made a lightning start amassing 34 first quarter points to lead by 16 at the first break. Ngan and Mete did most the damage but a couple of baskets from Caleb Landon were also handy.
Stung into action Westlake outscored the visitors 35-22 in the second with Mennenga scoring 19. A timely trey from Dylan Wilkie pulled the hosts to within three points at half-time (56-53).
The two teams traded baskets in the second with Grammar relying mainly on threes – Mete made four and Ngan three from the land of plenty. Not to be outdone Reuben Natusch, Liam Spencer and Mennenga joined in the three-point shooting exhibition – Westlake down (82-77) at three-quarter time.
Mennenga, Wilkie and Jett Thompson provided scoring impetus for Westlake in the final period but it’s tough to get a win when the opposition back court duo rack up a combined 79 points – the pair made twenty of those in the closing ten minutes to seal a third straight win for Grammar as they moved into a share of third place on the ladder.
Westlake 104– S Mennenga 42, D Wilkie 14, J Thompson 13
AGS 113– J Mete 44, C Ngan 35, D Boyd 9, C Landon 8
A 27-11 opening salvo up in the Bays set the tone for a comfortable home victory as Rangitoto College won every quarter on their way to a 111- 41 victory against Macleans College.
Phoenix Leupolu, settling into his new surrounds, scored 7 early points and Ethan Skelton 6.
Liam Judd enjoyed a profitable second quarter making 11 points and Joon Back knocked down a couple of threes to extend the Rangi lead to 54-23 at half-time.
It was a similar story in the second Half as Harry Payne compiled a game high 23 points – Daniel Powell. Leupolu and Judd joining him in double figures.
Kraus Reyes was a stand out for Macleans scoring 21 points and Regan McGregor made 9.
Rangitoto 111 – H Payne 23, P Leupolu 15, L Judd 14, D Powell 14, J Back 9, D Clayton 8
Macleans 41 – K Reyes 21, R McGregor 9
Premier Standings:
6-1 Rangitoto, St Kentigern
4-3 Westlake, Rosmini, AGS
2-4 Liston
1-5 MAGS
0-7 Macleans
LACEY LOWDOWN 