After the completion of Round 12 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier League on Monday we now know the semi-final qualifiers, and in addition know that Auckland Girls Grammar will need to win a play-off game next year to remain in the top flight.
Carmel College will finish fifth and miss out on a semi-final berth unless Rangitoto College lose all three of their remaining games and Carmel beat Westlake in their final game. One scenario is unlikely, both improbable so safe to say St Mary’s are the regular season champions, Westlake are runners-up with Massey and Rangitoto claiming the other two play-off spots.
Carmel were still very much in the play-off picture with four minutes to play in their home game against Rangitoto on Monday as they trailed by just five points (72-67). Unfortunately for them Rangitoto sharp-shooter Aroha Riley made a couple of scores and when Ella Moore knocked down a three the lead was suddenly a dozen points.
Forward Qaizden Stephano reduced the arrears but another five points from Rogers (she scored 15 points in the fourth quarter), meant that a pair of threes from Estelle Davidson were rendered academic as Rangi departed with an 87-79 victory.
Earlier Tayla Dalton, Emily Broomfield and Davidson had provided the bulk of the offensive thrust for Carmel as they kept pace with the visitors.
Hannah Wentworth’s three first half triples helped Rangi to a 42-34 half-time lead before transition baskets from Kellie Tawhiao stretched the lead beyond a dozen points. Dalton and Isabel MacGregor provided the response as Carmel closed to 64-47 at three-quarter time.
The two teams exchanged baskets in the early stages of the fourth before Rogers and Moore dropped the decisive daggers.
Carmel 79– T Dalton 28, E Davidson 17, E Broomfield 14, Q Stephano 13
Rangitoto 87– A Riley 24, K Tawhiao 18, H Wentworth 15, W Riley 10 M Barrett 8
Emme Shearer, named to attend the prestigious Basketball Without Borders Camp next month alongside St Mary’s forward Jazz Kailahi-Fulu, scored 25 points as Westlake Girls confirmed second place on the table with a comfortable 85-50 win against Mt Albert Grammar School.
Shearer scored 13 points in the first half and with Jess Moors also in double figures Westlake had a 44-26 lead at the interval.
Tiger-Lily Cocker-Lemalie and Monica Kelly, 11 points and 10 points respectively were the notable scorers for MAGS.
Danae Tait landed a couple of scoring punches for MAGS but Jordyn Maddix and Piper Manolas were equal to the task as Westlake extended their advantage to 63-39 with a quarter to play – a period they won 22-11 to earn a ninth win of the season.
Westlake 85– E Shearer 25, J Moors 20, J Maddix 14, P Manolas 10
MAGS 50– M Kelly 14, R Fiatau 14, T Cocker-Lemalie 11, D Tait 8
Massey High also confirmed a semi-final spot with an 81-65 victory against Auckland Girls Grammar.
The two teams were on even keel at quarter time with 20 points apiece – with both teams looking to the three point line for production. Allyah Leusogi-Ape and Ramona Fuaivaa landed from deep for Massey with Imogene Noble, Milika Fonohema and Leah Patuwairua successful for AGGS.
Noble, Hine Te Ao Devery, Fonohema and Patuwairua were a constant threat to the Massey defence but Leusogi-Ape, Alyesha Schuster and Shazaleah Henry ensured MAGS had a 46-43 half-time lead.
A low scoring third quarter ensued (11-10 in favour of MAGS) before the hosts broke free in the final period to clinch the win. Fuaivaa and Leusogi-Ape shared 14 points in the last ten minutes to see off a spirited AGGS challenge.
Massey 81– A Leusogi-Ape 21, R Fuaivaa 19, A Schuster 16, M Taingahue 11
AGGS 65– I Noble 27, L Patuwairua 20, M Fonohema 10, Hine Te Ao Devery 8
Premier Girls Standings:
10-0 St Mary’s
9-2 Westlake
6-4 Massey
5-4 Rangitoto
5-6 Carmel
2-9 MAGS
0-10 AGGS
LACEY LOWDOWN 