St Kentigern College are regular season champions
The semi-final lineups have been decided in the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier League following the final round of regular season games played on Friday.
St Kentigern College, Rosmini College and Rangitoto College had already confirmed the top three placings prior to Friday’s games leaving Westlake Boys and Auckland Grammar, with identical 7-6 records, to fight over the remaining spot.
Auckland Grammar easily disposed of Mt Albert Grammar to claim fourth place after Westlake were beaten at home by Rangitoto. Grammar will now face St Kent’s in one semi-final with the other semi an all North Shore affair with Rangitoto taking on Rosmini.
Westlake Boys saw their semi-final hopes dissolve as they were beaten 100-79 by Rangitoto College in front of a large though rather subdued home crowd.
A reasonably even first quarter was highlighted by a Liam Judd two handed flush off a baseline drive as Rangitoto sprung out to a 21-15 first quarter lead.
A couple of scores from Joe Wuthrich, who was getting through a ton of work on the boards, helped the Westlake cause but when Ethan Mendeno peeled of three straight baskets Rangi were 26-17 to the good.
Westlake’s cause was further hampered when Sam Mennenga picked up a third foul and headed to the bench for the last seven minutes of the first half.
Forwards Dallas Clayton and Tautoko Wynyard combined for points as the Rangi lead grew before Dylan Wilkie replied with a couple of And-1 plays off aggressive drives.
Zach Riley had the last say of the first half draining a long three to give the visitors a 49-30 lead at the break.
Riley opened the second half as he closed the first – the Rangitoto guard demonstrated good skills as he hauled in a wayward pass before dropping a corner three.
Reuben Natusch, Mennenga and Wilkie (25 points) made scores for Westlake but not at the rate Harry Payne, Riley and Wynyard were making them for Rangi.
The impressive Clayton was enjoying himself against his old teammates and his four baskets on the bounce meant Rangi led 78-53 at three-quarter time.
The onlooking Cashmere College Boys Premier team departed at three-quarter time knowing, like most observers, that the result was already decided.
Rangitoto move on to play Rosmini in next Friday’s semi-final with Westlake finishing fifth and left to prepare for Nationals qualifiers at the beginning of next month.
Westlake 79– D Wilkie 25, S Mennenga 16, J Thompson 14, R Natusch 10, J Wuthrich 7
Rangitoto 100– D Clayton 20, H Payne 20, Z Riley 17, T Wynyard 17, E Mandeno 14
Westlake’s loss meant that a win for Auckland Grammar would secure them a semi-final berth and they made no mistake thumping a depleted Mt Albert Grammar 97-43.
On his way to a game high 30 points Jaga Mete helped himself to 16 of those in the opening period won 30-11 by Auckland.
Dakota Stephens led the Mt Albert scoring with 8 points in the first half but Grammar were 49-23 ahead at that point.
The lead kept growing in the third quarter as Mete, Connor Ngan and Josh Muggleston dropped triples.
Denvor Elia top scored for MAGS with 13 points on a night when his team were well beaten as AGS celebrated a top four finish.
AGS 97– J Mete 30, C Landon 11, D Boyd 10, C Ngan 10, I Tela 10, T Caldwell 9
MAGS 43– D Elia 13, D Stephens 8, P Sorensen 7, M Fiatau 7
Macleans College, relegated to Senior A Division next season, were no match for Rosmini College going down 96-46.
A 30-10 opening salvo from Rosmini virtually decided the contest and although the scoring slowed in the second period Macleans still found themselves 43-16 behind at half-time. Sean Murphy had 24 points at the break, 15 of them from three-point land.
Michael Babaran, Harry Smith and Kraus Reyes never stopped trying for Macleans but Rosmini got scoring production from all 12 players as they cruised to victory ahead of a sterner test against Rangitoto next Friday.
Macleans 46– M Babaran 15, K Reyes 10, H Smith 9
Rosmini 96– S Murphy 26, T Martin 10, J Boucher 10, T Abdon 8, M Williams-Dunn 8, B Robb 8
St Kentigern College, already crowned regular season champions, made light work of Liston College winning 91-50.
Quick out the gate St Kent’s were 23-12 ahead at the first break with Shalom Broughton and Levick Kerr to the fore.
Preston Karatau and Troy Lee-Parker each scored half a dozen first half points for Liston but they trailed 43-24 at the main break.
Karatau and Kiani Saxon gave St Kent’s defence something to think about in the third but with Kazlo Evans and Alex McNaught joining Kerr and Broughton in double figures St Kent’s coasted to the win – their 13thin 14 games.
Liston 50– P Karatau 12, K Saxon 11, T Lee-Baker 6, S Hickey 5
St Kent’s 91– L Kerr 19, S Broughton 19, K Evans 18, A McNaught 10, J Childs 8
Premier Standings at conclusion of the regular season:
13-1 St Kentigern
11-3 Rangitoto
10-4 Rosmini
8-6 AGS
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7-7 Westlake
4-10 MAGS
2-12 Liston
1-13 Macleans
LACEY LOWDOWN 