LACEY LOWDOWN

St Mary’s College and Westlake Girls High remain unbeaten in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Division but the pair had contrasting victories in retaining their 100% records.

Westlake cruised home against Mt Albert Grammar whilst St Mary’s can count themselves rather fortunate to snatch a win against Massey High.

There were also victories for Rangitoto College and Baradene College.

“We might not get a better chance,” were the words of Massey High School Head Coach Tim Ryan after his team were pipped at the post by St Mary’s.

Massey led almost the entire game and were up by as many as 16 points at one stage but suffered the agony of seeing there lead initially diminish and ultimately snatched away as Jess Fleming and Safena Tenana-Williams made the game tying then go-ahead scores for St Mary’s.

Despite scoring contributions from Tenana-Williams and Faith Ualika St Mary’s trailed 16-14 at quarter time.

The next period was all Massey as they peeled off 20 points – Shazaleah Henry knocked down a three but the majority of damage was done by Ramona Fuaivaa and Maya Taingahue – to lead 36-22 half-time.

Lani Robertson led a St Mary’s revival in the third frame but they still had plenty to do at three-quarter time trailing 49-42.

Zhoey Tilby-Woods and Taingahue made buckets but Massey scores were starting to dry up. St Mary’s were hardly in free scoring mode themselves but after Ualika and Fleming baskets they sensed an opportunity.

Fuaivaa made important free-throws but it wasn’t quite enough as the Tenana-Wiliams sisters and Jess Fleming made crucial scores to pinch the win.

Massey 58 – Fuaivaa 18, Taingahue 11, Tilby-Woods 6, Henry 6

St Mary’s 59 – L Tenana-Williams  14, Ualika 11, S Tenana-Williams 10, Robertson 9

It was a different story at Westlake as the other team boasting an unblemished record pummelled Mt Albert Grammar School 96-44.

Jess Moors was at her dominating best scoring 23 points with Rosie Dil (20 points), Emma Pugh (13 points) and Holly Williams (13 points) also in double figures.

The game started poorly for MAGS as they trailed 18-6 after the first quarter.

Shazaleah Henry scored six points for MAGS in the second quarter but Jess Moors, Pugh and Dil bettered that to carry Westlake to a 46-19 lead at half-time.

It was more of the same in the second half as Westlake moved to a third straight win and MAGS slipped to a third consecutive defeat.

Westlake 96 – J Moors 23, S Dil 20, E Pugh 13, H Williams 13, Clayton 9

MAGS 44 – Foster 11, Leger 8, Kelly 7

Despite getting in some early foul trouble Florence Dallow (20 points) still top scored for Epsom Girls Grammar. However in a game featuring a number of momentum swings it was Baradene, paced by 22 points from Lilly Parke, that secured a 70-60 win.

Baradene enjoyed the better of the opening quarter (19-15) but by the interval their lead was just a single point (33-32).

A three from Maya Fowler and ten points from Dallow gave Epsom the lead but Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs made a couple of key plays late in the third and with ten minutes to play the scores were tied at 47 points apiece.

Lauren Boxall-Hunt made a couple of handy scores for Epsom but the last and most vital momentum swing went the way of Baradene. Parke made nine points in the closing minutes, Ritorya Tamilo made a couple of vital scores with Deyna Topia icing the game from the free-throw line to move Baradene to 2-1 for the season.

Epsom 60 – Dallow 20, Aruwa 16, Boxall-Hunt 8, Setoga 6

Baradene 70 – L Parke 22, Topia 15, Tamilo 14, Cavanagh-Briggs 9, Faleafa 6

A 19-point win slightly flattered Rangitoto College as with 4 minutes to play Carmel College trailed by just 7 points (62-55). Kellie Tawhiao paced proceedings for Rangi with a dominating 23 points and 17 rebounds

Izzy MacGregor and Jemma Cammell gave Carmel a 7-0 start but Waiaria Riley got Rangitoto going and it was just a one point game at quarter time (14-13) in favour of hosts Carmel.

Tawhiao and Centaine Noon-Duckworth powered Rangi to a 34-23 lead but with Katie Linstrom and Kalea Norton making threes Carmel closed the half with an 11-2 run to trail 36-34 at the break.

It was all Rangi in the third quarter as they restricted Carmel to a measly 4 points – threes from Zaara Sain and Tawhiao helped them to a 52-38 lead.

Carmel worked hard to reduce the lead but still trailed by ten points with 5 minutes to play.

Cammell reduced the deficit to seven with 3:45 to play but from there Rangi ensured they would claim the win by scoring 16 of the final 20 points – a three at the death from Ella Moore putting an exclamation mark on the victory.

Carmel 59 – Cammell 18, MacGregor 11, Stephano 10

Rangitoto 78 – Tawhiao 23/17r, Noom Duckworth 15/9r, A Riley 13/8a, W Riley 7, Blythe

Rangitoto College are the only unbeaten team after the first three rounds of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier League competition with St Peter’s College the sole team looking to register a win.

Rangitoto beat Rosmini, Westlake Boys defeated Mt Albert Grammar whilst Auckland Grammar and St Kentigern College were too strong for Liston College and St Peter’s respectively.

Rosmini College, having trailed by 16 at one stage, eventually went down 87-82 to Rangitoto College with Zach Riley proving to be the difference maker in the closing seconds.

With Rosmini pushing for a comeback win the Rangitoto guard scored in transition to give his team an 85-82 lead with 43 seconds remaining. Rosmini couldn’t score on the next possession but neither could Rangi. With Rosmini once again with the ball Riley came up with a steal and calmly sunk the ensuing free-throws to seal a hard fought win.

It was a game in which four players dominated proceedings. Riley (35 points) and Lucas Payne (30 points) scored 76% of the Rangi points with Zeke Priest (10 points) the only other player to score more than four.

For Rosmini the Murphy brothers, Sean (scored a game high 39 points) and Kane (16 points), notched (67%) of the Saints points – Tom Beattie’s 9 points the next best.

After an even opening quarter the game went without a field goal for four minutes until Murphy, of the Kane variety, knocked down a three. Rangi went on to dominate the rest of the quarter (28-14) to lead 51-40 at half-time.

Kaia Dryden joined in the scoring action as Rangi enjoyed a period of dominance to lead 68-52 four minutes into the second half.

Sean Murphy then proceeded to reel off three triples leaving Rosmini down by five (70-65) at the last break.

Both teams were missing players through injuries and when Levi Fotu and Charlie Dalton both departed after picking up their fifth fouls the resources of both teams were being tested.

It was nip and tuck throughout the fourth, the scores tied at 78 points apiece with 3:30 to play after a Beattie And-1 play.

A neat finish from Payne restored the Rangi lead, Riley and Priest made free-throws but with Leo Wenham making a tumbling finish in traffic and Sean Murphy adding two more Rosmini were a point down with 90 seconds left on the clock.

That was the signal for Riley to put the seal on an outstanding individual display and a tight Rangitoto win.

Rosmini 82 – S Murphy 39, K Murphy 16, T Beattie 9

Rangitoto 87 – Z Riley 35, L Payne 30, Priest 10

A game high 23 points from Sataan Tawera wasn’t enough to get Mt Albert Grammar a road win at Westlake Boys. After two straight losses Westlake were in need of a win and were well served by Reuben Natusch (22 points) and Jett Thompson (21 points) as they registered the W.

Dakota Stephens had his eye-in early on making three treys for the visitors but a Ben Lewis strike from deep ensured Westlake has a 25-22 lead at quarter time.

The tempo slowed in the second but MAGS were well in contention at half-time just 42-37 behind.

Jett Thompson and Natusch featured strongly in the third as Westlake wrestled control. Tawera and Phoenix Sorensen kept MAGS in the contest but they faced a twelve points deficit in the final ten minutes trailing 67-55.

Stephens, Tawera and Morgan Aiono did their best to knock dents in the Westlake lead but Antonio Luetich, Josh Kooiman and Thompson held MAGS at bay to ensure a deserved win for Lake in front of a good sized crowd.

Westlake 88 – Natusch 22, Thompson 21, Spencer 12, Kooiman 11, Luetich 8

MAGS 73 – Tawera 23, Stephens 18, Aiono 12, Sorensen 9

Auckland Grammar defeated Liston College 92-55 in a game that was pretty much decided in the opening quarter which the hosts won 30-3; only Troy Lee Baker scoring from the field for Liston in the opening ten minutes.

Caleb Landon, on his way to a game high 21 points, scored seven of those in the opening frame with Josh Muggleston and Connor Ngan making five triples between them as Grammar put an iron grip on the contest.

Liston improved sufficiently enough in the second to take the quarter 22-17, with eight players contributing to the revival. Desmond Helu and Rasheed Tahiru, with triples, were amongst those eight but there was still a mountain to climb for the visitors at the break with Grammar ahead 47-25.

Langton and Muggleston pushed on with the job in the third – a triple from Helu late in the period making little impression on the AGS 68-39 lead.

Grammar were in cruise mode in the fourth as Blake Manning, Luka Vea and that man Landon extended the advantage even further.

AGS 92 – Landon 23, Muggleston 14, Ngan 11, Gibson 11, Bigio 9

Liston 55 – Ma’afu 9, Helu 8, Prasad 7, Tahiru 7

In the other game St Kentigern College took care of business against St Peter’s College winning 114-63. More details to follow.

Two notable wins highlighted Week 2 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Girls competition.

Pride of place goes to Baradene College who recorded their first ever win in the top echelon of Auckland School’s basketball. The other promoted team Epsom Girls Grammar School also grabbed their first win of the season whilst Westlake Girls and St Mary’s were the other victorious teams.

Baradene College and Massey High School played out an entertaining contest at Trusts Arena on Saturday afternoon prior to the Sal’s NBL game.

The score-line doesn’t tell the full story as it was only in the last quarter that Baradene were able to pull away and enjoy their inaugural Premier victory.

Ahead of that fourth quarter the Baradene lead was just seven point (62-55) but the final period would prove to be largely one-way traffic in their favour.

A 12-0 Baradene run at the start of the fourth was halted by a Ramona Fuaivaa two and a Shazaleah Henry triple but with Lily Parke, Ritorya Tamilo, Charlotte Rattray and Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs each scoring a brace of baskets the Baradene lead soon ballooned out to twenty points.

The Baradene supporters could relax and enjoy the closing stages with their team going on to win 90-66.

Early on things had looked a little ominous for Baradene as Fuaivaa knocked down three triples in the opening quarter. Another triple, this time from Parke, gave Baradene a one point quarter- time lead.

Tahlya Waikiki and Maya Taingahue each scored six points in the second frame for Massey but Deyna Topia matched that to help Baradene to a 39-35 half-time lead.

It was basket for basket in a hectic third period but 7 points apiece from Lily Parke and Tamilo tipped the scales slightly in favour of Baradene.

With the defensive qualities of Rattray and Tamilo shining through it was all Baradene in the final quarter.

Baradene 90 – L Parke 24, Tamilo 21, Rattray 15, Topia 14, Cavanagh-Briggs 8

Massey 66 – Fuaivaa 21, Henry 16, Taingahue 14, Tahlya Waikiki 12

Despite having just six players Epsom Girls Grammar were able to secure an 82-68 win at Mt Albert Grammar School.

It was tight most of the way at Epsom Girls as the home team eventually got the better of Mt Albert Grammar School to win 82-68.

Newly promoted EGGS only had six players but still managed to outlast MAGS, thanks largely to the efforts of Flow Dallow (31 points) and Sarah-Joy Aruwa (25 points).

There was little to choose between the two sides in the first half, EGGS leading 23-22 after 10 minutes and 44-42 after 20 minutes.

Monica Kelly and Kayla Tenana made a couple of baskets apiece for MAGS in the third period although Dallow and Aruwa shared 15 points to extend the Epsom advantage to 60-54.

Kelly and Danae Tait did their best to wrestle the initiative but Epsom, with Te Ataiti Armstrong and Te Aroha Kukutai-Wairau making key contributions, were not to be denied their first win of the season.

MAGS 68 – Tait 12, Kelly 10, Foster 10, Cocker-Lemalie 9, Pupuke-Robati 6, Tenana 6

Epson 82 – Dallow 31, Aruwa 25, Armstrong 13, Kukutai-Wairau 9

Westlake Girls visited Rangitoto College and it took last season’s Grand Finalists thirty-five minutes to wear down the hosts resistance.

When the game’s leading scorer Aroha Riley (28 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) scored on the three-quarter time buzzer Rangitoto were only 5 points adrift (52-47) and an upset was a possibility.

Mackenzie Chatfield scored five quick points at the start of the fourth but after landing awkwardly had to be helped from the court and took no further part in the game.

Makenzie Boucher and Emma Pugh took over the scoring load and suddenly the Westlake lead was out to a match winning 68-52.

Aroha Riley and Ella Moore tried to peg back the deficit but Jess Moors ensured that Westlake would claim their second straight win to begin the season.

Earlier Rosie Dil ensured that Westlake were ahead 17-11 at quarter time. Rangi edged the second period 16-14 to trail at the break by four points (31-27) with the Riley sisters scoring 15 of the Rangi points.

Jess Moors stamped her authority on proceedings in the third grabbing numerous defensive rebounds and immediately initiating the offense to produce scoring opportunities for herself or her teammates.

Rangitoto hung in tough – with Aroha Riley in great scoring touch,  Moore, Emily Blythe and Kellie Tawhiao offering strong support the fourth quarter promised to be a dog fight.

Unfortunately that didn’t eventuate as Westlake put their foot down to move to 2-0 on the season.

Rangitoto 68 – A Riley 28, Moore 12, Tawhiao 8/16r, Blythe 6/9r

Westlake 83 – J Moors 18, Dil 13, Chatfield 13, Pugh 11, Boucher 9, Fotu 8

Kat Leslie scored 19 points and Leata Tenana-Williams added 16 points as St Mary’s College beat Carmel College for their second win of the season.

It was a third quarter demolition job by St Mary’s that clinched the contest as they outscored Carmel 22-5 in that period. Zaaliyah Kailahi-Fulu, Tenana-Williams and Leslie did most of the damage to swing the contest firmly in favour of St Mary’s.

Up to that point Qaizden Stephan (15 points), Lily Morgan and Kalea Norton had ensured Carmel were well in the contest, down 35-27 at half-time.

Parity was restored in the fourth quarter with the two teams splitting 34 points but from Carmel’s perspective the horse, or more accurately St Mary’s, had already bolted.

St Mary’s 74 – Leslie 19, L Tenana-Williams 15, Kailahi-Fulu 12, Robertson 9, Schmid 6

Carmel 48 – Qaizden 15, Cammell 9, Norton 9

The competition now takes a break during the school holidays with the third round to be played on Friday July 24^th.

The  second week of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier League saw wins for Rangitoto, Rosmini, Mt Albert and Auckland Grammar meaning a fortnight into the season only Rangitoto and Rosmini are unbeaten.

Most pundits would probably have picked St Kentigern College to beat Auckland Grammar School but it wasn’t to be. Grammar had six players with 9 points or more as they bounced back, after a first round loss, to record a confidence building 86-81 victory.

Connor Ngan made three triples for AGS on his way to a team high 19 points – he was ably supported by Jamal Todd and Oliver Gibson with 16 points apiece whilst Caleb Landon and Toby Caldwell both had 13.

For St Kent’s Dontae Russo, in just his second Premier League outing, led all scorers with 24 points and Kazlo Evans was also in good form with 22 points.

Grammar forged an 18-14 first quarter lead and extended that to 41-34 by half-time.  Caldwell earned himself some profitable trips to the foul line and with Landon active, the hosts were in charge at half time. Points late in the half from Russo prevented the margin from being greater.

Ngan and Caldwell scored a pair of threes apiece in an even third period – Russo, Alex McNaught and Martin Gan landing from deep for St Kent’s who trailed 67-61 at three-quarter time.

Evans scored 10 points in the final period for St Kent’s but Grammar weren’t going to let this one slip – Todd, Landon and Ngan getting the job done in the fourth to seal a notable win for AGS.

St Kentigern 81 – Russo 24, Evans 22, Kerr 12, NcNaught 10, Gan 10

AGS 86 – Ngan 19, Todd 16, Gibson 16, Landon 13, Caldwell 13, Vea 9

Rangitoto College scored the first 11 points of the game and were 33-20 to the good at quarter time. Westlake battled away bravely but conceding such a lead proved too difficult to overcome – the hosts holding the lead throughout to win 101-84.

A full gym, with plenty of travelling support for Westlake Boys, were warmed by a fast paced encounter.

In the early stages of the final quarter it appeared as if Westlake might make a charge as Josh Kooiman, Jett Thompson and Antonio Leutich made scores – with 5 minutes to play Lake trailed by just nine points (77-86).

Critically Lucas Payne scored on the next possession and with Zeke Priest, Ethan Skelton and Zach Riley also adding to their personal tallies Rangitoto controlled the dying stages with a 15-7 finish.

Earlier Zach Riley nailed a triple on the opening possession to set the tone for Rangi, as they quickly established an 11 point lead before Christian Martin gave the Lake fans something to cheer about. The Chang brothers Zane and Rocco combined neatly for a score to help Westlake but Riley scored a dozen points in an opening quarter dominated by the hosts.

The two teams exchanged baskets in the second frame but when Rangitoto gave up possession for Leutich and Reuben Natusch to score easy baskets coach Kenny Stone needed a timeout.

Kala Dryden and Skelton settled things down for Rangi and with Riley throwing down an athletic dunk they were ahead 55-42 at the interval.

Westlake settled on a 1-2-2 zone in the third and for a while it paid dividends as the Rangitoto scoring slowed.

Priest landed a deep three but Kooiman and Boston Caldwell went back-to back from long range for the visitors. Payne then scored off a lovely heads-up pass from Priest and with 10 to go Rangi led by 10 (77-67).

Jacob Fotu scored on the resumption before the brief Westlake run but it was Rangitoto that prevailed, recording a second straight Premier League win.

Rangitoto 101 – Riley 31, Priest 16/12r, Ethan Skelton 20/8a  Payne 14, Powell 7, Jovanovic 7

Westlake 84 – Martin 14, Caldwell 13, Kooiman 12, Z Chang 12, Leutich 9

Liston College made the slightly better start forging a 19-15 lead – James Hickey, Safa Prasad and forward Troy Lee Baker causing Rosmini some problems.

A little sluggish in the opening period Rosmini had the best of the second quarter with Leo Wenham and Charlie Dalton to the fore. Des Helu knocked down a three-pointer close to half-time but Liston trailed 40-35 at the break.

Helu was again on the scoresheet early in the third but Taine Murray and Sean Murphy began to boss proceedings. With Cyrus Grafil contributing a couple of baskets Rosmini were sitting comfortable at three-quarter time leading 67-48.

Baker and Prasad posted points for Liston but it was Tom Beattie and Murphy that had the final say in an eventually comfortable Rosmini win.

Liston 67 – Prasad 18, Helu 14, Hickey 12, Baker 10

Rosmini 89 – Murray 20, S Murphy 20, Dalton 10, Beattie 8, K Murphy 8

Sataan Tawera, with 29 points, was the star of the show for Mt Albert Grammar as they recorded a convincing 87-57 win against St Peter’s College.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for MAGS as St Peter’s were well in touch at half-time only trailing 36-29.

Tawera and Denvor Elia were already in double figures for MAGS at that point, with Jack Donnelly the leading scorer for St Peter’s who must have liked their chances at that stage.

The third period was all MAGS.  Kuresa Tapula’aia posted three quick baskets at the start of the quarter, Tawera maintained the momentum and when Dakota Stephens converted from long range MAGS had outscored their opposition 25-7 in the frame and with a lead of 61-36 assured themselves of victory.

Mitch Lancaster and Donnelly posted points for St Peter’s in the fourth but Morgan Aiono, on his way to a massive double-double, and Mondray Fiatau helped cap off a fine MAGS performance.

MAGS 87 – Tawera 29, Aiono 13/17r, Elia 11, Fiatau 11, Tapula’aia 9

St Peter’s 57 – Donnelly 20, Lancaster 8, Sula 7, Arlove 7, Errey 7

Teams will now take a break during the school holidays with fixtures to resume on July 24th.