LACEY LOWDOWN

Levick Kerr in action earlier in the season

Rangitoto College remain the only unbeaten team in the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Division after a convincing 106-63 win against Liston College. Other winners were Auckland Grammar, Rosmini  College and St Kentigern College.

Mt Albert Grammar School were left to rue a slow start at St Kentigern College. St Kent’s piled on 24 points in the opening ten minutes courtesy of 10 points from Levick Kerr and half a dozen from Dontae Nance. In response MAGS could make just 11 points.

The remaining three-quarters were remarkably close with just a single point separating the two teams over the final 30 minutes.

The second quarter was a low scoring grind with just 21 points scored in total allowing St Kent’s to carry a 35-21 lead into the interval.

Nance and Kazlo Evans carried the scoring load in the third for St Kent’s – Kuresu Tapula’aia and Sataan Tawera doing likewise for MAGS. St Kent’s were ahead by the same margin (52-38) after the two teams slit 34 points in the stanza.

The highest scoring quarter of the game ensued. Kerr, Evans and Kaea Rangiehaeata (8 points in the quarter) kept the score moving for the hosts. Tawera and Dakota Stephens knocked down threes and Morgan Aiono chipped in with handy points but MAGS couldn’t reel in the early lead they had given up and went down 73-61.

St Kentigern 73 – Evans 21, Kerr 16, Nance 11, Rangiehaeata 10

MAGS 61 – Tapula’aia 16, Tawera 14, Aiono 14, Sorensen 9

Auckland Grammar came away with the spoils after their trip to Westlake Boys but the outcome of the contest wasn’t decided until the closing minutes.

At the three-quarter mark Westlake trailed 60-53 but AGS held sway in the fourth with their relentless rebounding earning them some valuable additional possessions.

Connor Ngan and Stefan Bigio gave Grammar the perfect start to the final period with a couple of threes before Josh Kooiman produced his sixth three of the game to keep Lake in touch.

An athletic finish by Luka Vea followed by a put back from Blake Manning gave AGS a 73-61 lead with five minutes to play. More points from Vea helped Grammar on an 11-0 run that effectively decided the contest.

Reuben Natusch ended the Grammar surge but Lake found themselves 79-61 behind with three minutes to play. Liam Spencer and Kooiman added to their tallies but there was no way back for the hosts.

Earlier it was Westlake that bossed proceedings winning the opening frame 22-15 on the back of Kooiman draining three from deep.

Jett Thompson, in front of his Otago Nuggets NBL teammates, enjoyed a productive second quarter but Caleb Landon and Vea shared 15 points to propel Grammar to a 40-38 half-time lead.

Grammar built on their lead after the interval – Toby Caldwell and Ngan prominent as they carried a 60-53 advantage into the final ten minutes.

You couldn’t fault the Westlake effort in the closing minutes but Grammar were in no mood to relinquish their lead and improve their record to 3-1 ahead of the local derby against MAGS next Friday.

Westlake 71 – Kooiman 25, Spencer 16, Thompson 12,

AGS 84 – Vea 20, Ngan 19, Landon 12, Bigio 9

It wasn’t the most convincing of performances from Rosmini College but they eventually proved too good for St Peter’s College winning 84-50.

Jack Donnelly scored a game high 28 points for St Peter’s, the energetic guard knocking down a couple of threes in the opening quarter. Forward Dorian Sula also scored half a dozen points in that initial period but Charlie Dalton bettered both with 11 points as Rosmini forged a 27-17 lead.

Sam Wooley made a couple of baskets at the outset of the second frame to the delight of the visiting fans but Cian Emery was in good touch – three consecutive triples from him  propelled Rosmini to a 45-30 half-time lead.

Sula and Donnelly were the only scorers for St Peter’s in the third as they fell further behind – Tom Beattie, Kane and Sean Murphy doing most the damage in a period won 18-11 by the home side.

Matt Drury rattled up some quick points early in the fourth, Scott Errey replied with a couple before Cyrus Grafil rounded out the scoring for Rosmini.

Rosmini 84 – S Murphy 20, Dalton 14, Emery 14, Drury 13, Beattie 9

St Peter’s 50 – Donnelly 28, Sula 12

Rangitoto College dominated Liston College to record a 106-63 win. Zach Riley scored 23 points whilst David Jovanovic (21 points), Daniel Powell (15 points), Zeke Priest (13 points) and Lucas Payne (11 points) weighed in with double figure offerings for Rangitoto.

A big first half from Rangi decided the contest as they raced to a 28-14 lead at the quarter break and a massive 64-30 advantage by the interval.

Troy Lee Baker was outstanding in a losing cause scoring a game high 24 points whilst  Sefa Prasad (17 points), Desmond Helu (9 points) and James Hickey (6 points)  were the other main contributors for Liston.

Premier Table after 4 Rounds

4-0 Rangitoto

3-1 AGS, Rosmini, St Kentigern

1-3 MAGS, Liston, Westlake

0-4 St Peter’s