Thirteen steals in one game would be quite an accomplishment for any team but thirteen by a single player could be something of a Queensland State League (QSL) record.
Kalani Purcell posted 21 points, 6 assists and that remarkable number of steals as Southern District Spartans defeated Sunshine Coast Phoenix 107-63 on Saturday.
Sister Natalie Taylor scored all her 15 points (5/8 3PG) from beyond the arc as the Spartans maintain second place on the QSL ladder with an 8-1 record.
Top of the pile are Chevannah Paalvast and Logan Thunder who have won nine games on the bounce.
Paalvast scored 9 points in Thunder’s 97-50 win at USC Rip City and 12 points as the Thunder rolled over Toowoomba 107-29.
It was a mixed weekend for RedCity Roar who beat South West Metro Pirates 60-38 but then went down in a heap against Brisbane Capitals losing 96-55.
Ashleigh Karaitiana filled the stats line against the Pirates amassing 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
The game against the Capitals was a contest to decide outright third place on the QSL League table. Karaitiana came up with 9 points and 6 rebounds but it was a disappointing performance from the Roar who now have a 6-3 record.
Tom Vodanovich continued on from where he left off in the Sal’s NBL scoring 25 points on debut for Telstar Hesperange in the Luxembourg League.
The NBL’s Most Valuable Player shot 45% from beyond the three-point arc during the 2020 NBL season. He again demonstrated his improved shooting capability by making 5 from 8 from beyond the arc at the weekend as well as totalling 8 rebounds.
Unfortunately Vodanovich was the only Telstar player in double figures as they were smashed 102-56 at Racing Luxembourg.
Isaac Fotu played 15 minutes for Venezia as they opened their Italian League campaign with a solid 75-67 win against Brindisi.
Nearer home Mika Vukona produced 9 points and 7 rebounds as Southern District Spartans accounted for Sunshine Coast Phoenix 94-79.
Fellow Tall Black Tyrell Harrison produced 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals as the Spartans remain second on the Queensland State League ladder with a 7-2 record.
Ashleigh Karaitiana continued her good scoring form in the Queensland State League (QSL) amassing 40 points as RedCity Roar thumped bottom of the table Toowoomba Mountaineers 113-49. The Tall Fern also added 15 rebounds for good measure and now sits second on the QSL rebounding list averaging 12.3 boards per game and is third on the scoring list averaging 24.3 points per game.
2019 Auckland Dream guard Kayla Kiriau scored 9 points and former Canterbury Wildcat Aijah-Liric Siosiua-Pepe tallied 13 points and 8 assists as the Roar improved to 5-2 for the season.
Toowoomba were on the receiving end of a second heavy defeat of the weekend when beaten 109-39 at Southern District Spartans.
The 7-1 Spartans were well served by Natalie Taylor who top scored with 23 points (8/12FG) and Kalani Purcell who filled the stats line with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals.
The Spartans travel to RedCity next Saturday, a game that will have a major bearing on top-four standings, and involve a bunch of Kiwis.
Still unbeaten, with a 7-0 record, are Logan Thunder after an 88-42 obliteration of North Gold Coast Seahawks. Chev Paalvast had a tidy 8 points and 9 rebounds for the top of the table Thunder.
In the Men’s QSL Tall Black Tyrell Harrison helped Southern District Spartans to a convincing 127-74 win against Toowoomba adding 6 rebounds to 16 points.
This story was originally posted on the Basketball New Zealand website.
Sean Murphy is the latest Kiwi to accept a basketball scholarship in the USA.
The 18-year old Rosmini College and North Harbour representative will be attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) to play under Head Coach Kevin Lofton.
After talking at length with Coach Lofton Murphy developed a rapport with the long time UNK mentor.
“I really liked him a lot from the first time we spoke. Coach has been with UNK for 25 years and the past five as Head Coach, so I felt he had a pretty good apprenticeship with the University and he must be doing a lot right and have a true passion and respect for the school and his players. We talk a lot and I felt the fit was good for me and my goals.
“The second thing is playing in a high level Division II Conference. When Coach told me it was ‘dog eat dog’ out there every game, I knew this would be a great challenge for me to expand on my skillset and help me develop even further.
“The third thing is the actual University. Nebraska at Kearney is a very respected academic school in the Mid-West and the major that I am leaning towards ranks very highly at UNK from right across America. So, with a great academic programme also on tap for me this made the decision easier also.”
The UNK basketball team are known as ‘The Lopers’ and are an NCAA Division II university
and play in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Naturally, Murphy is looking forward to linking up with the Lopers.
“I’m looking forward to meeting my new coaches and team-mates and finally get down to training and playing the game I love in the States. It will be fun to feel the energy and vibe of a great university and meet new people.”
Murphy has played four years on the Rosmini Premier team during a period of unprecedented success at the college.
He began the 2020 season in good form as Rosmini were attempting to contest a fourth consecutive Secondary Schools National Grand Final. The 198cm swingman scored 39 points against Rangitoto College and was averaging 26 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists per game over the first five games before COVID-19 restrictions brought a premature end to the Auckland Premier Basketball season.
Murphy had played in the previous three finals, collecting a winners medal in 2017 and 2018.
“Sean has been an integral part of our success at Rosmini over the past four years rising up from the Juniors into playing a pivotal role for our Senior Premiers over recent seasons.
“His opportunity in the States is a reward for the tremendous amount of work and dedication he has put into his own game,” said Rosmini Coach Matt Lacey.
Those successes certainly rank highly when Murphy assesses his career highlights to date.
“I have been blessed to be a part of a great basketball programme at Rosmini College. Great coaches and amazing teammates over the years so I would probably say winning two High School National Championships made me very proud and very happy, plus the opportunity to play for my country and making the Junior Tall Blacks.”
Murphy admits there have been countless good moments when he recalls his playing career at Rosmini.
“There are many and I will so miss it. Apart from the winning of Nationals and Junior Prems our trip to Greece for the World High School Championships last year was also memorable.”
As mentioned Murphy was named to the 2020 Junior Tall Blacks who were scheduled to play at a Four Nations International Tournament in China and the Albert Schweitzer International Tournament in Germany but unfortunately both events were cancelled.
When announcing the team Junior Tall Blacks Head Coach Aaron Fearne described Murphy as a wing with great international size.
“He’s very good at stretching the floor and knocking down the three ball. He understands our system well and can guard multiple positions,” added Fearne.
Having played for New Zealand at the 2019 FIBA Oceania Championships in New Caledonia in 2019 averaging 10 points and 3 rebounds per game Murphy would relish the opportunity wear the black singlet again in the future – hopefully one day for the Tall Blacks.
“That would be another dream come true, so I will never give up on that ambition and will continue to work harder to make it!”
Murphy is grateful to all who have contributed to his basketball journey and had a major impact on him as a player and a person.
“There have been many people that have helped me so much from the time I started to play basketball just over 10 years ago now. Like I said I am blessed to have had great coaching over the years from day one. But the most influential I would probably say would be my parents (Tracy and Rob), they have always believed in me, lifted me up when I have been down, told me how it is when I have had bad games and supported me whole heartly in my basketball journey.
The other person who believed in me the most is my mentor the late Fata Letoa, whom I hold the upmost respect for.
“Finally I just want to say thanks to BBNZ, Rosmini College, North Harbour Basketball, my team-mates over the years and all the people that have supported my journey to help me achieve where I am today.
“Also a big shout out and thanks to Chris at Lead Scholarship’s NZ who put my profile forward to the coaches at UNK. I appreciate it all.”
Murphy believes the best advice ever given to him is, “Never ever give up even when everything appears down on you, believe in yourself and keep going, plus ‘work harder’.
“I think those two things you need to live your life by always, that way you will succeed. Stay focused on your own journey.
That journey will commence at the beginning of the Fall Semester in August 2021 when Murphy will head to UNK.
Murphy is the sixth Rosmini College student to secure a basketball scholarship in the States in the last three years.
William Heather was a member of the 2017 national championship winning team and subsequently was offered a scholarship at Dallas Baptist University to play NCAA Division II basketball.
Kruz Perrott-Hunt was a national championship winner in both 2017 and 2018 and is in his second year at South Dakota University is majoring in psychology.
Recently departed to the Sates are freshmen Marvin Williams-Dunn and Reihana Maxwell-Topia.
Reihana is at the University of St Francis in Chicago whilst Marvin has travelled to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to begin study at Ouachita Baptist University.
Last week Taine Murray committed to the University of Virginia and like Sean will head to the States in 2021.
Brayden Inger scored 24 points (10/17FG) but couldn’t prevent Geraldton Buccaneers going down 77-71 to Willetton Tigers in the West Coast Classic State League.
A multiple championship winner with Rangitoto College and North Harbour age-group teams Inger is in his second season with Geraldton having helped the Buccaneers win the State League title in 2019.
Averaging 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game Inger admits he is playing a different role to his high school days.
“It’s been a strange season as I have had to pick up point guard duties which is a lot different to where and how I played during my high school career. It’s definitely opened up a few more opportunities.”
Over on the Australian East Coast Mika Vukona played just 10 minutes as Southern District Spartans slipped to 5-2 in the Queensland State League (QSL) after going down 80-70 to Ipswich Force.
Vukona finished with 3 points and 7 rebounds whilst fellow Tall Black Tyrell Harrison had 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.
The Tall Ferns representatives playing in the QSL all enjoyed success as there are a trio of road wins to report.
Chevannah Paalvast and Logan Thunder are riding high at the top of the QSL ladder as they made it six straight wins in an unbeaten start to the season. Their most recent victory was a comprehensive 98-59 mauling of Brisbane Capitals. Paalvast finished with 11 points and 5 rebounds.
The Southern District Spartans are hot on the heels of the Thunder. Boasting a 6-1 record they grabbed a 102-78 win at Ipswich Force. Supplying the force for the Spartans were Kalani Purcell who scored a season high 28 points (12/21FG) with Natalie Taylor (23 points) also in good scoring form.
Ashleigh Karaitiana (21 points) top scored for RedCity Roar in their 79-63 win at Sunshine Coast Phoenix. The Roar also had good contributions from Karlene Kingi and Kayla Kiriau. The ‘Double K’s’ scored 9 points apiece with Kingi also grabbing 9 boards.
Mika Vukona made his Queensland Basketball League (QBL) debut on Saturday helping Southern District Spartans to an 86-60 road win at Northside Wizards.
Vukona hadn’t played since his NBL season with the Nelson Giants concluded in late July but he managed 26 minutes for the Spartans contributing 8p/10r/3a/4s.
Fellow Tall Black Tyrell Harrison produced 8 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks for the 5-1 Spartans that now sit second on the QBL ladder.
The Southern Districts Spartans women’s team were also in action at Northside Wizards and they were able to produce a similar score line to the men winning 89-66.
Natalie Taylor had 19 points and 8 rebounds for the Spartans. Last week the Tall Ferns guard was within an assist of a triple double – against the Wizards it was sister Kalani Purcell that threatened the triple as she finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists.
Like the men the Spartans women have a 5 wins, 1 loss record.
Ashleigh Karaitiana took her run of double-doubles to five with 25 points and 16 rebounds as RedCity Roar disposed of USC Rip City 90-79. Karaitiana had a monster 12 offensive rebounds in that tally of 16 boards. Former Tall Fern Karlene Kingi helped the Roar with 6 points and 4 rebounds.
Logan Thunder remain top of the QBL ladder with a 5-0 record after another huge win. Last week they won by 38 and 50 but on Saturday claimed an even bigger victory pulverizing the Sunshine Coast Phoenix 84-28.
Chevannah Paalvast, again in good form, added 8 rebounds to 15 points (7/11FG) for the Thunder.
In the latest action from the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) RedCity Roar did anything but roar against the in-form Southern District Spartans whilst Logan Thunder roll on unbeaten.
The Roar versus Spartans clash featured a posse of Kiwis although it was the Purcell sisters Kalani and Natalie Taylor that were smiling at the finish with the Spartans smashing the Roar 94-63.
Taylor was within an assist of a triple double as she finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 9 dimes whilst Kalani was equally prolific with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
Ashleigh Karaitiana took her run of double-doubles to four with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Roar and fellow Kiwis Kayla Kiriau (8 points and 12 rebounds), Ajiah Siosiua-Pepe (9 points) and Karlene Kingi (4 points) were also contributors but the Roar were well beaten on the night and slip to a 2-2 record.
The Spartans are 4-1 after making it two-from-two last weekend with a 77-63 road win at North Gold Coast Seahawks.
Once again Kalani Purcell was prominent with 14 points and 9 boards.
Logan Thunder remain top of the QBL ladder with a 4-0 record after two massive wins at the weekend. On Saturday they demolished Ipswich Force 94-56 and were even more convincing on Sunday thumping South West Metro Pirates 89-39.
Chevannah Paalvast scored just the 2 points against the Pirates but a healthy 14 points against the Force.
Tall Black Tyrell Harrison added 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks to 15 points but the Southern District Spartans couldn’t handle RedCity Roar going down 123-109 in the Men’s QBL.
LACEY LOWDOWN 