In Round 10 action in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier League the Rangitoto College winning start to the season has ended at nine after they were beaten 80-54 at Auckland Grammar.
Yes that’s the correct score line – a 26-point whacking!
Yes Rangitoto were without Zach Riley away on Auckland Huskies duty, yes they had a poor shooting night and yes they had an uncharacteristic high number of turnovers but Auckland Grammar were impressive.
They dominated the boards (Will Shortt and Caleb Landon were outstanding in that department), shot the three-ball at a good clip and out-worked the opposition – on this form they are a genuine title contender.
Ethan Skelton scored 8 points in the opening spell but Jamal Todd and Landon had half a dozen apiece as AGS forged a 30-16 lead.
Josh Muggleston’s 7 points in an attritional second quarter represented over a third of the points scored in the frame – AGS ahead 42-24 at the main break.
Kaia Dryden, Mike Ropotini and Lucas Payne led a Rangi mini revival in the third but that was stopped in it’s track by Todd, Muggleston and Cody Brown as they knocked down four straight threes to propel Grammar to a 59-38 three-quarter time lead.
Jacob Fotu scored consecutive interior baskets early in the fourth but Landon’s 10 points in the stanza capped a fine individual effort.
Liam Ward entered the court, in the closing minutes, to the delight of the home support and the rangy forward drew the biggest cheer of the night as his deft finish capped a comprehensive victory.
AGS 80 – Muggleston 18, Landon 16, Brown 12, Todd 10
Rangitoto 54 – Skelton 15, Payne 11, Priest 9, Fotu 7
Mount Albert Grammar posted 28 points in the opening period and with Liston College replying with just four the contest was almost settled after ten minutes.
It certainly was by half-time with the scoreline 51-15 in favour of the visitors.
Taonaishe Chataira and Rasheed Tahiru scored a dozen points apiece for Liston but Louis Uri and Victor Keil led the MAGS charge to their third win of the season.
Liston 36 – Chataira 12, Tahiru 12, Dhon Lao 4
MAGS 87 – Louis Uri 17, Victor Keil 17, Aki Luamanuvae-Su’a 14, Morgan Aiono 13
Despite a combined 52 points from Jack Donnelly and Scott Errey St Peter’s College were no match for Westlake Boys going down 112-65 on the Shore.
Christian Martin and Malachi Book were quickly into their work as Westlake raced to a 32-19 first quarter lead.
Daniel Ottenhoff knocked down a three in the shadows of half-time to extend the hosts advantage to 54-30.
Donnelly and Errey continued to clock up the points but Westlake, with Boston Caldwell, Martin and Hamza Zahran particularly prominent, had all the answers.
Westlake 112 – Martin 23, Caldwell 22, Hamza Zahran 16, Ottenhoff 10, Book 10
St Peter’s 65 – Donnelly 30, Scott Errey 22
Premier League Standings
- Rangitoto
7-2 St Kentigern
7-3 Westlake, AGS
5-4 Rosmini
3-7 MAGS
1-9 St Peter’s
0-10 Liston
With coaching staff from both teams (plus Dontae Russo-Nance) away on Auckland Huskies duty the St Kentigern College versus Rosmini College tie will be played on Monday July 5.
LACEY LOWDOWN 