St Kentigern College Boys and Epsom Girl’s Grammar both gained important victories in Auckland Secondary School’s Premier League re-arranged games on Monday night.
St Kentigern College (8-2) remain hot on the heels of league leaders Rangitoto College (9-1) after a comfortable 96-81 home win against Rosmini College.
The hosts led 10-9 after 5 minutes but transition baskets from Kaea Rangihaeta and a three from Dontae Russo-Nance had helped stretch the lead to 28-15 five minutes later.
A Kane Murphy triple was a brief highlight in the second period for Rosmini as they found baskets hard to come by.
St Kent’s were having no such trouble as Kazlo Evans, Rangihaeta and Russo-Nance picked holes in the Rosmini defence – St Kent’s ahead 52-30 at the main break.
Rosmini retired to the changing room for a half time “chat” and started the third with renewed vigour as Tom Beattie, on his way to a game high 37 points, and Lucas Schnuriger helped get the deficit into the teens.
Evans countered for St Kent scoring the last five points of the frame to again push the lead out beyond twenty (72-51).
Rosmini gained some joy with full court pressure enabling Pita Maxwell and Beattie to access easy points but George Turner had the last say – a trio of threes from the rangy guard capped off a fine St Kent’s win ahead of a mouth watering clash with Rangitoto College on Friday.
St Kentigern 96 – Evans 26, Russo-Nance 21, Turner 19, Rangihaeta 14, Caleb Mattison 8, Ryan Morrisey 8
Rosmini 81 – Beattie 37, Murphy 12, Maxwell-Topia 12, Schnuriger 9, Matt Drury 8
Boys Premier League Standings
9-1 Rangitoto
8-2 St Kentigern
7-3 Westlake, AGS
5-5 Rosmini
3-7 MAGS
1-9 St Peter’s
0-10 Liston
Epsom Girls took a step closer to a semi-final berth after a hard fought 78-67 win at Massey High School on Monday.
Massey enjoyed the better of the opening exchange dropping 21 first quarter points as Maya Taingahue and Allyah Leusogi-Ape cut lose.
Facing a 4-point deficit Epsom got going in the second with Flo Dallow and Sarah Joy Aruwa moving through the gears – the visitors ahead by two at half-time (37-35).
The third quarter proved decisive as Massey were held to just 9 points while 8 apiece from Dallow and Aruwa meant Epsom held a 57-44 lead with ten minutes to play.
Zhoey Tilby-Woods and Taingahue re-started the Massey scoring machine in the fourth but triples from Maya Fowler, Draun Forbes and Dallow put the seal on an Epsom victory.
Perhaps the highlight of the game came in the final second as Leusogi-Ape scored from just beyond half-way!
The two teams meet again on Friday in a Round 11 clash with Epsom the hosts.
Massey 67 – Taingahue 25, Leusogi-Ape 19, Tilby-Woods 16, Tahlya Waikiki 4
Epsom 78 – Dallow 35, Aruwa 31, Fowler 7, Forbes 5
Girls Premier League Standings
10-0 Westlake
9-1 Baradene
7-3 St Mary’s
6-4 Epsom
3-7 MAGS, Rangitoto
1-9 Massey, Carmel
LACEY LOWDOWN 