In the penultimate round of the season Rangitoto College wrapped up the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier League regular season title with a 96-80 home win against Westlake Boys on Monday night.
A high scoring opening period saw Rangi establish a 29-21 lead before breaking the game open with a 27-15 second term to lead by 20 at the break.
The Z-attack of Zeke Priest and Zach Riley did most the damage accumulating a collective 57 points.
Riley is in a rich run of form at the moment, his 37 points in this game following on from 30 against Rosmini on Friday.
Boston Caldwell , Rocco Chang and Christian Martin were the leading scorers for Westlake on a night when they were second best.
Rangitoto 96 – Riley 37, Priest 20, L Payne 14, Z Sladoja 9, J Fotu 8
Westlake 80 – Caldwell 23, Martin 16, Chang 16, H Zahran 12, T Pang 6
St Kentigern College broke clear of the three-way tie for second spot with a hard fought 79-76 home win against Auckland Grammar.
If Zach Riley is in great scoring form for Rangitoto the same can be said for St Kentigern guard Kazlo Evans. Playing his final game on his home court the Year 13 guard scored 34 against Grammar after nailing 41 three days earlier against St Peter’s.
With Jamal Todd and Caleb Landon scoring freely Grammar opened up a 16 points lead and were still well placed at half-time with a 44-32 advantage.
That lead evaporated in the third as St Kent’s piled on 25 points – Kaea Rangihaeata scored 6 but it was Evans with 17 in the frame that inflicted most of the damage.
Ahead 57-55 with 10 minutes to play Toby Caldwell, Landon and Todd did their best to wrestle back the initiative for AGS. However, in a tight final period, St Kent’s held firm with George Turner and Merrick Rillstone making some key plays.
St Kent’s will travel to Westlake on Friday knowing a win will keep them in second spot on the Premier ladder.
St Kentigern 79 – Evans 34, Turner 13, Rillstone 11, C Mattison 10, K Rangihaeata 9
AGS 76 – Todd 23, Landon 21, Caldwell 16, W Shortt 9
Rosmini College, with 27 points from Tom Beattie, some high jinx from Matt Drury and first Premier League field goals from Julius Halaifonua saw off Liston College 95-59.
Liston were well served by the guard duo of Rasheed Ieremia (25 points) and Landon Smith (10 points).
Rosmini 95 – Beattie 27, Drury 14, Z Anderson 12, P Maxwell-Topia 11, K Murphy 9
Liston 59 – Ieremia 25, Smith 10, D Lao 8, T Chataira 8
In one of the highest individual scoring efforts in recent times St Peter’s College guard Jack Donnelly scored 51 points in a 97-89 loss to Mt Albert Grammar.
A balanced scoring effort led by Aki Luamanuvae-Sua and Morgan Aiono had MAGS ahead 58-46 at half-time. However Donnelly was relentless, his 18 third quarter points narrowed the deficit to 74-68 at the three-quarter mark.
It was end-to-end in the fourth but 6 points each from Will Leger and Phoenix Sorensen got MAGS home.
St Peter’s face Liston in the relegation game on Friday – having won the round 7 clash 102-64 they do have that +38 points differential to fall back on should they lose.
MAGS 97 – Morgan Aiono 22, A Luamanuvae-Sua 17, H Coker-Grey 16, W Leger 12, P Sorensen 11 D Matakatea 9
St Peter’s 89 – Donnelly 51, A Manio 10, S Errey 9, T Cox 6
Boys Premier League Standings with one regular season game remaining.
12-1 Rangitoto
10-3 St Kentigern
9-4 Westlake, AGS
7-6 Rosmini
4-9 MAGS
1-12 St Peter’s
0-13 Liston
LACEY LOWDOWN 