Despite some COVID related cancellations there are still plenty of good Kiwi performances to report on from the first few days of the second half of the 2021-22 Junior College season.
It’s been a great start to 2022 for Ash Strawbridge with a career high 21 points (9/14FG) for College of Southern Idaho in their 67-55 win against Utah State Eastern. Massive numbers for the Kiwis – Ash added 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal while Kyra Paniora had 6 points, 3 assists and a steal.
Ella Bradley was terrific in a losing cause – she filled the stats line with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal for Utah State Eastern with Maclani Michael posting 5 points and 2 rebounds.
CSI then secured a commanding 112-33 win over Community Christian College – Paniora (9 points and 10 assists) and Strawbridge (11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks) again prominent.
Those wins have pushed Southern Idaho up to a season high national ranking of sixth.
Cloud County have garnered two wins since the start of the New Year with Kay-Hauata Phillips and Te Araroa Sopoaga piling up the numbers.
Sopoaga averaged 13.5 points, 7.5rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 blocks while Phillips averaged 9 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks across the two fixtures.
In the 63-58 win against Garden City Olivia Collier-Tuipulotu had 4 points and 2 rebounds.
Keeley Tini has begun 2022 as she finished 2021 – in beast mode!
She secured another double-double as Williston State beat Dakota College at Bottineau 67-61, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Waiaaria Rogers scored a dozen points and added 5 rebounds and a couple of assists as Marshalltown were defeated 79-64 by Iowa Lakes.
Parehuia Delamere posted 7 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists but Western Texas were defeated 66-48 by Odessa.
Tauranga’s Briarley Rogers claimed 6 points (2/2 3PG) in Weatherford’s 94-83 loss to Hill College.
Yzabelle Tevao mustered 4 points and 4 rebounds as McCook defeated Central 71-54. McCook have a real international flavour with players from Spain, Chile, Macedonia and Sweden as well as Yzabelle, the former Massey High standout.
Harata Coleman and Leata Te Nana-Williams both scored in double figures as Central Maine Mustangs crushed Suny Adirondack 74-19. Leata finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and a pair of steals while Harata amassed similar numbers – 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
In Men’s Junior College action Nico Hill had a productive outing as Missouri State-West Plains downed State Fair 89-75. The Taranaki guard finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
It was largely one way traffic as Midland College were thumped 99-54 by Clarendon but it didn’t stop Ollie Haywardalmost claiming a double-double. Ollie finished with 9 points, 9 rebounds and a couple of assists.
South Georgia Tech won a nail biter against South Georgia State with Nate Wilson contributing 9 points, 3 rebounds and a brace of blocks. He followed that with 8 rebounds and 5 points as SGT played out another one-pointer in a 62-61 loss to Southern Crescent Tech.
Kiani Saxon had 6 rebounds and 5 points as Louisiana State Eunice lost 80-68 to Southern Arkansas Tech.
Ezrah Vaigafa has started 2022 in style threatening a triple-double as he plundered 11 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists as Neosho County defeated McPherson 70-64.
LACEY LOWDOWN 