The 9th Round wrap of the Auckland Schools Girls Premier Grade games, brought to you by Northern Kāhu, saw wins for Baradene College, Saint Kentigern College and Epsom Girls Grammar.
There may have been a late switch of venue, and players absent, but the two teams still put on a thriller – Epsom Girls Grammar getting up 61-60 over Mt Albert Grammar.
MAGS were quickest out the blocks thanks to three triples from Danae Tait – ahead 19-13 at quarter time.
Both Draun Forbes and Leah Patuwairua drained triples in the second quarter although 8 points in the period from April Liu kept MAGS ahead at the break (33-31).
Epsom gained a slight ascendancy in the third frame as Talia Vea and Kiki Reti added to the good work of Forbes and Leah Patuwairua – the visitors 49-46 ahead at three-quarter time.
Tiger-Lily Cocker-Lemalie made shots to reduce the arrears, Liu continued her points haul and Tait dropped her fourth three as MAGS searched for the win. However Forbes and Patuwairua, along with Andrea Ape-Paia, did just enough to claim the win in the tightest of finishes.
The victory does Epsom’s top-4 chances no harm at all.
MAGS 60 – Liu 29, Tait 14, Cocker-Lemalie 11
Epsom 61 – Patuwairua 27, Forbes 22 (6 x 3-pointers), Vea 4
Nine first quarter points from Sharmaine Tapling, on her way to what I think was a career best 31, propelled Saint Kentigern College to a 20-13 first quarter lead against Carmel College.
Opposing captain Jemma Cammell led from the front – her 14 first half points meant Carmel were well in contention at the interval trailing 39-32.
St Kent’s regained the initiative in the third with 22 points as Tapling, Ashleigh Tuumaialu and Anamia Rangihaeata went to work at the offensive end.
Spirited resistance from Cammell, Zahara Tibbotts and Annie Gaylard saw Carmel win the final quarter but it wasn’t enough to claw back the earlier deficit.
St Kent’s 77 – Tapling 31, Tuumaialu 24, Maia Mealamu 8, Rangihaeata 6
Carmel 66 – Cammell 28, Zahara Tibbotts 12, Annie Gaylard 10, Ruby Railton 6, Imogen O’Rourke 6
Mela Andrews knocked down an early three for Rangitoto College but it was visitors Baradene College that took the early lead – Summer Faleafa and Deyna Topia sharing 17 of the 23 in the opening period as the visitors gained an 8-point buffer.
Harriet Burrell was dominating the boards, particularly at the offensive end, and she moved efficiently into double figures (both points and rebounds) as Baradene increased their advantage in the third to lead 57-29.
Tamsin McAsey scored a couple of baskets for Rangi in the second but they faced an uphill battle at half-time trailing 34-21.
Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs joined the Baradene scoring spree in the third before Zaara Sain became Rangi’s leading scorer in the final quarter – Baradene going on to claim a comfortable road win.
Rangitoto 41 – Zaara Sain 10, McAsey 7, Andrews 6
Baradene 72 – Faleafa 20, Topia 18, Burrell 18, Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs 9
The Mt Albert Grammar v Rangitoto College and Westlake v St Mary’s fixtures will be played at a later date.
Congratulations to New Zealand U17 team members Waimanu Clarken (Mt Albert Grammar), Amy Pateman (Westlake) and Ritorya Tamilo (Baradene) who helped NZ to a fourth place finish at the FIBA Asia Cup in Jordan last week.
The team will now prepare for the U17 Women’s FIBA World Cup to be played in Hungary, July 9-17.
Current Standings:
8-0 Westlake
8-1 Baradene
5-3 MAGS
5-4 St Kentigern, Epsom
2-6 St Mary’s
1-7 Rangitoto
0-9 Carmel
The Mt Albert Grammar v Rangitoto College fixture will be played at a later date.
LACEY LOWDOWN 