Auckland Grammar School recorded a 79-65 come from behind victory against Rangitoto College on Sunday.
In the make-up game from Round 10 it was Rangitoto that made the early running – 8 points each from Michael Ropotini and Jacob Fotu carving out a 21-16 lead.
The second quarter was something of a grind – just 12 points scored by each team.
It was all AGS in the third quarter as they turned a 5 points deficit into a 7 point lead.
Josh Muggleston nailed a couple of threes as he scored 10 points in the period and with Josh Howes also connecting from beyond the arc it was Grammar in the ascendancy.
The fourth period was the highest scoring quarter of the game.
Joel Brown and Arnold Nam made scoring incursions for Rangitoto but it was Cody Brown, Howes and Muggleston that ensured it would be a Grammar victory ahead of their semi-final against Westlake Boys.
Rangitoto finished with the same 7-7 record as St Kentigern and Mt Albert Grammar but claim the fourth semi-final spot with a better head-to-head record amongst the three teams.
AGS 79 – Josh Muggleston 20, Ryan Hunt 16, Josh Howes 15, Cody Brown 12
Rangitoto 65 – Michael Ropotini 17, Tautoko Wynyard 14, Joel Brown 13, Jacob Fotu 11
Final Standings
12-2 Rosmini
11-3 Westlake
10-4 AGS
7-7 Rangitoto
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7-7 St Kentigern, MAGS
2-12 Sacred Heart
0-14 Liston
The semi-finals will be played at Eventfinda Stadium on Friday August 19.
The final regular season round of games played on Friday saw Boys Premier League wins for Westlake Boys, Rangitoto College, Mt Albert Grammar and Auckland Grammar.
In the most critical game Rangitoto College defeated Liston College and in so doing collected a seventh win of the season and with it a semi-final berth.
Rangi have a rearranged game against Auckland Grammar to play on Sunday however, with seven wins and the head to head advantage over St Kentigern and Mt Albert (both with seven wins also), the result would appear to be immaterial in terms of the semi-final lineups.
Rosmini will play Rangitoto in one semi-final with Westlake and AGS meeting in the other.
Against Liston College, Rangitoto had six players in double figures as they won every quarter to cruise to a 95-43 home win.
It’s been a tough campaign for Liston but the players deserve credit for playing with commitment and pride throughout the season.
Rangitoto 95 – Jacob Fotu 19, Arnold Nam 13, Tautoko Wynyard 12, Baxter Riley 12, Kaia Kemp 11, Joel Brown 11, Michael Ropotini 9
Liston 43 – Rasheed Ieremia 14, Sebastian Alan 7, Manuel Tuaere 7
In the clash between the top two sides it was Westlake Boys that came out on top registering an 85-74 away win at neighbours Rosmini College.
Malachi Book scored a season high 20 points for Westlake as they got off to a flyer establishing a 21-13 advantage.
Tom Beattie scored 10 second quarter points on his way to a game high 31 points – the period shared 18 points apiece.
The third was just as close – Book and Hamza Zahran countering the scoring of Beattie and Julius Halaifonua – the Lake lead ten points at three-quarter time.
A triple from Charlie Dalton and points from Jameer Reed were encouraging for the home supporters but Daniel Ottenhoff, Rocco Chang and Ned Shearer ensured the Westlake advantage wasn’t squandered.
Rosmini 74 – Beattie 31, Charlie Dalton 15, Julius Halaifonua 10, Jameer Reed 10,
Westlake 85 – Malachi Book 20, Zahran 20, Daniel Ottenhoff 18, Chang 15, Ned Shearer 9
Nine points from Denvor Elia helped propel Mt Albert Grammar to a big 22-7 quarter time lead against Sacred Heart College.
Matt Fautuaalii and Josh Stewart improved the situation for Sacred Heart in the second but they still trailed 35-21 at half-time.
A high scoring third period was edged 25-24 by MAGS – a couple of threes from Kade Cartwright, plus contributions from Will Leger and Lois Uri ensured the hosts remained ahead at three-quarter time.
Heart kept plugging away in the final period – Jerome Jakeman, with three triples, and Stewart combined for 19 points but MAGS had a large enough buffer to close out the victory.
MAGS 75 – Will Leger 15/17rebs, Louis Uri 15, Ethan Lay 14, Kade Cartwright 12, Denvor Elia 11
Sacred Heart 64 – Josh Stewart 21, Jerome Jakeman 12, Adam Davies 10, Matt Fautuaalii 8
Auckland Grammar eased to a comfortable 95-69 home win against Saint Kentigern College on the back of 32 points from Josh Mugglestone. He had 7 points in the opening quarter, as did Kalid Petzer, the lead 29-19 at quarter time.
Without Dontae Russo-Nance, Merrick Rillstone was carrying a heavy scoring load – recently named to the NZ U15 team he was up to 15 points by half-time although the Grammar lead had grown to 48-35.
St Kent’s guards George Turner and Cooper Lepou – also named to the national U15 team – made points in the third. However Mugglestone, Cody Brown and Theo Brothers were instrumental in increasing the AGS lead – the advantage 17 points at the three-quarter mark (69-52) and 26 by full time.
AGS 95 – Josh Mugglestone 32, Cody Brown 14, Kalid Petzer 11, Theo Brothers 10, Jackson Kiss 8
St Kentigern 69 – Merrick Rillstone 24, George Turner 13, Hunter Te Ratana 11, Cooper Lepou 8
LACEY LOWDOWN 