18 October
The Lacey Lowdown was able to bring you extensive coverage of the Girls 2022 Auckland Secondary Schools Basketball season thanks to the tremendous support of Northern Kāhu.
It was a season dominated by Westlake Girls High School. The team of the year claimed the treble of the Secondary National Championship, Zone 1 Premierships (Nationals Qualifying Tournament) and the Auckland Premier Grade title – an unbeaten record of 30-0.
Defeating St Andrew’s College, from Christchurch, 99-66 in the Final they became the first Auckland team to win the Girls Championship since Northcote College were victorious in 2006.
Westlake defeated surprise package Whangarei Girls (74-47) in the Zone I Premiership Final and Mt Albert Grammar (87-54) in the Prems Grand Final.
At Nationals in Palmerston North Westlake and MAGS were joined by Epsom Girls Grammar, St Kentigern College and Takapuna Grammar School – all three schools returning to Nationals after significant breaks.
Takapuna Grammar’s achievement was particularly meritorious given they played in the second division (Senior A) of the Auckland competition this year – a competition they won with a 15-1 record.
Mt Albert finished 10th at Nationals, Epsom were 12th, Takapuna 13th and St Kentigern 21st.
All four teams will return the bulk of their squads in 2023 and will be keen to make a return visit to Palmerston North but with next season’s Auckland Prems League shaping to be super competitive places will be hard to come by.
A number of Auckland players have gained international selection during the year most notably Amy Pateman (Westlake Girls HS), Waimanu Clarken (Mt Albert Grammar) and Ritorya Tamilo (Baradene College) who played at the FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup in Hungary in July.
The previous month the trio played at the FIBA Asia Cup where the team finished fourth to claim a World Cup berth.
At the World Cup Tamilo had the distinction of being the leading shot blocker at the 16-team tournament averaging 3.1 per game. The Baradene centre was also New Zealand’s leading rebounder averaging 7.9 boards per game.
Selected for the U18 women’s National team that played at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup in India in September:
Mackenzie Chatfield – Westlake Girls HS
Allyah Leusogi-Ape – Massey HS
Also in the team were 2021 Auckland high school graduates Lilly Parke (Baradene College) and Flo Dallow (Epsom Girls Grammar). Both players are currently on basketball scholarships in the USA.
Selected for next month’s FIBA U15 Oceania Championships in Guam are:
Bailey Flavell – Takapuna Grammar
Emma Schroeder – Westlake Girls HS
Zenthia Stowers – Takapuna Grammar
Kodee Williams-Sefo – St Mary‘s, Ponsonby
LACEY LOWDOWN 