It was a weekend of records in NCAA Division I basketball with Amiee Book, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Kruz Perrott-Hunt and the two Mac’s – Callum McRae and McKenna Dale – setting new marks.
We documented Callum McRae’s journey to 100 NCAA Division I appearances a couple of days ago – if you missed it take a read:
Amiee Book achieved the 100 game milestone last month before at the weekend scoring a career high 31 points. She made 8 from 14 threes and 11 from 17 shots overall but couldn’t prevent Fresno State Bulldogs being pipped 62-60 by Portland State.
Book followed up with 12 points as Fresno State lost a one possession game for the second time in three days and the fourth time overall this season – they lost 62-61 to Sacramento State.
Also coming up with a career high points scoring effort was Kruz Perrott-Hunt. The South Dakota senior was mightily impressive in the Coyotes exciting 68-67 defeat of BYU. He finished with a game high 26 points making 4 from 5 threes and all 8 of his free-throw attempts.
Charlisse Leger-Walker made a career high equalling 6 threes, from 12 attempts, as Washington State beat Montana 77-57. The Tall Ferns guard finished with 24 points, 6 assists, a pair of rebounds and a steal.
McKenna Dale was in dominant form as Virginia thrashed UNC Wilmington 78-36. Dale finished with a season high 22 points (4/9 3PG) to accompany 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals for the unbeaten (10-0) Cavaliers. It was also her highest single game score for Virginia since transferring from Brown University prior to the 2021-22 season.
Tara Manumaleuga scored a season best 13 points as Texas Christian defeated George Washington 68-56 and improve their record to an even 4-4. Manumaleuga came up with a career high 4 steals in the contest.
Helen Matthews posted her fourth double figure points haul of the season as Wofford defeated Emory & Henry 76.54. The Kaiapoi native totalled 11 points (5/8FG), 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals as Wofford improved to 7-2.
Another Cantabrian Ashlee Strawbridge scored 7 points in New Mexico State’s 57-52 defeat of San Diego. She followed that with 5 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds although New Mexico State came up short against Idaho losing 68-62.
St Mary’s recovered from a nine-point fourth quarter deficit to beat UC Davis 58-53. Tayla Dalton scored 6 points, Amy West 5 points and Jade Kirisome 2 points in the win.
Southern Methodist Ella Brow had an even 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists as Southern Methodist accounted for Gardner Webb 84-71.
Grace Hunter, returned to the Cal State Bakersfield line-up after injury. The Wellingtonian guard scored 5 points and although she fouled out in the overtime period Bakersfield hung on to win a nail biter against Omaha 69-68.
Back to men’s fixtures and Sam Mennenga was within a rebound of a double-double finishing with 20 points (9/16FG), 9 boards and 3 assists as Davidson were pipped 69-67 by Delaware. Mennenga has 150 points this season at a lofty 16.7ppg.
Also beaten narrowly were Colorado State going down 88-83 against Northern Colorado. James Moors posted 14 points and 3 rebounds in the defeat.
Tafara Gapare scored 8 points, making 3 from 3 triples in the process, as Massachusetts squeezed past Harvard 71-68.
The Sky Sport Breakers split their two-game Round 9 fixtures comprehensively beating South East Melbourne Phoenix 110-84 at Christchurch Arena on Thursday but coming unstuck at Spark Arena on Saturday evening going down 92-84 to Perth Wildcats.
The story of the Perth encounter was the display of a former Breaker. Corey Webster demonstrated that on his day he is one of the premier shot makers in the NBL. The three-time championship winner scored a team high 26 points on 10 from 17(59%) shooting.
Webster poured in 16 third quarter points to put his team in the ascendancy then scored Perth’s last 4 points to seal the win. The fist pump at the final buzzer indicated the satisfaction the performance, and result, gave the shooting guard who played 236 gamesin a 10-year career for the Breakers.
The Breakers leading scorer this season, Barry Brown Jr, went one better than Webster tallying 27 points – his ninth 20+ score in 12 innings – but it was a night when Perth and C-Web took the honours.
On their way to two consecutive tons the Sky Sport Breakers posted 37 first quarter points against South East Melbourne Phoenix in Christchurch – the highest opening ten minute points haul the club have mounted in the 40 minute era which dates back to 2009.
It was also the first time consecutive 100+ scores have been posted since January 2019 when the Queensland clubs Cairns and Brisbane were walloped.
Here are the numbers:
Beat South East Melbourne Phenix 110-84 at Christchurch Arena on Thursday
Dan Fotu scored his first Breakers points. He scored 5 points in his sixth game of the season and seventh overall – he played once as a Development Player back in the 2017-18 season before he embarked on his 4-year collegiate career at St Mary’s College, California.
Barry Brown Jnr, the team’s leading scorer made a season best 31 points, making 4 from 6 from beyond the arc.
Will McDowell-White with 11 assistsbecame the 11th Breaker to dish 250 assists.
Cam Gliddon scored 5 points to pass 3,000 career points. He sits 12th on the scoring list of active players which is headed by Adelaide 36ers forward Daniel Johnson with 5,971 points.
Tom Abercrombie (4,212 points) is third on the NBL’s active players scoring list.
Abercrombie snared 2 steals to become just the 4th Breaker to pinch 250 steals.
The Breakers top five “Stealers”:
288 Boucher
278 Jackson
252 Vukona
251 Abercrombie
209 Henare
Lost 92-84 to Perth Wildcats at Spark Arena on Saturday
Rob Loe played his 125th game for the Breakers drawing level with Oscar Forman in 12th spot on the club’s all-time games played list.
Derek Pardon produced his 6th double-double of the season adding 14 rebounds to 13 points.
Upcoming
Cam Gliddon will play his 299th NBL game against the Sydney Kings.
Izayah Le’afa needs 3 points for 600 NBL career points.
Will McDowell-White needs to pinch 1 more possession for 50 steals in Breakers colours.
The Breakers (11-4) are next in action on Thursday when they entertain Sydney Kings (9-3) in a clash between the top two teams on the NBL ladder – tip-off 7.30pm at Spark Arena.
Playing his 100th Division I game on Sunday (NZT) Callum McRae posted a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds despite Sacramento State University going down 72-65 at Santa Clara. It’s the seventh time in eight games this season he has posted double figures in points or rebounds.
Despite playing his 100th NCAA game it feels as if the collegiate career of McRae has flown under the radar somewhat – if dipping under the radar is possible for someone standing 7’1” tall!
Having spent four years at the University of California Riverside the former Manawatu and Palmerston North Boys High School standout has reunited with coach David Patrick at Sacramento State for the current 2022-23 collegiate campaign.
Coach Patrick was largely responsible for taking McRae to Riverside back in 2018 after his successful youth career. McRae repaid the faith by playing 92 games for the Highlanders over four years although he was forced to redshirt the 2020-21 year due to injury.
That was a particularly trying period for McRae given the timing of the injury.
“The injury was a huge challenge but it was compounded because Covid just hit too. I had great people around me to support me but not being able to be around my family was tough.”
McRae bounced back in style in the 2021-22 season scoring a career best 32 points against UC Santa Barbara and averaging 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds across 28 games – 27 as a starter. His 6.1 defensive rebounds per game placed him 42nd amongst all men’s Division I players in that statistical category. Given there are over 5,000 male Division I players a 42nd placing is rather impressive!
Despite the successes of last season when the opportunity to reunite with Patrick presented itself McRae had little hesitation in jumping on board.
“Coach Patrick is a great coach and better person but it came down to trust. I could’ve gone to a lot of places for my last year but playing, and having a significant role, was important to me and I knew I could trust him to have my best interests at heart.”
Eight games into the new season and the 100th NCAA Division I appearance has rolled around. McRae was aware that the major milestone was imminent but unsure of exactly when.
“Being in college for so long I knew it was coming up. I’m just happy to have made it this far, I had a couple injuries that almost forced me to stop playing so I am very thankful to be able to be on the court still and do what I love.
Perhaps even more significantly, barring injury, he will soon complete the double of 100 NCAA Division I appearances and 1,000 points and move into elite company – the double has only been achieved previously by Kirk Penney, Tai Webster and Craig Bradshaw.
To date he has 940 points – averaging 10.9 points per game (and 9.6 rebounds) – the 1,000 points mark looks likely to be achieved around the turn of the year.
Only fourteen New Zealand men have racked up 100 Division I appearances and amongst them are Dan Fotu (126 games for St Mary’s College, California) and Sam Waardenburg (118 games for the University of Miami).
The pair were involved in the two most memorable events in McRae’s junior career, both taking place in 2016.
Waardenburg and Fotu were opponents in “That Final” – the 2016 Secondary Schools Boys National Final, one of the most spectacular championship games witnessed in recent years.
Scoring 33 points and snaring 17 rebounds McRae dragged Palmerston North Boys High back from a massive 60-35 half-time deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Had it not been for the miraculous Rangitoto buzzer beater, courtesy of Cameron Stone’s miraculous shot, the championship would have gone the way of Palmy North Boys.
Later that year, this time playing with Fotu and Waardenburg, McRae enjoyed tremendous success at the FIBA U18 Oceania Championships in Fiji where the New Zealand team pulled off a stunning 57-51 victory against Australia in the final – the win qualifying the Junior Tall Blacks for the U19 World Cup the following year.
McRae still has vivid memories of both events.
“After all these years that Rangitoto game is always bought up and still hurts a little but the joy of beating Australia helps a little. All I remember was the atmosphere of the game with my school behind us and the haka the boys did for us and then to Rangi. Even though we lost I was proud of that and the fight to come back after being down so much.
“I still talk with a few of the boys every now and again and have even played with and against some here in college. That year group has been successful and I’m happy to see everyone succeeding and continuing on their paths.”
That 2016 U18 New Zealand team have gone on to achieve big things in the game. In addition to Waardenburg and Fotu, Taki Fahrensohn, Isaac Letoa, Quinn Clinton and the Cameron brothers Tobias and Flynn have played Division I basketball while Fotu, Letoa, Fahrensohn, Flynn Cameron and Taane Samuel, who was also on the team in Fiji, have gone on to play for the Tall Blacks.
Becoming the sixth member of the “Class of 2016” to gain senior international recognition would be special for McRae.
“I’d love to – playing for your country is an honour so if I ever have that opportunity I’d take it.”
More pressing are the needs of Coach Patrick and the Sacramento State Hornets team as they strive to make an impression in the Big Sky Conference and beyond.
“I want to make my first NCAA tournament. Doing what I can to make that happen is priority number one and hopefully that will lead me to continuing my career professionally and becoming the best player I can be.”
Whether he gets to the Big Dance or not McRae will have plenty of good memories to reflect on when his college career concludes.
“Most of my highlights come from off the court. I’m lucky to have met some great people while being over here and have created lifelong friends. However beating Nebraska by a lot and Arizona state on the buzzer were great highlights too.
“I appreciate all the coaches and people who have helped me get to where I am today.”
One of those to help McRae along his journey is his former Palmerston North Boys High Head Coach Miles Pearce. The former Tall Black is impressed with what he has seen.
“Cal has achieved so much in his career and it’s really only just beginning. He’s been a starter every year of his college career and improved his game every step of the way.
“I’m so proud of him and his accomplishments and everything he’s worked for. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”
For now the focus for McRae is the present rather than the future.
Studying for a Master’s Degree in Recreational Therapy and ensuring the Hornets have a successful season are the main priorities for the big Kiwi.
The full list of centurions below includes former Hornet Izayah Le’afa the current New Zealand Breakers guard.
100+ Men’s NCAA Division I Appearances/Starts (*Currently playing #Playing
a fifth year)
133/121
Rob Loe (University of St Louis, 2010-14)
131/61
Sam Timmins (University of Washington 2016-20)
127/106
Jack Salt (University of Virginia, 2014-19)
127/92
Kirk Penney (University of Wisconsin, 1999-2003)
127/83
Tai Webster (University of Nebraska, 2013-17)
126/47
Dan Fotu (St Mary’s College, 2018-22)
125/103
Mark Dickel (UNLV, 1996-2000)
123/104
Craig Bradshaw (Winthrop University, 2003-7)
120/83
Tom Vodanovich (James Maddison University, 2013-17)
Sam Mennenga scored 21 points and pulled down 7 rebounds as Davidson slipped to only their second loss of the season going down 68-66 in overtime to Charlotte. Up to 540 career points he moved past Matt Freeman (531 points), another former Westlake Boys High player, into 18th on the New Zealand all-time Division I scoring list. Next in line is Sean Marks who scored 557 points for the University of California between 1994 and 1998.
Zach Riley scored a season high 11 points (2/3 3PG, 3/4FT) as Fordham defeated Maine 72-67. Used sparingly so far this season Riley, afforded 17 minutes playing time, demonstrated what he could provide for the Rams moving forward.
Tobias Cameron produced a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds as Abilene Christian dominated North American 93-46. Cameron also added a trio of steals and assists in the win.
Ben Gold made 7 points, in only 10 minutes, as Marquette defeated Baylor 96-70. The Tall Blacks forward also had a block and a rebound.
In women’s division I action Kiwi guards Arielle Mackey-Williams and Dani Bayes were in opposition as BYU took on Boise State. Bayes scored a season high 16 points, making 4 from 8 threes, but Boise State went down 76-67. Mackey-Williams made 17 points, one short of equalling her season best, for BYU as they improved to 5-3.
All three Kiwis were in scoring mode for St Mary’s as the Gaels pulled away in the second half to defeat San Jose State 63-48. Tayla Dalton added 8 rebounds to a team high 13 points (5/7FG) while Amy West scored 4 points and Jade Kirisome a deuce.
Cantabrian guard Helen Matthews scored 12 points – her third double digit outing in the last four games – as Wofford defeated Davidson 72-51 to make it 5 wins on the bounce.
Emme Shearer scored 11 points in just 11 minutes as Portland dominated Evergreen State to win 87-35. Melika Samia chipped in with 2 assists, 4 rebounds and a point as Portland improved to 5-3 on the season.
Tara Manumaleuga scored 10 points and added 3 steals and a block as Texas Christian put the defensive clamps on Incarnate Word to win 60-33.
Ella Brow scored 7 points (3/5FG) as Southern Methodist easily defeated Arkansas Pine Bluff 74-45.
McKenna Dale (6 points) made a pair of threes and garnered a couple of rebounds as Virginia beat Penn State 89-68.
Other Women’s Results:
Chicago State 43 (Yzabelle Tevao 4pts, 4rebs) Indiana State 68
La Salle 71 (Emilee Tahata 3pts, 2rebs) Lafayette 54
New Mexico State 61 (Ashlee Strawbridge 4pts, 3rebs, 1 block) Texas El Paso 65
Houston Christian 51 (Lauryn Mapusua 3pts, 1 assist) Rio Grande Valley 68
UC Irvine 67 (Olivia Williams 4pts, 4rebs, 2 assists) Eastern Washington 65
LACEY LOWDOWN 