May 27, 2023
Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College remain unbeaten after Round 4 victories in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade competition.
It was gripping in Glendowie as Sacred Heart College saw an opportunity for a notable victory slip through their fingers as they were pipped 66-64 in overtime by Rosmini College.
Heart after keeping Rosmini to just 20 first half points led 43-26 midway through the third quarter before being pegged back and in overtime, after scores by Preston Tuaputa and Tyrell Cocker, were 64-59 in the ascendancy.
At both points of the game a home win looked the most likely outcome but on both occasions Rosmini fought their way back into the contest. With a second overtime period looking likely Rosmini guard Josh Wyllie made the game winner with just 4 seconds left in the overtime period.
Earlier a baseline drive and two handed flush from Noah Johns put Rosmini 11-9 ahead before Heart closed the first quarter with a 12-3 run to lead 24-16, with Tuaputa, Sam Snowdon and Matt Fautuaalii-Taia to the fore.
If the Heart scoring was pedestrian in the second the Rosmini effort was in slumberland as defences dominated – the quarter won 9-4 by the hosts to lead 33-20 at the break.
Tuaputa continued to trouble the Rosmini defence and when Matt Fautuaalii-Taia nailed a triple Heart were 17 points clear (43-26).
Rosmini responded with a strong finish to the third period – a three from Bart Jackowski and 6 points apiece from Josh and Chris Wyllie saw them trail by just 4 points (45-41) with ten minutes to play.
It was neck and neck throughout the fourth – Josh Wyllie’s late score cancelling out Tuaputa’s effort to send the game into an extra period.
Cocker and Tuaputa put Heart in overtime ascendancy before Jameer Reed and Josh Batty tied proceedings – cruelly for Heart the Josh Wyllie winner was the first time Rosmini had led since early in the opening period.
Sacred Heart 64 – Tuaputa 23, Fautuaalii-Taia 16, Snowdon 8, Cocker 7
Rosmini 66 – Reed 21, C Wyllie 14, J Wyllie 12, Batty 9
There was also action aplenty on Alberton Ave as Mt Albert won the “Grammar Grapple” against Auckland 89-76.
With ten minutes to play, and a close finish in prospect, Auckland Grammar held a 57-55 lead after Josh Howes, George Milburn and Mikaere Tait had turned a 4 point half-time deficit into 2 point three-quarter time lead.
Faced with a first defeat of the season MAGS put together a scoring avalanche in the fourth running up 34 points with Dante Matakatea doing most of the damage.
The 2022 New Zealand U17 representative scored 16 points in the quarter and with Louis Uri, Romani Keith-Peraua and Kade Cartwright lending good support the hosts pulled away for a decisive win.
Early on a low scoring opening period was edged 12-9 by Auckland before MAGS got the better of the second. The two number 5’s led the scoring at the break – Cartwright had 14 points for MAGS with Howes making a dozen for AGS.
MAGS 89 – Cartwright 23, Matakatea 21, Uri 14/11rebs, Keith-Peraua 13, Harri Coker-Grey 11, Dante Tapulaaia 5/8rebs/6 steals
AGS 76 – Howes 21, Milburn 19, Ryan Hunt 11, Tait 8, Kalid Petzer 6
With Old Boy and new Perth Wildcats signing Dontae Russo-Nance in the house St Kentigern College, and Merrick Rillstone in particular, got off to a flying start against Westlake Boys High School. Rillstone had a couple of triples, and 16 points in total, as the home team forged ahead (26-17) in the opening spell.
St Kent’s continued their dominance in the second period with George Turner and Hunter Te Ratana joining Rillstone in the double figure scoring column.
Hadi Alshami led the Westlake scoring at the main break as the visitors faced a 50-28 deficit.
Lake enjoyed the better of the third quarter cutting the arrears by four to trail 68-50 at three-quarter time – Noah Rasmussan’s 10 points a feature of the frame.
Max Riechelmann and Andre Bautista knocked down threes for Westlake in the fourth but St Kent’s were in fine form from deep themselves – particularly Turner and Rillstone who combined for nine of the team’s thirteen made threes.
St Kentigern 89 – Rillstone 37, Turner 28, Te Ratana 14
Westlake 68 – Rasmussan 17, Alshami 11, Riechelmann 10, Malachi Book 9, Braden Gibb 7
Rangitoto College were boosted by the return of Michael Ropotini, for his first game of the season, and his 24 points were a significant contribution in the 104-74 defeat of St Peter’s College.
Both teams were looking for their first win of the season and it was Rangi that made the better start forging a 29-17 opening quarter advantage. Gus Dallow, on his way to a game high 36 points, had 10 at that stage for St Peter’s – Joel Brown with 8 points and Elyas Taher 6 for the hosts.
Rangi enjoyed another productive quarter to rack up 60 points by the interval and with it a lead of 27. Jackson Mills, Jimmy Kim, Arnold Nam and Ropotini each made multiple scores in the period.
Dallow and Caleb Afeaki upped the scoring tempo for St Peter’s but 9 third quarter points from Ropotini meant Rangi were out of sight at the last break with an 88-58 lead.
Dallow posted his second successive 30-point game but significant support was in short supply for the St Peter’s guard as Rangitoto cruised to the win.
Rangitoto 104 – Ropotini 24,Taher 18, Nam 13, Max Mudford 11, Brown 10, Mills 9, Kim 7
St Peter’s 74 – Dallow 36, Afeaki 9, Milan Tolich 9, Bryan Curtis 7
Standings
4-0 MAGS, Rosmini
3-1 St Kentigern
2-2 AGS
1-3 Westlake, Sacred Heart, Rangitoto
0-3 St Peter’s
LACEY LOWDOWN 