The Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier Grade competition has reached the halfway point of the regular season with Epsom Girls Grammar and Westlake Girls High sitting top of the table.
On the back of 30 points from Amy Pateman Westlake unfurled a commanding 87-38 victory at Baradene College.
Baradene welcomed back Ritorya Tamilo after her spell away with the Tall Ferns and she put the first points on the board for the hosts. She and Deyna Topia scored all 13 of Baradene’s first quarter points but they trailed by eight at the first break.
The triple threat of Amy Pateman, Rebecca Moors and Emma Schroeder were each in double figures by half-time as Westlake built a 49-26 advantage.
Moors threatened a triple double (18 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists) as Westlake continued to build their lead in the second half and record win number six.
Next up for Westlake is a North Shore derby against Northcote College on Monday while Baradene have a tough assignment against MAGS. It remains to be seen if Tamilo is available for the game given that she has been named to the Tall Ferns team for the FIBA Asia Cup in Sydney beginning June 26.
Congratulations Ritorya!
Baradene 38 – Tamilo 12, Topia 9, Sadie Cormack 6
Westlake 87 – Pateman 30, Schroeder 18, Moors 18, Kaia Tuuta 6, Brennah Latoalevi-Nosa 6
Epsom Girls Grammar were made to work a lot harder for their 67-50 victory at St Kentigern College.
The game was very much in the balance at three-quarter time with Epsom ahead by just three points (40-37). However Epsom saved their best until last with Leah Patuwairua’s assault on the hoop producing 10 straight points. Add in a couple of timely threes from Mya Fowler and Epsom went on to win the fourth 27-13 and claim the W.
Epsom made marginally the better start establishing a 12-11 lead but by half-time the balance had tilted slightly in favour of St Kentigern (27-25).
Ash Tuumaialu and Anamaia Rangihaeata had 8 points each for St Kent’s while Patuwairua had chalked up 14 for Epsom.
Three scores from Draun Forbes were the highlight of the third as Epsom forged the narrow three-quarter time lead ahead of their dominant showing in the final period.
St Kent’s 50 – Tuumaialu 20, Rangihaeata 12, Sophie Jones 6
Epsom 67 – Patuwairua 28, Forbes 18, Fowler 6, Talia Vea 6
The game of the round was at Takapuna Grammar School where the hosts were pipped 58-56 by Mt Albert Grammar School.
MAGS made the stronger start – 6 points from Lara Cocker-Lemalie and a couple of scores late in the frame from Gianna Tiatia helping them to a 15-7 first quarter lead.
Takapuna struck back in the second. A couple of Bailey Flavell baskets preceded a brace of threes from Amy McKenzie and a further triple from Mariah Parker. Peyton Uri knocked down a trey for MAGS as they clung on to a 32-31 half-time advantage.
Momentum stayed with Takapuna after the break – ten points from McKenzie taking the hosts to a 48-45 three-quarter time lead.
Neither side could get their offence flowing in the fourth but MAGS did just enough to get the win – crucial points from Meiya Lemafa, Nadia Rosa-Enari and Nia Roberts tilting the contest in their favour.
Takapuna 56 – McKenzie 21, Flavell 18, Manaia Watson 7, Mackenzie MacKereth 6, Natalja Burton 8rebs
MAGS 58 – Tiatia 16, Jorjia Fiu 9, Cocker-Lemalie 8/8rebs, Roberts 10, Uri 7, Lemafa 4/9rebs
Northcote College got scoring contributions from ten players as they won a second straight game, defeating St Mary’s College 104-53.
Northcote led 21-9 at quarter time and with DJ Hannah and Lizzie May leading the way were 53-21 ahead at half-time.
Lisa Gear enjoyed a career night with 20 points while Myara Flint capped off the win with a couple of made threes in the final period.
Layla Aholelei, India Nash and Christiana Setu were double figure contributors for St Mary’s.
St Mary’s 53 – Aholelei 12, Nash 11, Setu 11, Tamzin Jakeman 8, Felolina To’ua-Kalava 7
Northcote 104 – Hannah 20, L Gear 20, Nikki Gear 19, May 18, Lily Morgan 13, Flint 6
Standings
6-1 Epsom, Westlake
5-2 MAGS
3-4 Takapuna, St Kent’s
2-5 Baradene, Northcote
1-6 St Mary’s
LACEY LOWDOWN 