LACEY LOWDOWN

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

June 17, 2023

The Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Premier Grade has reached the halfway point of the regular season.

The Round 7 top of the table clash at Rosmini College saw visitors Mt Albert Grammar School record a convincing 72-50 victory in the matchup between the two unbeaten teams.

Points were of a premium early on as MAGS led 8-3 after five minutes and 17-8 after a low scoring opener  – seven points to Louis Uri in that spell.

Defence continued to dominate in the second period although Noah Johns did break the shackles with 8 points for Rosmini. Despite the hosts having marginally the better of the quarter a Dontae Matakatea triple kept MAGS in the ascendancy – ahead 31-25 at half time.

MAGS made their move in the third period, a decisive 18-6 run propelling them to a 49-31 lead with the damage largely in batches of three.

Uri engaged in a spot of good humoured verbal interchange with the home crowd as he made impressive back-to-back And-1 plays. Matakatea made a rather more subdued three-point play and when Rohani Keith-Peraua made a high arching triple MAGs were rolling along with confidence.

Jameer Reed continued the thread of threes with a trio of baskets but Rosmini were behind 60-37 at three-quarter time.

The scoring dipped again in the fourth – Josh Batty and Josh Wyllie converted from deep but

Kade Cartwright and Harri Coker-Grey replied in kind to snuff out any chance of a Rosmini resurgence.

The winning performance confirming MAGS as the team to beat in 2023. 

Rosmini 50 – Johns 14, Reed 13, J Wyllie 10, Batty 8

MAGS 72 – Uri 20/12rebs, Matakatea 17/13rebs, Keith-Peraua 15, Coker-Grey 10/10rebs, Cartwright 9

After successive close losses St Kentigern College returned to winning ways with a 96-83 home win against St Peter’s College. The platform for success laid in the opening ten minutes as the hosts ran in 30 points to establish a 12-point lead. George Turner scored 11 of the St Kent’s points while Gus Dallow was one shy of that number for St Peter’s.

St Kent’s increased their lead in the second as Luke Franich and Hunter Te Ratana made 6 points apiece. Bryan Curtis-Marsters replied with points for St Peter’s but their deficit was significant at the half-time break (56-35).

St Peter’s quickened their scoring pace after the interval with Dallow, Milan Tolich and Bailey Smith accumulating the majority of the 25 points scored by the visitors in the stanza.

However the margin was only reduced by three as Charlie Hughes and Merrick Rillstone ensured the hosts enjoyed a regular supply of points.

Bryan Marsters tallied 11 points for St Peter’s in the fourth but a late three from Jacob Neary capped off a fourth win of the season for St Kent’s.

Saint Kent’s 96 – Rillstone 26, Turner 19, Hughes 12, Te Ratana 12, Franich 8, Broughton Weenink 6

St Peter’s – Dallow 31, Bryan Curtis-Marsters 17, Tolich 13, Smith 9

Auckland Grammar School established an early advantage and didn’t look back as they defeated visitors Rangitoto College 83-63.

George Milburn scored ten first quarter points to set AGS on their way; 21-13 their advantage.

Four straight scores from Joel Brown and a brace of threes from Elyas Taher helped Rangitoto to a share of the spoils in the second – 17 points apiece. A three late in the half from Lawson Pryor kept AGS in the ascendancy at the half-time break (38-30).

AGS put the brakes on the Rangi offence in the third keeping them to 10 points in the period. Josh Howes added 7 points and Milburn, heading towards a game high 25 points, tallied a dozen as AGS moved to a comfortable 61-40 advantage ahead of the final ten minutes.

Brown and Arnold Nam made threes in the closing stages but Charl Hirschfield and Lawson Pryor made a brace apiece from deep to see off the Rangi challenge.

AGS 83 – Milburn 25, Ryan Hunt 15, Howes 14, Pryor 11, Hirschfield 6, Brigham Hakaraia 6

Rangitoto 63 – Brown 16, Nam 15, Taher 13, Michael Ropotini 12

Westlake Boys High picked up a valuable win at Sacred Heart College prevailing 86-72.

Tyrell Cocker scored 7 first quarter points but a collective effort from the Westlake starters eased them to a 24-18 opening quarter lead.

Gabriel Ames landed a triple for Westlake although that was answered by Jerome Jakeman and Sam Snowdon. Their efforts from deep meant Heart were just five points adrift at half-time (41-36).

A three from Troy Wentworth preceded 9 points from Noah Rasmussen – Westlake ahead 60-52 at the last break.

Despite Snowdon and Cocker scores Westlake were able to maintain control in the fourth quarter. 6 points from big man Haidi Alshami and a flurry of baskets from guard Malachi Book ensured it would be a Westlake win.

Sacred Heart 72 – Cocker 16, Preston Tuaputa 12, Snowdon 11, Matt Fautuaalii-Taia 9, Jamie Vile 7, Jakeman 7

Westlake 86 – Alshami 19, Book 17, Rasmussen 14, Wentworth 7, Harper Wilson 7

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Standings

7-0 MAGS

6-1 Rosmini

5-2 AGS

4-3 St Kentigern

3-4 Westlake

2-5 Rangitoto

1-6 Sacred Heart

0-7 St Peter’s

In Round 6 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A competition Rangitoto College maintained top spot on the ladder after defeating nearest rivals Manurewa High School 83-67.

The three-quarter time scoreline was 62-54 in favour of Rangitoto but with Bella Manu-Moore (27 points) in good form a Manurewa victory was still on the cards.

However 8 points from Tamsin McAsey and further scores from Maddy Skelton and Kyree Rakena ensured Rangitoto bossed the final frame 21-13 to secure the win and remain undefeated.

Earlier Eva Veale’s 11 points had given the visitors a 23-15 lead although Manu-Moore’s 8 second quarter points, and contributions from Beautiful Campbell and Shirley Tuilimu, reduced the Rangi lead to just three points at half-time (35-32).

Manu-Moore scored another dozen points in the third but 10 points from Skelton and 11 from Mela Andrews gave Rangitoto that valuable 8-point three-quarter time cushion.

Manurewa 67 – Manu-Moore 27, Campbell 14, Tuilimu 9, Wai Hetaraka-Brown 8

Rangitoto 83 – Andrews 19, Veale 19, Skelton 16, McAsey 14, Rakena 5

Carmel College, on the back of a double-double from Ruby Railton, secured a valuable away win at Mt Roskill Grammar School winning 61-47.

Railton finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds as she duelled with Roskill’s Nelly Ioane (31 points) for the player of the game nomination.

In the first half Ioane and Annelliesse Folaumoetao countered the scoring threats of Railton, Annie Gaylor and Imogen O’Rourke to give Roskill a narrow 26-25 advantage.

The hosts controlled the third period as the Ioane’s (Nelly and Bree) scored all but two of Roskill’s 17 points as they established what appeared to be a match winning 43-34 lead.

However momentum swung around completely in the fourth quarter as the Carmel defence kept Roskill to just 4 points – Gaylor, O’Rourke and Railton provided the shot making as Carmel nipped a two game losing streak in the bud.

Mt Roskill 47 – N Ioane 31, B Ioane 6, Folaumoetao 6

Carmel 61 – Railton 24/19rebs, Gaylor 14, O’Rourke 8, Leighton Esra 6

In the other game Auckland Girls Grammar School solidified their spot in the top four with a 59-33 win against One Tree Hill College. 

A couple of scores from Milla Eckford and Harriate Heta got One Tree Hill out to a 14-11 quarter time lead. However that was just a prelude to AGGS, and Faith Hurt in particular, dominating the remainder of the game.

Faith, destined for a game high 26 points and the only player to reach double figures, had 14 points by half-time with AGGS ahead 29-19.

They would go on to win the second half 30-14 to complete a comfortable win and move up to third on the points ladder.

OTH 33 – Heta 8, Kizyra Thompson 7, Eckford 6, Jesse-Lee Upu 5

AGGS 59 – F Hurt 26, Zara Leavassa- Avauli 8, Harmony Hurt 6, Julia-Rose Fiesher-Martin 6

Massey High School have unfortunately withdrawn from the Senior A competition with their results now void.

Standings

5-0 Rangitoto

4-1 Manurewa

3-2 AGGS

2-2 Carmel

1-4 Mt Roskill, One Tree Hill

0-4 Avondale

*Massey High School have withdrawn from the competition

June 14

In the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Senior A competition Northcote College remain unbeaten with a perfect 6-0 record. There were also wins on Monday for Liston College, Kelston Boys High and Dilworth School.

At half-time an upset looked a possibility as an undermanned  Manurewa High School team led table topping Northcote College 39-38.

However the Senior A’s leading scorer Aaron Sievert stepped on the accelerator in the second half. The Northcote guard amassed 32 second half points to finish the game one point shy of 50 points, making nine threes in the process as his team departed with a 99-76 victory.

Sievert received good support from Shunta Shinzaki and Tane Cook with 15 points and 10 points respectively.

Jarell Tuhega was a dynamo for Manurewa scoring 25 points with Issachar Pati and Gordon Campbell both in double figures. 

Manurewa 76 – Tuhega 25, Pati 16, Campbell 12, Rithwich Agnihotri 9, Annun Leng 8

Northcote 99 – Sievert 49, Shinzaki 15, Cook 10, Jake Talaic 6, Jaden Lula 6

Kelston Boys High School made it back to back wins with a 93-58 home win against Avondale College.

Real Wheaton followed up his 41-point haul against Manurewa with a game high 31 points in this one. 

He scored 22 points in the first half as Kelston opened up a 42-30 lead. Avondale stayed in touch in the third with Deuel Lelaulu and Akram Al Wakeel providing the scoring impetus.

Kelston went on to dominate the fourth quarter piling on 33 points with Alec Phillips, Sam Tuitupou and Rodman Fuaivaa also hitting the double figure points mark.

Kelston 93 – Wheaton 31, Phillips 22, Tuitupou 16, Fuaivaa 13/11rebs

Avondale 58 – Lelaulu 18, Al Wakeel 14, AJ Tsukada 6, Abraham Zoll 6, Niko Perez 6

Dilworth School also made it back to back wins after downing Selwyn College 80-48.

A convincing win by Dilworth looked unlikely as they trailed 22-19 at quarter time after a trio of triples from Ashton Muraahi and a further three from James MacDonald.

However, led by 20-point performances from Ezrah Eagle and Kingston Kailahi-Aso it was all Dilworth thereafter as they won each subsequent quarter by double digit margins.

Eagle demonstrated his outside scoring prowess with three triples while Finlay Edwards waded in with a pair from deep to wrap up the victory in the fourth quarter.

Dilworth 80 – Eagle 20, Kailahi-Aso 20, Edwards 11, Ikahui Mahe 10, Mikaera Hoeta 6

Selwyn 48 – Muraahi 12, MacDonald 11, Zavier Atatoa

Liston College won a second successive contest and ending Mt Roskill Grammar’s run of home wins with a fine 67-58 win.

Rasheed Ieremia, on his way to a game high 21 points scored 7 points in the opening quarter to help Liston to a 20-17 lead.

Neither side could get their offence out of third gear in the second quarter – just 19 points scored in total with Liston ahead 30-26.

The pace quickened in the third. Six points for Mitch Greenaway was countered by a half-dozen from Ronnie Juan as Liston maintained their lead (46-40).

A three from Wai Tonga and scores from Ngawaka Rakete and the Greenaway’s heralded a fourth quarter run from Roskill. However Ieremia’s 12 fourth quarter points proved critical and when Flynn Ridley nailed a three the Liston win was assured.

Mt Roskill 58 – M Greenaway 19, Rakete 10, D Greenaway 9, Josh Wadams 7, Wai Tonga 6

Liston 67 – Ieremia 21, Juan 10, Ridley 10, Marvellous Michael 9, Dhon Lao 7 

Boy’s Senior A Standings

6-0 Northcote

4-2 Mt Roskill, Liston

3-3 Selwyn, Kelston

2-3 Dilworth

1-5 Manurewa

0-5 Avondale

June 14th

A few days ago Epsom Girls Grammar were sitting third on the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier Grade ladder with the prospect of playing the top two sides in the space of 72 hours perhaps a little daunting.

If it was then they have swept away the nerves, and the form book, to record back to back wins against both of the 2022 grand finalists.

On Friday they defeated Westlake Girls 70-64 and on Monday night beat Mt Albert Grammar School 50-42.

Both coaches Brent Lay (MAGS) and Jelena Vučinić (Epsom) admitted the low scoring game was a  grind but for Epsom it produced win number five and they now sit at the top of the ladder alongside defending champions Westlake.

Draun Forbes scored 8 points as Epsom forged a 17-9 lead at quarter time and 24-19 by half-time.

Missing the offensive fire power of Wai Clarken MAGS could only muster 7 points in the third period – Kiyara Te Amo’s three-point plays helping Epsom stretch their advantage to 38-26 at three-quarter time.

MAGS had the better of the fourth as Jorjia Fiu, Emina Tiatia and Meiya Lemafa found the route to basket a little more straightforward. However a couple of baskets apiece from Leah Patuwairua and Te Amo ensured the Epsom win.

MAGS 42 – Fiu 13, Lemafa 12, Tiatia 7
Epsom 50 – Forbes 16, Te Amo 12, Patuwairua 12

Westlake Girls High bounced back from their defeat against Epsom Girls with a comfortable 89-57 home win against North Shore neighbours Takapuna Grammar School.

Winning every quarter Westlake were 25-10 ahead at quarter time and 44-26 to the good at half-time with Amy Pateman and Rebecca Moors in good touch.

The pair demonstrated the form that propelled them into the All-Star Team at the  Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi recently. Moors posted a near double-double of 27 points and 9 rebounds while Pateman scored 26 points.

Emma Schroeder and Lily Fotu were also in double figures for Westlake while Kaia Tuuta provided a fourth quarter cameo that included an arching triple.

Takapuna were again well served by Bailey Flavell and Amy McKenzie, the pair scoring 29 points and 18 points respectively.

Westlake 89 – Moors 27/9rebs, Pateman 26, Schroeder 14/5 assists, Fotu 11, Tuuta 7 

Takapuna 57 – Flavell 29, McKenzie 18

Northcote College will have breathed a collective sigh of relief after securing their first victory win of the season – a 73-54 away win against Baradene College.

Close to the W on a number of occasions this season the opening win of the campaign came about in a contest in which they won all four quarters.

Baradene captain Deyna Topia scored 6 points in the opening period but a brace of threes from Lizzie May countered those – Northcote ahead 21-13.

Another half-dozen for Baradene, this time from Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs, took the home team’s tally to 29 but DJ Hannah and Nikki Gear combined for all but two of Northcote’s 23 second quarter points as they took a 44-29 lead into half-time.

Into the third and again Cavanagh-Briggs and Topia were carrying the scoring load for Baradene but with Northcote ahead 62-44 at the last break that elusive Northcote W was in sight.

The scoring slowed to a trickle in the final frame but it mattered little to Northcote as a Lily Morgan three put the icing on the winners cake.

Baradene 54 – Topia 19, Cavanagh-Briggs 14, Amelia Nathan 7, Sadie Cormack 6

Northcote 73 – Hannah 22, N Gear 21, May 14, Morgan 8

St Kentigern College bounced back from their defeat at MAGS on Friday with a 78-44 home win against St Mary’s College.

St Mary’s made a promising start – with threes for Tamzin Jakeman and Layla Aholelei they were trailing by just three points at the first break (19-15).

St Kent’s moved up a gear in the second to move out to a 40-18 half time lead. Anamia Rangihaeata, Ashleigh Tuumaialu, Charlie Yock and Kilani Tuineau all got in on the scoring action.

St Mary’s responded after the interval with three-point plays from Jakeman and India Nash but St Kent’s were still in control at the three-quarter mark with a 56-31 advantage.

Yock’s 12 fourth quarter points capped off a winning St Kent’s performance.

St Kent’s 78 – Yock 18, Rangihaeata 18, Tuumaialu 15, Tuineau 14, Maia Bennett 6

St Mary’s 44 – Jakeman 17, Nash 12, Aholelei 6, Heaven-Leigh Schmid 5

Standings

5-1 Epsom, Westlake

4-2 MAGS

3-3 Takapuna, St Kent’s 

2-4 Baradene

1-5 St Mary’s, Northcote

13 June

Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College will head into their Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade Round 7 clash on Friday with unbeaten records following decisive wins on Monday night.

In a game where defences largely held sway Rosmini College made it six straight wins with a 69-48 victory at Westlake Boys High School.

A couple of scores from Malachi Book gave Westlake a brief early lead before Rosmini unfurled a 17-5 run to close the first quarter with a 22-11 advantage – 7 points in the period for Noah Johns.

Troy Wentworth provided some impetus off the bench but another 11-2 surge from the visitors, with the Wyllie brothers Josh and Chris doing most the damage, meant the Rosmini lead was close to twenty points. 

Troy Supple landed a triple as the first half came to a close – the Westlake deficit 40-25.

Noah Rasmussen was the first scorer on the resumption however the response was immediate from Rosmini. The Wyllie’s made three point plays before Jameer Reed got into the scoring action to push the lead out beyond 20 points. 

A Harper Wilson three plus a Wentworth And-1 play trimmed the deficit but Westlake still had a mountain to climb at three-quarter time trailing 56-38.

The final period was a defensive grind with just 23 points tallied in total – triples from Book, Batty and Chris Wyllie worthy efforts of note.

Westlake 48 – Wentworth 12, Book 11, Noah Rasmussen 9, Supple 7, Wilson 5

Rosmini 69 – Johns 13, C Wyllie 13, J Wyllie 13, Reed 10, Batty 10, Anton Seuseu 6

Mt Albert Grammar School were also comfortable winners defeating St Peter’s College 88-66.

Six points apiece from Harri Coker-Grey and Louis Uri propelled the hosts to a 22-11 first quarter lead.

An improved second quarter showing saw St Peter’s reduce the half-time deficit by two points (43-34) as Milan Tolich, Bryan Curtis-Marsters and Gus Dallow provided some much needed scoring punch.

Triples from Mario Nola and Dallow kept the visitors in the hunt although another 8 points from Coker-Grey enabled MAGS to enter the final frame with a 67-53 advantage.

MAGS, with six players scoring 8 points or more, and Dante Matakatea posting an imposing stats line of 16 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals had little trouble closing out a sixth straight win ahead of that trip to Rosmini.

MAGS 88 – Coker-Grey 19, Matakatea 16, Uri 16, Kade Cartwright 12, Romani Keith-Peraua 9, Dante Tapula’aia 8

St Peter’s 66 – Tolich 22, Dallow 18, Curtis-Marsters 12, Nola 5

At St Kentigern College, Auckland Grammar grabbed an important 96-91 road win to leapfrog St Kent’s into third place on the ladder.

Eight first quarter points from Josh Howes propelled Grammar to an 19-16 lead but it was all square by half-time at 46 points apiece. Merrick Rillstone, who led all scorers at the break with 20 points, was ably assisted by George Turner with a dozen. For Grammar Howes and Ryan Hunt were in double figures.

The scoring pace continued in the third as the two teams split 52 points to leave the game tied at 71-all with ten minutes to play.

Rillstone took his tally into the 40’s for the second successive game with 12 points in the fourth but that effort was trumped by George Milburn, Howes and Hunt – the trio combining for all but two of Grammar’s twenty-five fourth quarter points.

St Kent’s suffering their second nail biting finish in consecutive rounds having been pipped 89-87 by MAGS last Friday. 

St Kent’s 91 – Rillstone 41, Turner 16, Hunter Te Ratana 13, Charlie Hughes 7, Max Johnson 6

AGS 96 – Hunt 31, Howes 29, Milburn 17, Roman Ma’afu-Moerua 13

At Sacred Heart College, in a points-fest, Joel Brown proved to be the difference maker in the fourth quarter as Rangitoto claimed a 100-90 win.

Heart trailed by just two points at three-quarter time (69-67) but with Tyrell Cocker (13 points) fouling out Brown was able to take advantage. The Rangi forward, headed to a season best 28 points, scored 15 of them in the final period and with Arnold Nam nailing a couple of triples the visitors were able to claim a second win of the season.

After the first half finished with Rangi 42-39 ahead Sam Snowdon and Preston Tuaputa set about rectifying the situation for Heart. Snowdon iced three triples and Tuaputa made a brace of three-point plays in a hotly contested quarter.

Earlier Michael Ropotini, Jimmy Kim and Elyas Taher had helped Rangi stay ahead in the high paced, high scoring encounter.

Sacred Heart 90 – Snowdon 25, Tuaputa 24, Cocker 13, Matt Schuler 10, Tyler Wilson-Voyce 6

Rangitoto 100 – Brown 28, Nam 21, Ropotini 18, Kim 12, Taher 12

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Standings

6-0 MAGS, Rosmini

4-2 AGS

3-3 St Kentigern

2-4 Westlake, Rangitoto

1-5 Sacred Heart

0-6 St Peter’s

Northcote College are the outright leaders of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Senior A competition after beating previously unbeaten Mt Roskill Grammar School 84-75.

Northcote’s win was achieved on the back of 29 points from Aaron Sievert and 19 points from Tane Cook.

There was nothing between the teams at quarter time with Northcote ahead 20-19 although that had stretched to 37-31 at half-time.

Sievert, fresh off a successful U19 National’s campaign with North Harbour, had 13 at the break and was ably supported by Tane Cook and Shunta Shinzaki.

Roskill responded admirably in the third to trim the deficit to just three points (56-53).

Daniel and Mitch Greenaway, Ryan Aramoana and Haisem Osman each made double figure contributions for Roskill but it was Jake Talaic, Sievert and Cook that got the job done in the fourth to secure win number five for Northcote.

Northcote 84 – Sievert 29, Cook 19, Shinzaki 11, Talaic 10

Mt Roskill 75 – M Greenaway 14, D Greenaway 14, Aramoana 12, Osman 11, Ngawaka Rakete 9

The highest individual score of the round went the way of Kelston Boys High’s Real Wheaton who scored 41 points as Kelston proved too strong for Manurewa winning 97-88.

Although Kelston led 27-21 at half-time Manurewa had evened the ledger by half-time – the scores tied 42 points apiece.

It was still an even ball game at the three-quarter mark (65-65).

Jarrell Tuhaga, Richard Campbell and Issachar Pati were performing great deeds for Manurewa but with Tuhega forced to the bench with four fouls Kelston seized their opportunity.

Rodman Fuaivaa came up with 10 fourth quarter points and Wheaton 13. Add a triple from Isiah Tulisi and Kelston were able to pull away for the victory.

Kelston 97 – Wheaton 41, Alec Phillips 16, Fuaivaa 11, Sam Tuitupou 11

Manurewa 88 – R Campbell 24, Tuhega 21, Pati 16, Annun Leng 9, Gordon Campbell 8

Selwyn College defeated Liston College 71-62. Both teams now sitting in the top four.

The Avondale College against Dilworth School fixture has been deferred to a later date.

Boy’s Senior A Standings

5-0 Northcote

4-1 Mt Roskill

3-2 Selwyn, Liston

2-3 Kelston

1-3 Dilworth

1-4 Manurewa

0-4 Avondale

In the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A competition Rangitoto College and Manurewa High School sit atop the table with perfect 5-0 records.

Auckland Girls Grammar won by the narrowest margin possible claiming a 56-55 home win against Carmel College.

Faith Hurt led the way for AGGS with 22 points while Harmony Hurt knocked down four triples in her 14 points. Ruby Railton led the way for Carmel with 19 points.

To use an old cliché this was a game of two halves with Carmel dominating the opening segment and AGGS the second. 

Carmel were 31-16 to the good with Railton, Annie Gaylard and Millie Lloyd sharing the bulk of the scoring.

A couple of threes from Harmony Hurt and 6 points from Faith Hurt meant the Carmel lead had been trimmed by 4 points at three-quarter time.

AGGS put their foot down in the fourth rattling up 26 points to run down Carmel in an exciting finish. Ryn Nikoia scored valuable points in the fourth but it you will excuse the pun it was the Hurt’s that hurt Carmel the most.

AGGS 56 – F Hurt 22, H Hurt 15, Geavani Barnes 6, R Nikoia 5

Carmel 55 – R Railton 19, A Gaylard 12, M Lloyd 10, Imogen O’Rourke 8, Zahara Tibbotts 6

Rangitoto College kept their unbeaten record intact with an 83-46 victory against Mt Roskill Grammar School.

The Avondale College v One Tree Hill College fixture has been postponed until a later date while unfortunately Massey High defaulted against Manurewa High School.

Girl’s Senior A Standings

5-0 Rangitoto, Manurewa

3-2 Carmel, AGGS

2-3 Mt Roskill

1-3 One Tree Hill

0-4 Avondale

0-5 Massey

There is a three-way tie at the top of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier Grade ladder following the completion of the Round 5 games.

Previously unbeaten Westlake Girls High School lost their first game since 2021 downed 70-64 by Epsom Girls Grammar.

Westlake’s Amy Pateman and Rebecca Moors were two of ten New Zealand athletes that attended the 13^th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi last weekend. Both were selected to the Girl’s All-Star Team and although Moors missed the encounter with Epsom, Pateman showed off her offensive arsenal with a game high 29 points.

However it wasn’t enough to get the win as Draun Forbes paced Epsom to a notable victory.

Epsom were out the gate at pace forging a 22-14 quarter time lead with Forbes scoring 8 points. The lead stretched out to 17 points by half-time (44-27) as Maya Fowler and Leah Patuwairua continued the Epsom scoring onslaught.

The tide turned dramatically in the third as Pateman and Emma Schroeder led Westlake’s revival – the Epsom lead reduced to 55-49 at three quarter time. 

Westlake continued to press for the win but Fowler and Forbes combined for 13 fourth quarter points to enable Epsom to close out a fourth win of the season.

Epsom 70 – Forbes 25, Patuwairua 18, Fowler 15, Talia Vea 6, Kiki Reti 6

Westlake 64 – Pateman 29, Schroeder 17/9rebs, Elin Vincent 7, Imani Rasmussen 3/9rebs

Joining Westlake and Epsom at the top of the league are Mt Albert Grammar School after they completed an 82-61 home win against St Kentigern College.

Nine first quarter points from Jorjia Fiu propelled MAGS to an 18-13 lead.

Fiu and Peyton Uri knocked down threes after Kilani Tuineau had made a couple of neat inside scores for St Kent’s. 

A tumbling drive from Ash Tuumaialu and 8 straight points from livewire guard Anamia Rangihaeta trimmed the deficit before Gianna Tiatia re-established a double digit half-time advantage for MAGS (46-29).

Despite Rangihaeta continually finding a way to basket MAGS extended their lead beyond 20 points as Emina Tiatia and Nia Roberts nailed 3-pointers – the three-quarter time buzzer beater from Roberts particularly hurtful for the visitors as they trailed 71-45.

St Kent’s stuck gamely to their task in the final quarter but MAGS were rarely troubled as they eased to win number four. 

MAGS assistant coach Mike Uri, standing in for head coach Brent Lay who was away  managing the New Zealand 3×3 teams in China, will likely hand back the reins for the team’s top of the table clash with Epsom on Monday.

That should be a cracker of a contest!

MAGS 82 – Fiu 20, Roberts 16, E Tiatia 12, Lara-Poppy Cocker-Lemalie 11, Uri 9, G Tiatia 7

St Kentigern 61 – Rangihaeta 23, Tuumaialu 16, Kilani Tuineau 5

The North Shore derby went the way of Takapuna Grammar as they edged a close one at Northcote College 85-82 on the back of 30-point hauls from Amy McKenzie and Bailey Flavell.

It was Northcote with the better start winning the opening stanza 26-20 with Nikki Gear scoring 9 points for the hosts.

However Takapuna exerted their authority in the second outscoring Northcote 29-12 to lead 49-38 at the interval. It was Amy McKenzie with the hot hands – she made five 3-pointers in the period and with Natalija Burton also burying a three the visitors were humming along.

Lily Morgan and DJ Hannah combined for 15 third quarter points as Northcote stormed back into the contest trimming the Taka advantage to 64-61.

Lizzie May made a couple of three-point plays for Northcote but there was no stopping the McKenzie-Flavell scoring axis. Two threes apiece in the final term took Flavell to five in the game while McKenzie enjoyed a career night nailing eight from beyond the arc.

Northcote 82 – Hannah 21, Morgan 18, N Gear 15, May 11, L Gear 7

Takapuna 85 – McKenzie 34, Flavell 31, Mackenzie Mackereth 9, Burton 7

In a game brought forward to Tuesday night St Mary’s College secured their first win of the season beating Baradene College 71-55.

We have no other details although Baradene will definitely have missed the services of centre Ritorya Tamilo who is in Europe with the Tall Ferns – she made her debut against European champions Serbia earlier this week.

Standings

4-1 MAGS, Epsom, Westlake

3-2 Takapuna 

2-3 St Kent’s, Baradene

1-4 St Mary’s

0-5 Northcote

Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College remain unbeaten after Round 5 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Grade competition.

Mt Albert were pushed all the way by St Kentigern College before eventually prevailing 89-87 in a game where fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout.

Midway through the third quarter the home team seemed headed for a comfortable win with a 10-point (59-49) lead but with Hunter Te Ratana bagging 13 points in the period St Kent’s halved the margin to trail 67-62 at three-quarter time.

St Kent’s carried momentum into the last period and quickly erased the deficit completely.

A long three from Merrick Rillstone, on his way to a 45-point haul, meant the scores were again tied with 3 minutes to play at 79 points apiece.

A 7 point swing in favour of the hosts ensued with Harri Coker-Grey and Romani Keith-Perau making telling drives.

However St Kent’s weren’t done as Rillstone and Te Ratana reduced the margin to a single point (87-86) with 13.7 seconds left on the clock.

Coker-Grey drew a foul and converted a pair of freebies to push the gap out to three points but with 2.7 seconds left St Kent’s guard Max Johnson earned himself a trip to the foul line.

He made the first then purposely rimmed the second to give his team the opportunity to gather an offensive rebound. Neither team could gather possession in a mad scramble under the basket – MAGS the victors in a close one.

Early on it was Rillstone and skipper George Turner making the running for St Kent’s with Louis Uri, Coker-Grey, Keith-Peraua, and Dante Matakatea to the fore for the hosts – the dual between junior internationals Rillstone and Matakatea fun to watch. 

St Kentigern Coach Aaron Young, named as a Perth Wildcats Assistant Coach this week, will have been happy with the effort of his young charges while opposition coach Daryl Cartwright will be hoping to make it six straight wins in Monday night’s game at home to St Peter’s.

MAGS 89 – Coker-Grey 21, Keith-Peraua 21, Matakatea 16/9rebs, Uri 14/9reb, Kade Cartwright 11/10rebs

St Kentigern 87 – Rillstone 45, Turner 18, Te Ratana 17

Also sitting at 5-0 are Rosmini College who eventually overcame stubborn resistance at Rangitoto College before winning 97-86.

Rosmini won a free flowing opening period 29-27 but Rangi had the better of the second to lead 45-41 at half-time – Arnold Nam with 18 first half points for the hosts.

Rosmini put a brake on the Rangi scoring in the third and with the ‘J-Squad’ of Jameer Reed, Josh Batty and Josh Wyllie finding scoring form it was Rosmini with a handy three-quarter lead of 68-60.

Michael Ropotini, Joel Brown and Elyas Taher, headed to a game high 27 points, kept Rangi in the hunt but Batty’s sixth and seventh threes plus a combined 21 fourth quarter points from Reed and Wyllie eased Rosmini to the win.

Rangitoto 86 – Taher 27, Nam 20, Brown 19, Ropotini 9

Rosmini 97 – Reed 26, Wyllie 25, Batty 21, Liam Bates 16, Noah Johns 7

St Peter’s College remain without a win after falling to a 77-69 home defeat against Westlake Boys High.

The point of attack differed greatly for the opposing teams with Westlake centre Hadi Alshami leading their scoring while point guard Gus Dallow was the focal point of the St Peter’s offence with 25 points.

Alshami scored the first seven points for Westlake as they edged the opening frame 13-6.

The second quarter also went the way of the visitors as Alshami, Troy Supple and Noah Rasmussen extended the Lake lead to 38-21.

St Peter’s fought back in the third with Dallow and Bailey Smith denting the Westlake defence with 13 points and 8 points respectively –  however Westlake were still in control ahead 65-52 with ten minutes to play.

The Saints also had the better of the fourth but were left to regret the slow start they made to the game.

St Peter’s 69 – Dallow 25, Smith 17,  Bryan Marsters 7, Mario Nola 6

Westlake 77 – Alshami 27, Supple 16, Rasmussen 7, Braden Gibb 6, Harper Wilson 6

Eighty athletes attended the 13^th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi last week with Ryan Hunt from Auckland Grammar School one of ten New Zealand participants.

The Grammar guard returned to domestic action to score 18 points and help his team to a convincing 92-73 home win against Sacred Heart College.

Hunt, Roera Tipene and Mikaere Tait were in the thick of the action as Grammar swept to a 32-15 quarter time lead.

Tyrell Cocker scored 8 second quarter points for Sacred Heart but with Hunt and Roman Ma’afu-Moerua dropping threes Grammar were in control at the main break leading 46-28.

Cocker, Tyler Wilson-Voyce and Preston Tuaputa kept Heart’s scoring on the move although George Milburn and Charl Hirschfield ensured the Grammar lead hovered around the 20-point lead through the third frame.

Little changed in the fourth – Hunter Balle and Tait exchanging threes to close proceedings.

AGS 92 – Milburn 20, Hunt 18, Howes 11, Ma’afu-Moerua 10, Tait 9, Tipene7

Sacred Heart 73 – Cocker 16, Tuaputa 14, Wilson-Voyce 10, Sam Snowdon 8, Jerome Jakeman 7, Matt Fautuaalii-Taia 7

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Standings

5-0 MAGS, Rosmini

3-2 St Kentigern, AGS

2-3 Westlake, 

1-4 Sacred Heart, Rangitoto

0-5 St Peter’s

Dilworth School defeated Manurewa High School 88-77 in the Auckland Secondary Schools Senior A competition on Thursday night.

Completing the Round 4 fixtures the result represented Dilworth’s first win of the season.

After the scores were tied at 14 points apiece in the back half of the first period Dilworth unleashed four straight threes although Manurewa guard Jarrell Tuhega’s 16 points in the opening spell meant his team were well in contention despite trailing 25-22.

Ezra Eagle scored the first two baskets of the second quarter and when Ikahui Mahe went coast-to-coast Manurewa needed a timeout.

Issachar Pati and Annun Leng provided the necessary response as Manurewa closed within 4 points. However Mikaera Hoeta finished the half with a three-basket flourish as the hosts eased ahead 47-35 at half-time.

The second half began with Nepia Moore knocking down a brace of threes and when he and Eagle further added to their tallies the Dilworth lead was 20-points (59-39).

Gordon Campbell and Leng made a couple of timely scores but the Dilworth lead was a handy 67-48 at three-quarter time.

Leng made his third three of the contest but home scores via Eagle and Kingston Kai’lahi-Aso kept Dilworth in the ascendancy (80-66) with five minutes to play.

The Manurewa resistance could have folded at that point but to their credit they found an extra gear as Tuhega and Richard Campbell – a constant menace on the offensive boards – cut the deficit to ten points (83-73).

Pati and Tuhega made further baskets but with time running out Kai’lahi-Aso was able to put the seal on a deserved Dilworth win in an entertaining encounter.

Both teams will enjoy an eight day break before Dilworth entertain Avondale College and Manurewa visit Kelston Boys High School in Round 5 match-ups.

Dilworth 88 – Eagle 28, Kai’lahi-Aso 17, Moore 12, Hoeta 12, Mahe 12

Manurewa 77 – Tuhega 24, R Campbell 19, Pati 12, Leng 9, G Campbell 6

Standings

4-0 Northcote, Mt Roskill

3-1 Selwyn

2-2 Liston

1-3 Manurewa, Kelston, Dilworth

0-4 Avondale

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