In the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Senior A competition Rangitoto College made it nine consecutive victories with an 85-61 win at Carmel College in the North Harbour derby.
In an even first half Rangi led 21-17 at quarter time helped by a couple of threes from Mela Andrews.
Andrews was up to 13 points by half-time with Eva Veale on 10. Leighton Esera scored 9 points for Carmel who were just five points adrift at the interval (37-32).
Ella Drake scored 6 points after the resumption but that was matched by Sienna Maurice as Rangi moved ahead 62-48 with ten minutes to play.
Zahara Tibbotts took her contribution into double figures but Rangi were able to stretch their advantage further in the final stanza as Maia Pirie and McAsey added to their tallies.
Rangitoto 85 – Andrews 17, McAsey 17, Pirie 14, Veale 11, Madison Skelton 9, Maurice 8, Esther Roberts 7
Auckland Girls Grammar kept their top four hopes alive with a 66-42 home win against Avondale College.
The opening quarter went the way of Grammar 23-19 while in stark contrast Avondale won the second period 19-7. Avondale’s Hayley Abbott led all scorers at half-time with 13 points.
Ryn Nikoia scored the first 6 points after the interval and with Faith Hurt also scoring half a dozen the Grammar lead ballooned to 48-32 at three-quarter time.
From there it was plain sailing for the hosts.
AGGS 67 – F Hurt 20, R Nikoia 14, Harmony Hurt 10, Grady Nikoia 10, Zara Avaulii 6,
Avondale 42 – Abbott 14, Shiloh Caffery 13, Zion Mann 5
A strong first half performance laid the platform for Manurewa High School’s 83-61 home win against One Tree Hill College.
Shirley Tuilimu scored 10 points in the opening quarter as Manurewa built a 22-12 lead. With Beautiful Campbell doing the same in quarter two the Manurewa advantage was 47-26 at half-time.
One Tree Hill fought back strongly in the third quarter winning the period 20-13 with Harriate Heta and Kizyra Thompson in good scoring form.
Six points apiece in the fourth quarter from Alyssa Uluheua and Tuilimu closed out the Manurewa victory.
In a top of the table clash Northcote College recorded an 84-78 come from behind victory against Liston College to preserve their unbeaten record.
Northcote trailed 62-57 at three-quarter time but outscored their opponents 32-16 in the closing stages to move a step closer to claiming the Senior A regular season title.
Aaron Sievert scored 16 of his 39 points in those closing minutes and with Taine Cook and Shunta Shinzaki lending good support Northcote were able to run past Liston down the stretch.
Liston had made the better start getting out to a 25-19 first quarter lead – 7 points for Dhon Lao in that spell.
The six point lead was improved marginally to eight points by half-time. Lao and Rasheed Ieremia combined for 14 points as Liston carried a 44-36 advantage into the third period.
Giovanni Helu knocked down three triples in the third for Liston but 8 points from Sievert plus contributions from Tzion Manoa and Shinzaki meant the Northcote deficit had been trimmed to 5 points (62-57) at the last break.
Helu sunk his fourth triple of the game but the tide turned in Northcote’s favour allowing Sievert to orchestrate an eleventh win on the bounce.
Liston 78 – Lao 24, Helu 16, Ronnie Juan 14, Ieremia 11
A decisive second quarter from Selwyn College led them to a 90-65 win against Avondale College.
Selwyn had shaded the opening period 18-13 but put their foot to the floor in the second speeding to a 50-23 lead as they drained six threes in the period.
Selwyn went on to make 14 triples in the contest with Somin Mohit, Ashton Muraahi, Luca Vietri, Archie Elliot, Finn Bogaert, Alfred Casiple and Lui Pukeiti all contributors from beyond the arc.
Akram Al Wakeel and Deuel Lelaulu led the Avondale resistance with 19 and 13 points respectively.
Mt Roskill Grammar School defeated Kelston Boys High 106-69 with Mitchell Greenaway tallying 31 points for the victors.
There was little between the two teams in the opening half. Wai Tonga landed a couple of threes for Roskill in the opening exchanges with Real Wheaton bagging 8 points for Kelston as they trailed 24-20 at quarter time.
Rodman Fuaivaa and Alec Phillips shared 13 points in the second with a balanced Roskill scoring effort carrying them to a 48-39 half-time lead.
Roskill would break the game open in the third period outscoring their hosts 29-9 with Greenaway, Alfred Kerr and Ngawaka Rakete doing most the damage.
The win restores Roskill’s second place position on the Senior A ladder.
In a game in which two players produced 40-point performances Takapuna Grammar School beat Baradene College 86-79.
In a sign of things to come Deyna Topia and Ritorya Tamilo combined for all of Baradene’s 24 first quarter points while Bailey Flavell nabbed 17 of Takapuna’s 25.
Flavell would go on to tally 48 points with Tamilo totaling 43. The pair weren’t without support however as Baradene point guard Deyna Topia came up with a season high 31 points and Takapuna’s Amy McKenzie tallied 20 points while Nahikari Illarramendi chipped in with 9 points.
The two teams went toe to toe throughout with Takapuna leading by just five points (49-44) at half-time and six points at three-quarter time (62-56).
That pattern continued in the final spell as Takapuna shaded the period 24-23 with Flavell’s 17 fourth quarter points moving Takapuna closer to a top-four finish.
Northcote 56 – Morgan 14, Nikki Gear 11, May 10, DJ Hannah 9, Lisa Gear 8
Mt Albert Grammar kept their hopes of a top-two finish alive with a comfortable 99-29 win against St Mary’s College.
Opening up an initial 28-5 lead they were never troubled as six players scored eight points or more. Tamzin Jakeman top scored for St Marys with 10 points.
After some near misses St Peter’s College chalked up their first Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade win of the season, an 80-74 home win against Rangitoto College, with Spencer Carr and Gus Dallow producing 20-point performances.
Trailing 59-56 at three-quarter time the Saints powered home in the fourth quarter outscoring Rangi 24-15 in the final ten minutes.
Five points from Arnold Nam was cancelled out by Carr before Bryan Marsters, Caleb Afeaki and Bailey Smith made crucial scores.
Joel Brown and Elyas Taher put points on the board for Rangi but they couldn’t stave off a resurgent St Peter’s – Dallow scoring their last 8 points to seal the win.
Eight points from Max Mudford got Rangitoto off to the better start as they built a 23-18 quarter time lead.
However St Peter’s were on level terms by half-time with the scores locked at 35 points apiece. A couple of Smith triples and 10 points from Mudford serving St Peter’s well.
Brown, headed for a game high 22 points, had 8 points for Rangi in the third as they again took the lead. It wouldn’t last long – the long wait for that win finally over for St Peter’s thanks to their strong finish.
St Peter’s 80 – Carr 21, Dallow 20, Marsters 13, Smith 10, Afeaki 6
Rangitoto 74 – Brown 22, Mudford 15, Nan 13, Taher 8, Jackson Mills 8
A dominant opening half from Rosmini College set up a 104-85 home win over Sacred Heart College.
Zion Anderson scored 10 points as Rosmini raced to a 27-14 lead in the opening ten minutes.
Sam Snowdon replied with 12 points for Heart in the second frame but he and his colleagues were struggling to stem the Rosmini scoring tide as they piled up 56 first half points to lead by 21.
Josh Batty and Anderson were doing most the damage – a late three from Bart Jackowski capping off a strong showing from the hosts.
Preston Tuaputa got the score ticking over for Heart in the third frame but again it was a spell dominated by Rosmini, and Batty in particular.
The shooting guard nailed four threes in the period and with Liam Bates and Jackowski also successful from deep the Rosmini lead went beyond the 30-point mark.
Heart enjoyed the better of the closing minutes but the damage had already been done.
Rosmini 104 – Batty 21, Anderson 20, Chris Wyllie, 14, Josh Wyllie 13, Jackowski 10, Bates 8
Westlake guard Malachi Book scored 9 first quarter points but it was St Kentigern that made the better start – ahead 24-18 at the first break.
Despite 8 points from Westlake centre Hadi Alshami St Kent’s increased their advantage to 45-37 by half time thanks to 11 second quarter points from George Turner.
It was back and forth after the interval with Merrick Rillstone prominent for the visitors while Book and Noah Rasmussen were the key contributors for Westlake – the St Kent’s lead still 8 points (68-60) at the three-quarter mark.
Alshami and Book combined for 14 points in the fourth but Rillstone, Cooper Lepou and Hunter Te Ratana came up with points to make it win number eight for St Kent’s.
Westlake 77 – Book 24, Alshami 18, Rasmussen 13, Max Riechelmann 6
St Kentigern 88 – Rillstone 22, Turner 19, Lepou 15, Te Ratana 12, Jacob Neary 6
The Auckland Grammar v Mt Albert Grammar fixture has been postponed until August 14th.
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Whilst Northcote College are sailing along with an unbeaten record at the top of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Senior A competition, the scrap for the other three top four spots is heating up with only Avondale College out of the running.
Dilworth School’s bid for one of those top four spots received a huge boost following their 79-74 win over Mt Roskill Grammar School.
15 first quarter points from George Hardie gave Dilworth a 23-19 lead and with Finlay Edwards chipping in with useful points the advantage was 38-31 at half-time.
Mitch Greenaway, on his way to a game high 26 points, had 14 points at the main break for Roskill.
The second half was extremely tight. Roskill won the third by a single point while Dilworth returned serve to win the fourth quarter by one – 8 points from Ikahui Mahe critical down the stretch.
Mt Roskill 74 – M Greenaway 26, Ryan Aramoana 13, Haisem Osman 13, Josh Wadams 8
In the “Wrestle in the West” Liston College made no race of it against Kelston Boys High. On the back of 36 points from Dhon Lao and 25 points from Rasheed Ieremia Liston triumphed 110-59.
Liston set the tone early on with 28 opening quarter points – fifteen dropping the way of Lao.
Leading by 15 points at quarter time the margin ballooned to 37 points (60-23) by the main break as Lao and Giavanni Helu bossed proceedings.
Kelston produced a better showing in the third period as Rodman Fuaivaa and Real Wheaton found some scoring touch.
Ronnie Juan and Ieremia protected the Liston advantage – the win moving them to equal second on the league ladder.
Liston 110 – Lao 36, Ieremia 25, Helu 17, Ronnie Juan 14, Jeydin Ale 6, Tatenda Chataira 6
On the back of a stunning 46 points haul from Richard Campbell Manurewa High School outlasted Avondale College to win 91-77.
Avondale began the game in style opening up an 11-point advantage with Liam Takenaka-Wesley scoring 12 first quarter points.
Despite Tommi Lautaimi and Takenaka-Wesley continuing to trouble their defence Manurewa High did managed to claw a few points back to close the gap to 8 points at half-time (45-37).
Despite sitting out a large chunk of the third due to foul trouble Jarell Tuhega scored 8 points in the period as Manurewa rallied to tie proceedings at 56 points apiece.
From there Manurewa ran riot in the fourth quarter as they amassed 35 points – Richard Campbell with twenty of those and Gordon Campbell with eight.
Avondale 77 – Takenaka-Wesley 20, Deuel Lelaulu 12, Lautaimi 12, Akram Al Wakeel 9, Jaycob Holmes 8, AJ Tsukada 8
Manurewa 91 – R Campbell 46, Tuhega 14, Gordon Campbell 13, Joseph Helu 9
While all below them on the ladder are scrapping for semi-final berths Northcote College moved serenely to a tenth win on the bounce defeating Selwyn College 93-55.
Once again shooting guard Aaron Sievert did most of the damage amassing 39 points with 13 of those in the first quarter as Northcote opened up a 31-12 advantage.
Shunta Shinzaki (13 points) and Tane Cook (15 points) provided good support as ‘Cote rattled up 55 first half points.
Selwyn rallied in the third as James MacDonald, Archie Elliot and Jerry Hing scored a brace of baskets apiece but it wasn’t enough to trouble Aik Ho and his charges.
Unfortunately there is not a lot to report from the Senior A Girl’s competition as two of the three games had teams default.
Avondale College defaulted against Manurewa High School and Auckland Girls Grammar did the same against unbeaten Rangitoto College.
In the one game that was played Mt Roskill Grammar defeated One Tree Hill College 63-59 with Nelly Ioane scoring 20 points.
Ten of those points came in the opening quarter – one won 18-11 by Roskill.
The second quarter was split 18 points apiece by the two sides. Syriah Muipu, on her way to a game high 24 points had 6 points in the period and Melaia Tuisuva 7 points.
Emphasising the closeness of the game the third period was also tied – 15 points each. A triple from Havana Iaea preventing Roskill from losing the quarter.
OTH would go on to win the final stanza (15-12) meaning that slow start ended up being costly – one they couldn’t quite recover from.
Westlake Girls High School returned to the top of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier Grade ladder after a 67-58 victory at Mt Albert Grammar School.
It was far from a straight forward victory as Wai Clarken dropped 42 points to keep the MAGS team in the contest.
The first quarter was shaded 14-13 by Westlake before a personal dual between Clarken and Rebecca Moors unfolded in the second.
The MAGS captain scored 13 points while Moors, recently returned from the NBA Academy Men’s and Women’s Games in Atlanta, Georgia scored a dozen for Westlake – their lead 36-32 at half-time.
Clarken & Co were held to 10 points in the third period while Emma Schroeder, on her way to a team high 20 points, scored 11 of those in the spell.
Clarken, Jorjia Fiu and Lara-Poppy Cocker-Lemalie kept the pressure on the visitors but the combined scoring efforts of Zenthia Stowers, Lily Fotu, Katie Moors and Schroeder in the fourth saw Westlake to the win.
Ritorya Tamilo returned to high school basketball following a successful Asia Cup campaign with the Tall Ferns in Sydney earlier in the month to post 32 points as Baradene College defeated Epsom Girls Grammar School 84-55.
In dominant form throughout Tamilo posted 8 points in the first, Deyna Topia added 9 points while Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs chimed in with 6 points. Baradene were out to a 26-18 quarter time lead despite 9 points from Leah Patuwairua.
Maya Fowler made a couple of baskets for Epsom in the second period although a triple from Amelia Nathan and 6 points from Topia saw Baradene to a 42-31 half-time lead.
The third period determined the outcome with Epsom held to just 8 points. Tamilo had 12 points in the quarter as Epsom were outscored by 13 points.
Ahead 63-29 at the start of the fourth frame Baradene cruised to a third win of the season.
Epsom 55 – Fowler 18, Patuwairua 16, Kiyara Te Amo 5
After helping the New Zealand team claim bronze at the U16 Asia Cup in Jordan last week Bailey Flavell was back in familiar territory on Friday to help Takapuna Grammar School to a comfortable 79-39 home win against St Mary’s College.
The New Zealand guard scored 7 first quarter points to compliment Amy McKenzie’s 12 and when Arabella Neville landed a triple Takapuna were 28-7 ahead.
Neville repeated the trick to start the next period and with McKenzie up to 20 points the hosts were in total command at half-time leading 50-13.
The third quarter favoured Taka again allowing Coach Katelin Noyer to empty the bench in the fourth period. St Mary’s pounced to enjoy their best spell of the game – India Nash and Layla Aholelei moving into double figures.
After the conclusion of Round 10 fixtures the top four, and therefore semi-finalists, of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Grade have almost been finalised.
Mt Albert Grammar and Rosmini College are assured of semi-final berths with St Kentigern College and Auckland Grammar just a win away from joining them.
The St Kentigern College post Aaron Young era got off to a successful start as they eased to a 97-56 win at Rangitoto College.
Young’s successful eight year tenure as Head Coach – one that included the 2019 Secondary Schools National Championship crown – has come to an end due to his assistant coach appointments with the Tall Blacks and Perth Wildcats.
St Kent’s got off to a flyer with a 28-15 opening salvo – 9 points for George Turner amongst the rush of points.
Arnold Nam and Joel Brown were soon into double figures for Rangi but were powerless to stop the flow of points at the other end. Hunter Te Ratana and Charlie Hughes helping St Kent’s forge a 54-27 half-time lead.
Rangi made a much improved showing in the third with Jackson Mills and Nam threes complimenting half a dozen points from Brown.
The visitors reasserted their dominance in the final quarter as Noah Heke and Frankie Groves rounded out a strong St Kent’s performance.
Incoming St Kent’s Head Coach Val Te Ratana has win number one on the board!
Rangitoto 56 – Brown 22, Nam 14, Elyas Taher 10, Mills 6
St Kentigern 97 – Turner 18, Merrick Rillstone 18, Te Ratana 15, Groves 12, Heke 9, Hughes 9
With the triumvirate of Dante Matakatea, Louis Uri and Harri Coker-Grey enjoying 20-point outings Mt Albert Grammar School remain unbeaten after an 89-68 win against Westlake Boys High.
Max Riechelmann scored 8 first quarter points for Westlake although Matakatea notched 11 for MAGS who edged the opening period 20-17.
It was equally as close in the second stanza. Three point plays from Kade Cartwright and Coker-Grey were countered by Troy Wentworth and Gabriel Ames as Westlake refused to go away, trailing by just five points at half-time (40-35).
Harper Wilson and Noah Rasmussen helped the Westlake cause although a flurry of points from Matakatea and Coker-Grey – the pair combined to score the last 16 points in the quarter for MAGS as they led 64-54 ahead of the last quarter.
Hadi Alshami made a couple of inside baskets for Lake but a dozen points from Uri in the fourth, ensured a tenth straight wins for MAGS.
A blistering opening quarter at Sacred Heart College saw the home team put on 31 points to set the tone for an emphatic 93-70 win – their second win of the campaign – against St Peter’s College. A dozen of those points were scored by Preston Tuaputa while Tyrell Cocker chimed in with eleven.
Sixteen points adrift, St Peter’s were much improved in the second period – 17 points from Spencer Carr meant they turned around 53-38 adrift at half-time.
In a low scoring third quarter a couple of scores from Bryan Marsters were trumped by 7 points from Sam Snowdon as Heart carried a 66-50 lead into the last frame.
Bailey Smith, Luke Thompson and Caleb Afeaki knocked down threes for the visitors but 13 fourth quarter points from Matt Fautuaalii-Taia, the leading scorer in the game, ensured there were no late dramas for Heart.
St Peter’s 70 –Carr 22, Thompson 11, Gus Dallow 11
In the closest contest of the round Rosmini College eked out an 85-75 home victory against Auckland Grammar School despite a game high 23 points from Ryan Hunt.
The Grammar skipper had 7 points in the opening period and with Jackson Kiss nabbing 8 points the visitors led 26-24 at quarter time.
A couple of triples from Chris Wyllie were much needed for Rosmini to counter 8 points from Hunt – Grammar ahead 43-39 at half-time.
Rosmini advanced their score by threes in the third as Josh Batty, Noah Johns, Josh and Chris Wyllie all converted from deep. However Roera Tipene, Kiss and Hunt combined to keep the scoreboard ticking for the visitors, their lead still four points (66-62) with ten to play.
A scoring burst initiated by Zion Anderson and Liam Bates pushed Rosmini into the lead, one they protected successfully down the stretch.
A contest that saw 61 fouls called, and six players foul out, eventually went the way of Rosmini as they made the most of frequent trips to the free throw line.
Rosmini 85 – J Wyllie 18, C Wyllie 17, Anderson 13, Bart Jackowski 11, Batty 8
AGS 75 – Hunt 23, Kiss 16, Kalid Petzer 8, Tipene 7, Roman Ma’afu-Moerua 7
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