Aaron Sievert scored a scarcely believable 67 points as Northcote College wrapped up the Auckland Secondary Schools Senior A regular season title by defeating Manurewa High School 117-62.
Sievert has posted numerous 50-plus scores in the past two seasons but his haul against Manurewa sets a new Northcote record and one that your editor doesn’t recall been bettered by any player in recent years.
In other games Mt Roskill Grammar (10-3) wrapped up runners-up spot with a convincing 73-58 win over Liston College who are now tied with Dilworth School in third spot – both teams boasting 8-5 records.
If games go with form in the final round on Friday the semi-final match-ups will be Northcote v Dilworth and Mt Roskill v Liston.
Richard Campbell and Jarell Tuhega led the Manurewa effort at Northcote but nothing was getting in the way of the Sievert bombardment.
Northcote 117 – Sievert 67, Tane Cook 9, Noah Blandford 8, Shunta Shinzaki 7
Manurewa 62 – R Campbell 21, Tuhega 17, Issacher Pati 6
In the head to head between the second and third placed teams Mt Roskill proved too good for Liston College winning 73-58 with Mitchell Greenaway posting 27 points.
Rasheed Ieremia put up 16 points for Liston but Roskill, coming off a very good win against Northcote, carried that form into this clash.
Mt Roskill 73 – M Greenaway 27, Ngawaka Rakete 12, Haisem Osman 11, Daniel Greenaway 11
Liston 58 – Ieremia 16, Dhon Lao 11, Zhymon Moreno 8
Also in good form are Dilworth. With a 2-4 record after six games they have won six of their last seven games to steadily climb up the ladder. Their latest success was a 77-61 defeat of Selwyn College with George Hardie and Ezrah Eagle putting together 20-point games.
The consistent Ashton Muraahi scored a team high 23 points for Selwyn.
Selwyn 61 – Muraahi 23, Alfred Casiple 11, Luca Vietri 9, Jerry Hing 8
Dilworth 77 – Hardie 24, Eagle 21, Kingston Kailahi-Aso 18, Ikahui Mahe 12
In the final game of the round Kelston Boys High had a come from behind victory against Avondale College winning 95-74 with Sam Tuitupou, Rodman Fuaivaa and Alec Phillips combining for 65 points.
With AJ Tsukada and Liam Takenaka-Wesley in good form Avondale led 44-42 at half-time but were run down in the second half.
Avondale 74 – AJ Tsukada 23, Takenaka-Wesley 23, Akram Al Wakeel 9, Jacob Holmes 8
Kelston 95 – Tuitupou 23, Rodman Fuaivaa 21, Alec Phillips 21, Real Wheaton 15, Sione Filimoehala 10
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Boy’s Senior A Standings
12-1 Northcote
10-3 Mt Roskill
8-5 Liston, Dilworth
5-8 Selwyn, Kelston
4-9 Manurewa
0-13 Avondale
Unfortunately the news from the Girls Senior A competition is scarce. Rangitoto College defeated Manurewa High School to remain unbeaten but we don’t have a final score and Auckland Girls Grammar beat One Tree Hill College 60-51 but no further details are available.
In the other game Carmel College beat Mt Roskill Grammar School in a thriller 65-63.
Eight points from Bree Ioane edged Roskill ahead 14-11 before Carmel enjoyed the better of the second period. Ella Drake knocked down three triples in the spell and with Annie Gaylard also connecting from deep the Carmel lead at half-time was 36-28.
The third stanza belonged to Roskill (19-11) as Adra Kaufusi and Bree pushed the visitors ahead -a triple from Nelly Ioane tying the scores at 47 points apiece.
There was little to choose between the two teams down the stretch. The Ioane’s combined for a dozen points in the fourth but threes from Drake (she made six in the game) and 8 points from Gaylard proved just enough to get Carmel the victory.
Mt Roskill 63 – Bree Ioane 28, Nelly Ioane 17, Billee Koonwaiyou 7, Kaufusi 6
Carmel 65 – Drake 22, Gaylard 17, Ruby Railton 14
In the final round on Friday the winner of the Auckland Girls Grammar v Mt Roskill Grammar tie will claim the fourth semi-final berth – the winner to take on Rangitoto College.
Avondale had the bye.
Senior A Girls Standings
11-0 Rangitoto
8-3 Manurewa, Carmel
5-6 Mt Roskill, AGGS
3-9 One Tree Hill
0-11 Avondale
*Massey High School have withdrawn from the competition
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