Manurewa High School claimed the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A Championship with an exciting 74-71 victory over Rangitoto College at Trusts Arena on Thursday the first defeat of the season inflicted on Rangi.
The game featured two outstanding scoring performances by Bella Manu-Moore (33 points for Manurewa) and Eva Veale (35 points for Rangitoto) although ultimately it was Manu-Moore’s 14 fourth quarter points that decided the contest.
The first half was a tale of contrasting fortunes for both teams. Manurewa scored the first 13 points of the game and led 24-12 at quarter time with Emily Tanira and Shirley Tuilimu in good scoring touch.
The tide turned in the second quarter as Veale found her scoring touch and when Madison Skelton nailed a three-pointer Rangitoto had a 38-32 lead.
The third period was split 24 points apiece with Manu-Moore and Beautiful Campbell doing the damage for Manurewa while Veale and Mela Andrews kept Rangi in the lead.
At the mid-point of the fourth quarter Wai Hetaraka-Brown gave Manurewa their first lead since early in the second period and from there the teams went basket for basket.
Inside the last two minutes Andrews would make it a two point game and then Veale a one-point margin.
However Manurewa’s dominance on the boards was highlighted by their final two scores of the game with Manu-Moore crashing the offensive boards on both occasions for put back baskets – match and championship winning plays.
Rangitoto 71 – Veale 35, Andrews 12, Skelton 11
Manurewa 74 – Manu-Moore 33, E Tanira 15, Campbell 7, Tuilimu 6
The Boy’s Senior A Final was equally exciting with Liston College defeating Mt Roskill Grammar School 60-58 in a game that was in the balance until the last play of the game.
Liston edged the opening quarter 14-11 and in a tense opening half increased their advantage to 31-23 at the main break with Dhon Lao scoring 12 points for Liston.
Haisem Osman gave Manurewa a 35-33 lead as they had much the better of the second quarter. With Mitchell Greenaway scoring 11 points in the period Roskill were 43-39 ahead at the three-quarter time mark.
A couple of Daniel Greenaway scores kept Roskill ahead (48-45) but they were outscored through the middle stages of the fourth and trailed 54-53 with under four minutes to play after a Lao basket.
A transition basket from Osman gave Roskill a narrow 55-54 lead before a banked three from Rasheed Ieremia, with 2:45 on the clock, restored the Liston lead (57-55).
A Ronnie Juan free-throw increased the lead to three only for Ngawaka Rakete to cut it to one with 41 seconds to play.
Both teams created scoring opportunities in the closing seconds but it was successful free-throws from Lao and Ieremia that sealed the win and the title for Liston.
Mt Roskill 58 – M Greenaway 17, D Greenaway 10, Osman 9, Rakete 7, Ryan Aramoana 7
Liston 60 – Ieremia 20, Lao 15, Jeydin Ale 8, Juan 7
LACEY LOWDOWN 