Westlake Girls High School defeated Mt Albert Grammar School 90-61 to win the Zone 1 National Championships Qualifying Tournament, at Eventfinda Stadium on Saturday evening. In so doing Westlake have completed the double of winning the Auckland Premier Grade title and the Qualifying Tournament for the second successive year.
MAGS, with Jorjia Fiu nailing a triple and Wai Clarken in good scoring touch, had parity at the end of a fast flowing opening quarter – the scores locked at 21 points apiece.
Clarken and Fiu each made a brace of scores in the second but with Elin Vincent and Amy Pateman dropping triples and Zenthia Stowers piercing the MAGS defence, Westlake had a 40-30 lead by half-time.
Phoenix Kaipo nailed a triple for MAGS before Westlake skipper Rebecca Moors amassed 15 third quarter points to carry her team to a commanding 71-43 lead at three-quarter time.
Westlake had little trouble negotiating their way through the final frame and will now look forward to defending their National title in Palmerston North at the end of the month.
Westlake 90 – Moors 27, Lily Fotu 14, Pateman 13, Emma Schroeder 13, Stowers 8
MAGS 61 – Clarken 33, Fiu 11, Kaipo 5
Joining Westlake and MAGS at Nationals will be fellow Prems teams Epsom Girls Grammar, Takapuna Grammar and Baradene College. They will be joined by Senior A champions Manurewa High School who it is believed will be making their first ever trip to the National champs.
Other Results – Top 6 teams all qualifying for Nationals.
3rd/4th Playoff: Manurewa High 62 Takapuna Grammar 44
5th/6th Playoff: Epsom Girls Grammar 54 Baradene College 48
7th/8th Playoff: Northcote College 86 Rangitoto College 68
LACEY LOWDOWN 