Auckland Grammar School and Westlake Boys High School are the only two teams to come through unscathed after two rounds of the highly competitive Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Grade competition. The pair are two from two over the opening two weeks with all other teams having lost at least once.
Auckland Grammar won an entertaining early season tussle at Rosmini College 96-89. There was little between the teams in the early exchanges – Rosmini ahead 46-45 at half-time.
Grammar made their move in the third as they established a double figure lead (67-57) and that was still the margin at the three-quarter mark (74-64) after Jackson Kiss had scored 14 points in the spell.
Chris Wyllie scored 10 points in the fourth to reduce the deficit to single figures but 12 from Ryan Hunt and some key plays from Roman Ma’afu-Moerua ensured the visiting fans left the happier.
Jameer Reed paced Rosmini with 31 points with his fellow 2024 New Zealand U17 selection Jackson Kiss leading the Grammar effort.
Rosmini 89 – Reed 31, C Wyllie 21, Liam Bates 21, J Wyllie 7, Bart Jackowski 7
AGS 96 – Kiss 30, Hunt 26, Ma’afu-Moerua 13, Brigham Hakaraia 8, Roera Tipene 7
Westlake Boys also made it two from two with a convincing 118-73 victory at Sacred Heart. Lake piled on 59 first half points and, enjoying double figure contributions from seven players, went on to win all four quarters.
Troy Supple paced Westlake with 24 points with 18 from Oscar Neville the next best however it was very much a team effort from the Swans.
Sam Snowdon led the Sacred Heart effort with a game high 29 points – skipper Jamie Vile adding 19.
Sacred Heart 73 – Snowdon 29, Vile 19, See Ieremia 9
Westlake 118 – Supple 24, Neville 18, Noah Rasmussen 15, Andre Bautista 12, Daly Pohio 11, Harper Wilson 10, Malakhai Jewell-Joyner 10
A strong first half showing was the catalyst to St Kentigern College securing an 84-77 away win at Mt Albert Grammar.
St Kent’s were 20-13 ahead at the first break and stretched that out to 54-27 at the half-time with Ari Taylor and Hunter Te Ratana doing damage.
MAGS were hampered by losing Dante Tapula’aia to a first quarter injury but fought back well in the second half with Lucas Cartwright and Mose Leiasamaivao leading the revival.
Fourth quarter triples from Te Ratana, Charlie Hughes and Cooper Lepou sealed the victory for St Kent’s and a first Prems win for coach Josh Davis.
MAGS 77 – Leiasamaivao 23, Cartwright 20, Mikey Moses 12, Dayton Simkin 9
St Kentigern 84 – Taylor 23, Te Ratana 21, Lepou 11, Hughes 10
St Peter’s College forged a 23-15 first quarter lead at Mt Roskill Grammar and with double figure contributions from Gus Dallow and Mario Nola led 37-29 at half-time.
Tino Seuiavatele and Zachan Kemen were the best in a spirited Roskill effort but it wasn’t quite enough to see off the Saints challenge.
It doesn’t get any easier for Roskill as they visit Auckland Grammar next Friday while St Peter’s will entertain Sacred Heart.
Mt Roskill 64 – Seuiavatele 22, Kemen 13, Wai Tonga 9
St Peter’s 77 – Nola 24, Dallow 20, Spencer Carr 14, Bryan Marsters 7
LACEY LOWDOWN 