At the halfway mark of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Premier Grade regular season there is a three-way tie at the top of the standings with Auckland Grammar, Westlake Boys and Rosmini College each having 6-1 records.
Previously unbeaten Auckland Grammar were involved in the game of the round, and probably the season to date, on Monday night when travelling to Westlake Boys. In a pulsating affair that went to overtime Westlake, courtesy of a put back on the buzzer from young guard Daley Pohio, pipped Grammar 99-98.
It was plain sailing for Westlake in the early minutes as they forged a 34-16 opening quarter lead with Noah Rasmussen rushing to a dozen points.
AGS came to life in the second scoring 22 points but still found themselves adrift 49-38 at the interval.
A couple of And-1 effort plays from Troy Supple were countered by triples from Sol Anderson and Taye Thompson meaning Westlake were 66-55 ahead at three-quarter time although the fun was about to unfold.
With Jackson Kiss and Lawson Pryor to the fore Grammar produced a 15-3 run midway through the fourth to grab their first lead of the game before Supple tied proceedings at 75 points apiece.
A good Monday night crowd were kept on the edge of their seats during the final four minutes as the two teams went basket for basket.
Pohio put Westlake up 80-79 with 3 minutes to play and Harper Wilson made it 82-79 with under 2 to play.
Each time a resolute Grammar hit back with Kiss reeling off a couple of acrobatic plays and when he and Brigham Hakaraia made scores Grammar led 86-84 inside the final minute.
A Westlake timeout produced the required response – a Rasmussen drive through traffic tying an absorbing contest.
The five lead changes in the last four minutes of regulation were a taster for what transpired in the extra five minutes.
Kiss scored the opening points of overtime before baskets from Supple and Rasmussen took Lake ahead 90-88.
With 2:12 to play a corner three from Pohio eased Lake to a 94-89 lead but before the home fans nerves eased Grammar put together a 7-0 run courtesy of Ryan Hunt and Lawson Pryor.
Down 96-94 Wilson found nothing but net from beyond the arc only for Hunt to put the visitors ahead by a point once again.
Westlake had 9 seconds to conjure up a winner and although the final play didn’t pan out the way coach Karl Noyer planned, Daley Pohio was in the right place to grab a wayward first attempt and sink his put back before the home bench erupted and swept him off his feet!
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Westlake 99 – Rasmussen 26, Supple 20, Pohio 16, Wilson 13
AGS 98 – Kiss 30, Hunt 19, Anderson 12, Thompson 11, Hakaraia 11, Pryor 9
Rosmini College also have a 6-1 record after a 94-64 home win against Mt Roskill Grammar School with Jameer Reed and Bart Jackowski logging 24 points each.
Both were on the scoresheet as the hosts scored the first 8 points of the game before Silas Toala got Roskill on the board.
Tino Seuiavatele had 8 first half points for Roskill but significant contributions from all the Rosmini starters meant their lead was 43-25 at half-time.
Led by Wai Tonga Roskill battled away gamely in the second half but Rosmini were not seriously troubled as they secured the W.
Rosmini 94 – Jackowski 24, Reed 24, Chris Wyllie 17, Mattie Dalton 13, Josh Wyllie 9
Mt Roskill 64 – Tonga 15, Seuiavatele 11, Zach Kemen 7, Toala 6, Ezra Osbuze 6
Mt Albert Grammar School, paced by a 30-point outing from Mose Leiasamaivao, made it consecutive wins with a 77-69 victory at St Peter’s College.
Alex Davis scored 9 first quarter points as St Peter’s edged the opening phase 23-22. It was equally tight in the second – Mose Leiasamaivao the difference maker as MAGS turned around for the second half 40-39 ahead.
Eight points from Mikey Moses and timely threes from Leiasamaivao and Dayton Simkin stretched the MAGS lead to 64-54 at the three-quarter mark.
MAGS were able to protect their lead although after a Spencer Carr three St Peter’s were able to close within 3 points. The response came from Lucas Cartwright – the MAGS guard hit a triple and then converted a couple of free-throws to ease his team over the line.
St Peter’s College 69 – Davis 16, Carr 15, Bryan Marsters 9, Connor Freeman 8
Mt Albert Grammar 77 – Leiasamaivao 31, Moses 13, Dante Tapula’aia 10, Cartwright 7
There was also a 30-point performance at St Kentigern College where the hosts defeated Sacred Heart College 102-78.
On a night when St Kent’s made fifteen threes Cooper Te Ratana made six of them in logging a season high 30 points.
Two of his triples were in the opening quarter and with Charlie Hughes and Cooper Lepou also successful from deep St Kent’s were 27-16 ahead at the first break.
Cameron Stewart scored 10 first half points for Sacred Heart but they trailed 50-28 at half-time.
Threes continued to rain down from St Kent’s – from six different players – in the second half but Sacred Heart, with Sam Snowdon and Max Hakarai keeping the score ticking over, didn’t allow the margin to escalate.
St Kentigern College 102 – C Te Ratana 30, Hunter Te Ratana 19, Lepou 18, Hughes 12, Jamie Griffiths 7
Sacred Heart 78 – Snowdon 21, Stewart 16, Hakaraia 12, Jamie Vile 8
Standings:
6-1 Westlake, Rosmini, AGS
4-3 St Kentigern
2-5 St Peter’s, Sacred Heart, MAGS
0-7 Mt Roskill
In other news Dilworth School beat Rangitoto College 78-73 in the matchup between the top two teams in Senior A.
LACEY LOWDOWN 