Following Round 9 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier Grade competition Westlake Girls High will head to the High School World Championships Tournament in China in a good frame of mind after defeating Manurewa High School for a tenth straight victory this season.
In other results Epsom Girls Grammar won their first game of the season and Rangitoto College defeated Northcote College.
Westlake Girls registered a 70-50 home win although visitors Manurewa High School gave a really good account of themselves against the defending champions.
Emma Schroeder had 9 opening quarter points for Westlake but half a dozen from Bella Manu-Moore meant the margin was just five points (17-12) at quarter time.
The Westlake lead then grew to 32-21 at half-time with Shyloh Udomsak and Kodee Williams-Sefo playing strong hands.
Threes from Manu-Moore and Emily Tanira ensured that Manurewa kept pace with their hosts during the third period – the teams headed into the final frame with Westlake ahead 49-36.
Manurewa, with Taisha Tanira scoring 8 fourth quarter points, kept plugging away but strong play from Charlotte Mawston and triples from Williams-Sefo, Udomsak and Schroeder finally saw off the Manurewa challenge.
Westlake 70 – Schroeder 17, Mawston 16, Udomsak 9, Williams-Sefo 8, Brydie McMillan 6
Manurewa 50 – T Tanira 15, Manu-Moore 14, E Tanira 12
Epsom Girls Grammar can finally celebrate a win after defeating Takapuna Grammar 64-39.
Ironically the victory was achieved without head coach Jelena Vučinič and captain Draun Forbes. Both, along with the Takapuna duo of Bailey Flavell and Amy McKenzie, were on duty at the Women’s Tupu League play-offs in Tauranga.
Epsom started well forging a 14-9 quarter one lead and they would build on that throughout as Takapuna struggled at the offensive end.
Kiyara Te Amo was in double figures by half-time with the Epsom lead 32-26.
Despite strong performances from the Taka duo of Natalja Burton and Mania Watson the Epsom advantage grew steadily in the second half with Mya Kingi and Ivy Tino scoring regularly.
Epsom 64 – Te Amo 18, Tino 17, Kingi 10, Kiki Reti 6
Takapuna 39 – Burton 14, Watson 12, Amelia Glen 6
In the closest game of the round Rangitoto College did just enough to defeat Northcote College as they ran out 79-67 winners on their home court.
Rangitoto were out the gate the quickest – a pair of triples apiece from Maddison Skelton and Sienna Maurice took them to a 23-16 lead after ten minutes.
Northcote steadied the ship in the second with DJ Hannah – on her way to a game high 24 points – and Ema Lavemaau combining for 13 points enabling the visitors to turn around with a deficit of just eight points (38-30).
Threes from Hannah, Abby Allan and Misha Aitchison sparked Northcote in the third but points from Eva Veale – headed for a team high 21 – and Maurice were enough to keep Rangi in the ascendancy (58-47) at the last break.
Lisa Gear and Lily Morgan buckets kept Northcote in the hunt but 7 fourth quarter points from Aitchison and a late three from Laurence guided Rangitoto to the win, one that keeps their top four aspirations alive.
Rangitoto 79 – Veale 21, Maurice 18, Skelton 14, Laurence 7, Mela Andrews 7
Northcote 67 – Hannah 24, Gear 14, Morgan 9, Allan 7, Lavemaau 7
Standings:
10-0 Westlake
6-3 Takapuna
5-4 Manurewa, St Kentigern, Rangitoto
2-6 MAGS
2-7 Northcote
1-8 Epsom
*Mt Albert Grammar v St Kentigern College fixture postponed to term 3.
LACEY LOWDOWN 