With the top two sides in the competition going head to head many predicted the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Premier Grand-Final would be a close affair.
However, in front of a packed house at Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland Grammar School made no race of it running away from Rosmini College to win 91-55. Grammar Assistant Coach Dave MacKay was at the helm the last time they claimed the title and that was back in 2011 when future Tall Blacks captain Reuben Te Rangi led the blue and gold.
This time around the honour went to current skipper Ryan Hunt (17 points), one of three Grammar players in double figures, alongside Lawson Pryor (12 points) and the outstanding Jackson Kiss who produced an effortless looking 24.
Whilst Kiss was the outstanding individual it was a complete team performance from Grammar with all 11 players making contributions on the scoreboard and at the defensive end as they kept Rosmini to their lowest score of the season.
Hunt opened the scoring with a triple – the first of four from the Junior Tall Black – and with his team reeling off the first 10 points they were ominous signs for Rosmini.
Taye Thomson and Bobby Neels also dropped threes and with Kiss slamming down a trademark dunk Grammar were out to a 22-11 quarter time lead.
Bart Jackowski and Josh Wyllie (14 points) landed from deep in the second but another three from Hunt and an acrobatic make from Kiss helped Grammar to a 42-25 advantage at the main break.
Jameer Reed gave the large contingent of Rosmini supporters something to cheer in the third stanza – the NZ U17 representative making 13 of his team high 19 points in the period.
However Kiss, his national team colleague, was at his dominant best whether providing rim protection at the defensive end or making athletic plays in the offensive half.
Grammar led 66-43 at the three-quarter mark and soon after giving his team a 30-point advantage Kiss departed in unusual circumstances. After throwing down a two handed flush he was forced to hobble from the court, with a grin and a grimace.
The grimace was brought on by a bout of cramp – the grin an acknowledgement of a job well done.
Deep into the fourth Sunny Nair and Xavier Wells made consolation threes for Rosmini before Tom Curteis put the icing on a comprehensive victory with a late triple – Lindsay Tait and his charges finishing the season with an impressive 15-1 record (Rosmini 13-3).
AGS 91 – Kiss 24, Hunt 17, Pryor 12, Thomson 6, Carver Gibson 6, Neels 5, Noah MacKay 5, Jackson Couper 5
Rosmini 55 – Reed 19, J Wyllie 14, Hunter Johns 6, Jackowski 5
LACEY LOWDOWN 