In an entertaining exciting Girls Senior A Grand Final, Carmel College held their collective nerve over the closing minutes to defeat Auckland Girls Grammar School 75-70.
In the regular season fixtures between the two there had been a win apiece with both games decided by single figure margins so it was no surprise that this game went down to the wire also.
Carmel were 56-55 ahead at three-quarter time but Fuchsia Trail, Faith Hurt and Zara Avaulii combined to push AGGS into the lead only for Leighton Esera to tie proceedings at 59 points apiece.
Then it was the turn of Ella Drake, the game’s outstanding player, to step up. Drake, headed for a stunning 37 points, made her TENTH three of the game to take Carmel into the lead and when Ruby Railton scored from close range it was a 64-59 lead.
AGGS weren’t finished as skipper Faith Hurt reduced the margin to 64-61 with under 4 minutes to play but their chances of victory diminished when Lily Farman nailed her second three of the game.
Drake and Ryn Nikoia exchanged baskets and from there Carmel held their nerve at the free-throw line – Farman, Ruby Railton and Zahara Tibbotts combining for a perfect 6 from 6 to hold AGGS at bay.
Earlier Drake had made 11 points to give Carmel a 24-21 advantage before the Nikoia’s, Grady and Ryn, were instrumental in powering AGGS to a 44-34 half-time lead.
Drake took over in the third sinking five triples in the spell and with Railton adding to the scoring the deficit was erased and a one point lead established (56-55).
From there it was nip and tuck through the final period with Carmel doing just enough to clinch a hard earned win and with it the title.
The result means Carmel will face Epsom Girls Grammar in one promotion/relegation game next year while AGGS will have the unenviable task of taking on Westlake Girls High.
Carmel 75 – Drake 37, Railton 19, Farman 8
AGGS 70 – G Nikoia 23, R Nikoia 14, Avaulii 9, H Hurt 8, F Hurt 7
LACEY LOWDOWN 