LACEY LOWDOWN

Courtesy of Kelly Vivian at Spinnerchild Photography

In the latest round of Girls Premier grade action in Auckland Orewa College celebrated its first win of the season with Mt Albert Grammar and Auckland Grammar also gaining W’s.

At Rangitoto a low scoring opening quarter was edged by Orewa College 12-11.

When Rangitoto opened up a 25-14 advantage in the second quarter Orewa coach Jane Finlayson, probably fearing another tough night for her charges, called a timeout.

Up to that point Mania Spooner and Ella Moore had been dictating terms for the hosts but on the resumption Sophie Emmitt and Shan-Lee Swanepoel made much needed baskets for Orewa. A long two from Hannah Wentworth on the half-time buzzer reduced the deficit to a more manageable 31-22.

Megan Hoare and Arianna Henare scored back-to-back baskets at the mid point of the third as Orewa closed to 36-29 – the turn of Rangi coach Tony Pompallier to call a timeout.

Spooner produced the required response with a basket but Wentworth nailed a three and Janke Pretorius converted a finger roll lay up to make it a two point game – Henare tied proceedings at 38 all. The momentum was all Orewa’s winning the quarter 20-7 to lead 42-38 at the third break.

Another 11-2 surge, including a Wentworth triple, increased the Orewa advantage to ten points.

A spinning drive from Spooner and a hook shot from Centaine Noon-Duckworth helped Rangi but Pretorius kept finding her way to the basket for the visitors

When Wentworth nailed a long three with 2:02 to play an Orewa victory looked likely – when she repeated the dose a couple of plays later the first win of the season became a certainty.

Score: Rangitoto 53 – Spooner 17, Moore 16, Noon-Duckworth 8, Campbell 6

Orewa 67 – Wentworth 20, Emmitt 12, Pretorius 12, Henare 8

After a couple of recent successes Carmel College were brought back to earth with a thump by Auckland Girls Grammar going down 111-40.

The encounter threw up a couple of interesting statistics. The Ropati twins, Mariah and Teneva, shared 62 points for Auckland and Tayla Dalton scored a staggering 70% of Carmel’s points – 28 from 40.

The writing was on the wall for Carmel in the first period as Grammar raced to a 30-7 lead increased to 56-16 by the interval.

The Ropati’s were doing most of the damage but Zhanay Hettig and Mele Latu also chipped in with telling points.

The only hindrance to the AGGS progress, other than the continuous efforts of Dalton, was a twenty minutes lights failure.

Power was restored but it remained gloomy for Carmel as they slid to a heavy defeat.

Score: AGGS 111 – M Ropati 32, T Ropati 30, Hettig 18, Latu 12

Carmel 40 – Dalton 28, Green 4

The meeting of a couple of quality forwards was one of the features of the Westlake versus Mt Albert Grammar tie. The pair didn’t disappoint as Sharne Pupuke-Robati scored a game high 32 points for MAGS and Lake captain Keeley Tini led the home team resistance with 27 points.

Pupuke-Robati set the tone in the opening quarter landing 13 points as MAGS ked 26-22.

Jordyn Maddix landed a triple for Westlake at the outset of the second and Emme Shearer collected eight points in the frame but MAGS still led 43-40 at half-time.

Ten points from Jada Manase in the decisive third period helped MAGS to a 68-59 three-quarter time lead.

Tini and Shearer kept plugging away for Lake but the greater all round scoring threat of the visitors with Manase, Trinity Peau and P-R to the fore carried MAGS to a comfortable win.

Score: Westlake 76 – Tini 27, Shearer 22, Maddix 10, Manolas 9

MAGS 95 – Pupuke-Robati 32, Manase 22, Peau 15, Rangi-Brown 8, Talo-Tomokino 8

The Avondale College v Massey High fixture was postponed to a later date.

Premier Standings

6-1 Mt Albert, Auckland Girls Grammar

5-1 Massey

4-3 Westlake

3-4 Rangitoto

2-5 Carmel

1-6 Orewa

0-6 Avondale

St Mary’s were comfortable 92-48 victors over Mt Roskill in the Senior A competition.

I don’t have the results of Diocesan v Epsom or Birkenhead v Pakuranga.

The newly mounted scoreboard wasn’t the only thing shining brightly at Rangitoto College on Friday night in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier competition.

Rangitoto point guard Harry Clarke put on an illuminating display of his own leading his team to a win against Rosmini College with 19 points (7/13FG), 7 assists and a couple of steals.

Early on Mitchell Dance landed a couple of early threes for Rosmini but it was the home side that made the early pace to lead 26-19 at quarter time.

Cam Stone landed his second triple of the game to open the scoring in the second, another basket from the left hander stretching the Rangi lead further.

Marvin Williams-Dunn got the Rosmini score moving and Will Heather guided home a hook shot but Ethan Mandeno kept Rangi ahead 35-26 at the mid point of the stanza.

Joseph Hylton closed the scoring for the half, Rangitoto ahead 37-32 at the interval.

Hylton made it three on the bounce with the first two baskets of the second half before Clarke scored 9 straight points to push Rangi out to 48-36.

Logan Anderson dropped a three and Rangi were comfortably placed at three-quarter time, 61-51, ahead.

Zack Te Puni kept the Rangi lead at ten points with 6:40 to play –Payne stretched the lead to 73-60 before Caleb Langridge took the game out of sight with a brace of baskets.

Heather converted an And 1 play with 4 minutes to play to reduce the lead to 77-66 but a late Rozza comeback didn’t materialise as Langridge and Stone closed the door on a disappointing performance by their local rivals.

Score: Rangitoto 83 – Payne 19, Anderson 14, Stone 13, Langridge 13, Payne 11

Rosmini 68 – Dance 20, Williams-Dunn 12, Heather 10, Hylton 10

At Macleans College it was all locked up at 28 each in the first half against Auckland Grammar. Blake van Uden had 14 points at the break for the hosts, Rua Winitana 11 points for Grammar.

Grammar enjoyed a nice spread of scoring in the third with Campbell Green and Leroy Brown prominent as the visitors forged a 51-46 lead as the period expired.

Despite eleven points in the fourth from Grammar forward Anzac Rissetto the visitors were run down by a fast finishing Mac-attack.

Michael Babaran started the charge with a three, Harrison Roper added a couple of baskets and Sai Kuvelkar nailed another three.

Alex Arthur and van Uden got in on the action and Macleans sailed home for a second straight win.

Score: Macleans 72 – van Uden 27, Kuvelkar 15, Roper 10, Arthur 8, Babaran 8

Auckland Grammar 64 – Rissetto 21, Winitana 15, Green 10, Brown 8

It was yet another heart breaking loss for Mt Albert Grammar, their third consecutive single digit loss, this time going down 85-80 at Westlake Boys despite a combined 45 points from the forward pairing of Jonty Vink and Jack Morrison.

MAGS made the early running, 11 points from Morrison aiding a 23-19 first period lead.

Jesse Winter put on a shooting exhibition in the second connecting with four straight triples as Westlake gained a slim lead at the break – 44-42.

It was largely Westlake in the third, the hosts opening up a twin figure lead as Marc Malingin and Reuben Fitzgerald found their range. MAGS responded at the back end of the period courtesy of Ryan Laumatia and Mandela Baledrokadroka – 63-59 at the end of the stanza.

A stirring fourth quarter followed – Vink and Theo Hurdley carried MAGS into the lead before Matthew Cairns-Hita made three straight baskets for Westlake including a couple of threes.

A triple from Cole Pocock and more Vink points threatened to undo Westlake but the league leaders regained their composure as Fitzgerald, Winter and Alex Freeman carried them across the line for a seventh straight win.

Score: Westlake 85 – Fitzgerald 22, Winter 16, Cairns-Hita 14, Malingin 10

Mt Albert 80 – Vink 25/12, Morrison 20, Laumatia 11 Baledrokadroka 10

Led by 35 points from Max Shorter, St Kentigern College bounced back from a couple of losses with an 84-76 home win against Kelston Boys.

Six points apiece from Thomas Hyland and Kyle Robb, plus a late three from Zac Chan, capped off a 23-18 opening gambit from St Kentigern.

Matangi Prescott led the Kelston effort with 15 first half points but a couple more triples from Chan and 11 points in the second stanza from Shorter took the hosts out to 44-37 at the interval.

Shorter was terrorising the Kelston defence and he loaded in another dozen points in the third period to extend the St Kent’s lead to double figures.

Kale Lawson and Liam Milne put points on the board for Kelston in the fourth but a timely trey from Ryan Jones and closing points from Robb and Shorter sealed a valuable win for St Kents.

Score: St Kentigern 84 – Shorter 35, Robb 16, Chan 12, Hyland 8

Kelston 76 – Prescott 22, Milne 22, Lawson 21, Brooking 9

Premier Grade Standings

7-0 Westlake

5-1 Rangitoto

4-2 Rosmini

4-3 Auckland Grammarr

3-4 St Kentigern, Macleans

1-6 Mt Albert

0-7 Kelston

Senior A Results

St Peter’s 89 Liston 73

Northcote 113 Pakuranga 81

Manurewa 76 Western Springs 85

Avondale 87 Massey 77

 Senior A Standings

6-1 St Peter’s

5-2 Avondale

4-3 Northcote

3-4 Pakuranga, Liston

3-4 Western Springs

2-3 Manurewa

1-5 Massey

Westlake Girls High School consolidated a top four spot in the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier competition defeating Avondale College 91-24 on Monday night.

A make up game for the fixture postponement  last month Westlake put its foot down early on darting to a 30-3 first quarter lead with Keeley Tini helping herself to nine points and Tabitha Leyson adding a three point play to end the period.

Braxton Robinson scored a couple of baskets for Avondale in the second period but with Emme Shearer landing nine points Westlake finished a dominating half 54-10 ahead.

Led by captain Maclani Michael Avondale put together a more determined effort in the third stanza but still trailed 67-19 at the last break.

Jordyn Maddix and Leyson took their scoring contributions into double figures in the final period – Westlake completing a comfortable fourth win of the season.

Score: Avondale 24 – Michael 8, Robinson 4

Westlake 91 – Tini 18, Shearer 17, Maddix 15, Leyson 11

Premier Standings

5-1 Mt Albert, Massey, Auckland Girls Grammar

4-2 Westlake

3-3 Rangitoto

2-4 Carmel

0-6 Avondale, Orewa

In the game of the round in the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls competition Auckland Girls Grammar School defeated traditional rivals Mt Albert Grammar on Friday.

Zhanay Hettig scored six early points for Auckland and Mele Latu aced a triple as AGGS built a 15-4 first quarter advantage.

Trinity Peau scored nine first half points for MAGS but Rionne Papa and Mariah Ropati added to the visitors’ woes to build a 31-18 first half lead.

MAGS responded in the third period putting 25 points on Auckland as Riana Rangi-Brown and Sharne Pupuke-Robati shared 17 points. With Auckland only ahead 45-43 at three-quarter time the result was in the balance.

Peau and Pupuke-Robati kept the score ticking over for MAGS but not at a pace to match the hosts. Latu delivered 8 points in the fourth and supported by Karma Skilton-Roberts and Teneva Ropati AGGS closed out an important win.

The result creates a three way tie at the top of the table with Massey, AGGS and MAGS all with one loss.

Score: AGGS 69 – Papa 18, Latu 14, T Ropati 12, Hettig 8

MAGS 62 – Pupuke-Robati 17, Rangi-Brown 15, Peau 15, Talo-Tomokino

Further north Rangitoto College entertained Westlake Girls, the pair vying for fourth spot on the ladder. Despite 29 points from Kaitlin Burges it was Westlake that prevailed 90-68.

Mania Spooner broke an 8-0 opening salvo from Westlake but consecutive threes from Emme Shearer and Jordyn Maddix stretched the Lake lead into double figures.

The hard working Bella Elgar earned some visits to the charity stripe and Julia Parker banked a jump shot but the quarter time advantage was heavily in favour of the visitors 32-17.

Rangitoto began the second in much better fashion courtesy of Burgess and Spooner, trimming the advantage to 34-26 four minutes before the break.

Rosie Dil broke the Westlake dry spell with threes from Keeley Tini and Shearer adding to the advantage – 46-31 at half-time.

Burgess led all scorers at the interval with 13 points.

Ella Moore opened the second half scoring for Rangi as Mareta Davidson collected a frustrating fourth foul, a sluggish start to the second half prompted Lake coach Jody Cameron to call a timeout.

A pair of Jess Moors assists helped Westlake back in the scoring groove, Tini and Shearer the beneficiaries.

Back to back baskets from Burgess trimmed the Lake lead but Moors and Piper Manolas answered to keep Westlake ahead 66-50 with ten minutes to play.

Neat inside baskets from Spooner and Burgess kept Rangi in touch but Westlake, with Tini and Shearer combining for 18 points in the fourth, moved comfortably to a third win of the season.

Score: Rangitoto 68 – Burgess 29, Elgar 19, Spooner 10, Campbell 6

Westlake 90 – Shearer 24, Tini 19, Moors 14, Davidson 10

Massey High School took charge of their contest with Orewa College from the outset racing to a 20-5 first quarter lead – Terina Aratangi claiming seven early points.

Orewa guard Hannah Wentworth replied with seven points of her own in the second period but Massey continued to dominate through the scoring efforts of Tessa Nikolaison and Sylvia Wieczorek to lead 43-14 at half time.

Orewa countered with a stronger performance in the third edging the period 12-11, a triple from Arianna Henare helping their cause.

Shauna Povey dominated the final stretch – the Massey combo guard landing four triples in the final 10 minutes to take her personal tally in the game to 22 points.

Score: Orewa 36 – Wentworth 15, Henare 9, Kagan-Downer 7

Massey 71 – Povey 22, Nikolaison 16, Aratangi 12, Wieczorek 9

Carmel College, paced by 28 points from Emily Broomfield and 20 points from Millie Simpson proved too good for Avondale College.

Carmel, with their pressing defence reaping benefits, won each of the first three quarters to lead 45-23 at half-time and 66-28 at the three-quarter mark.

Avondale won the fourth period but it was too little too late.

Score: Avondale 51 – No individual totals available

Carmel 81 – Broomfield 28, Simpson 20, Davidson 8, Rozmus 7

Premier Standings

 5-1 Mt Albert, Massey, Auckland Girls Grammar

3-2 Westlake

3-3 Rangitoto

2-4 Carmel

0-5 Avondale,

0-6 Orewa

Senior A Results

 Birkenhead 54 St Mary’s 78

St Kentigern 74 Diocesan 17

Pakuranga v Epsom – Result unknown

Mt Roskill – bye

Senior A Standings

4-0 St Kentigern

4-1 St Mary’s

3-1 Epsom

2-3 Birkenhead

1-3 Mt Roskill

0-3 Pakuranga

0-4 Diocesan

Round six of the Boys Premier grade pitched perennial rivals Rangitoto College and Westlake Boys, both teams with unbeaten records, against each other.

In an entertaining game it was Westlake that eventually prevailed hauling in a 14 points three-quarter time deficit to win 74-67.

Played in front of another bumper Friday night crowd it was Rangitoto that made the slightly better start to lead 12-7 after a corner three from Logan Anderson.

Alex Freeman scored with his first touch as did Jesse Winter, the scores 19 apiece at the first break.

Harry Clarke opened the scoring in the second with a brace of baskets and although it took almost four minutes for Westlake to score from the field – via Thabo Manyere – they only trailed 25-22.

James Moors, subdued early on, landed a three and Ethan Martin an inside basket but Clarke and Logan Mcintosh kept Rangi marginally ahead.

Jarred Thornton was battling hard under the boards for the short handed hosts but he could do nothing about a Manyere slam.

Arching threes from Moors and Freeman closed the scoring in the first half but Rangi led 39-37 at the break. Manyere and McIntosh each had 13 points in the half.

A Reuben Fitzgerald jumper opened the second half scoring and when the same player fed Moors for a transition dunk Westlake had their first lead of the game.

Just six points in five minutes of play (all to Westlake) illustrated that defences were dominating. Clarke eventually scored for Rangi but a thundering drive and dunk from Moors kept Lake marginally ahead.

That changed as an Anderson triple tied the game and another from Harry Payne took Rangi back in front – 51-48.

Further scores from the same two players brought the home support to their feet , a buzzer beating three from Etham Mandeno sending them into raptures. Rangi 62-48 ahead with ten to play and Westlake’s unbeaten record severely under threat.

Fitzgerald scored seven straight points for Westlake but the deficit was still ten points at the mid point of the final frame.

Mark Malingin trimmed the deficit, then Josh Hidalgo made it a four points game, 65-61, with 3:30 to play.

Turnovers from both teams followed until Hidalgo, off a Fitzgerald assist, scored again 65-63 with 2:20 on the clock.

The momentum was all with Westlake – a corner three from Winter edged Lake ahead, Moors followed with a jumper and Kenny Stone needed a timeout; 68-65 to Lake with 1:40 to play.

A Clarke jumper dragged Rangi to within one, 68-67, but Fitzgerald connected with a crucial three and with under a minute on the clock the visiting fans were in full voice with their team 71-67 to the good.

Rangi missed on their next possession, Hidalgo calmly added a brace of freebies from the foul line, and the Lake comeback was complete. A 26-5 last quarter points differential in their favour a telling statistic.

Score: Westlake 74 – Moors 19/12r, Fitzgerald 15, Manyere 13/19r, Hidalgo 11, Winter 7/6stls

Rangitoto 67 – Clarke 19, Anderson 18, McIntosh 12, Payne 8, Thornton 2/13r

In another close game Auckland Grammar shaded Mt Albert Grammar 69-62 at Mountain Road.

Thomas Whyte began the game in the same shooting form he displayed in the Under 19 National final last Tuesday, the Auckland guard reeling off seven straight points. Mandela Baledrokadroka scored all but two of the Mt Albert points as they trailed 19-10 at the first break.

Jonty Vink and Xjana Luamanuvae-Su’a kept chipping away for MAGS but three triples in the second period from Whyte and another from Elijah Andrews took the hosts out to a 39-31 lead at half-time.

Despite six points from Vink, Grammar extended its advantage in the third to 12 points as Tom Higgins and Winitana rattled in points.

Jack Morrison and Luamanuvae-Su’a earned trips to the foul line to reduce the Grammar advantage in the final period although Higgins, Whyte and Tony Solomoana held the visitors at bay – but only just.

Late threes from Ryan Laumatia and Luamanuvae-Su’a caused Grammar an anxious time as they led by just three points with 40 seconds to play. However they held on for the win denying MAGS coach Daryl Cartwright a going away present before he heads overseas with the Junior Tall Blacks for the Under 19 World Cup next week.

Score: AGS 69 – Whyte 24, Higgins 16, Rissetto 8, Winitana 8

MAGS 62 – Baledrokadroka 16, Vink 12p/10r, Luamanuvae-Su’a 12, Laumatia 11

In the battle between the two promoted teams Macleans eventually proved too good for St Kentigern winning at home 70-59.

Macleans made a racing start piling in 31 first quarter points to lead by sixteen as Sai Kuvelkar, Blake van Uden and Alex Arthur went to work.

A couple of threes from Zac Chan and one from Max Shorter clawed back some of the advantage. Then a couple of baskets late in the half from Kyle Robb reduced the St Kentigern deficit to six points, 39-33, as the Macleans scoring went from red hot in the first frame to ice cold in the second.

St Kent’s chipped away in the third, 9 points in the period from Robb and the advantage was down to 51-48 in favour of the hosts.

Macleans remained in front during the fourth but it was only in the last two minutes that they sealed the win. Thomas Hyland and Shorter were the only scorers for St Kent’s in the final quarter as in contrast Harrison Roper, Michael Babaran and the trusty trio of Kuvelkar, van Uden and Arthur all found ways to the basket for Macleans

Score: Macleans 70 – Kuvelkar 22, van Uden 21, Arthur 10, Babaran 7

St Kentigern 59 – Shorter 17, Robb 13, Hyland 8, Simpson 7, Chan 7

It was a less competitive affair at the Tom Gerrard Gym where Rosmini College dominated from the outset to defeat Kelston Boys 101-52.

Three triples from Kruz Perrott-Hunt powered a 30 points opening salvo from the hosts. More threes in the second from Mitch Dance and Jayden Boucher plus inside points from Will Heather took Rosmini to a 55-27 half-time lead. Matangi Prescott and To’o Mase shared 20 points for Kelston.

Matt Sokol scored nine straight points for Rosmini in the third period and when Perrott-Hunt drained his fifth triple of the contest Rosmini had an unassailable 76-38 lead.

Kelston kept pegging away in the final period but it wasn’t their night as Dance and Sokol put the finishing touches to an emphatic win.

Score: Rosmini 101 – Perrott-Hunt 22, Dance 18, Sokol 12, Williams-Dunn 11

Kelston 52 – Prescott 11, Mase 11, Milne 8, Brooking 8

Premier Grade Standings

6-0 Westlake

4-1 Rangitoto, Rosmini

4-2 Auckland Grammar

2-4 St Kentigern, Macleans

1-5 Mt Albert

0-6 Kelston

Senior A Results

St Peter’s 97 Pakuranga 71

Northcote 90 Western Springs 83

Liston beat Avondale

Massey 85 Manurewa 71

 Senior A Standings

5-1 St Peter’s, Massey

4-2 Avondale

3-3 Pakuranga, Northcote, Liston

2-3 Manurewa

2-4 Western Springs

1-4 Massey

From James Lissaman

This week marked the start of Divisional play in the McDonald’s Whelan Trophy, with nine teams competing in Division I, and six in Division II.

The Avonside Lady Eagles had their first win of the season against Hillmorton High. The game was locked at 23-23 just before halftime before Avonside went on a 14-0 run. The Lady Eagles just held on as Hillmorton closed the gap to two points (54-52) near the end of the game, before Molly Cockburn scored the final four points to ice the game for Avonside 58-52.

Bella Digby led the winners with 17p, and Molly Cockburn had 14p. Hillmorton’s Michelle Scott had 19p, and Holly Iafeta had 10p.

In Division I, Middleton Grange continued their strong play, accounting for Ashburton College 81-58 in a game that gradually got further and further away for the visitors, who were only down 38-27 just before half time. Canterbury Wildcat Lauryn Hippolite led all scorers with 23p, and fellow Wildcat Aimee Book had 19p. Ashburton’s Sophie Adams had 19p and Samantha Arnold 10p in the loss.

In the Thompson Trophy, Ashburton faced off against Shirley Boys’, in an exciting back and forth match, as the two teams were within three points of each other most of the game. Shirley was able to seal the win once getting into the bonus with five minutes to go 86-80. Hamsa Shire (24p) and Loyal Patelsio (16p) taking advantage of the bonus, with Joel Jeffrey (15p 3b) and Solomona Nanai (10p) also reaching double figures for the Spartans. Josh Lowe and Mitchel Prendergast had 16p each, and Gareth Hunt 10p for the Ashburton team in the loss.

Middleton Grange easily beat St. Bede’s 110-64, with a 31-3 run in the second half putting the game to rest. Joash Castillo shot 8/16 from behind the arc as he got to 27p, and Angus McWilliam didn’t disappoint in his first game back from injury with 13p, 12r, 8a. Ben Carlile-Smith (17p) and Pedro Makaafi (14p) rounded out the double figure scorers for the Gators. Tom Hughes again led St. Bede’s in scoring (27p 6a), with Caleb Conyers (16p) also hitting double figures.

Hillmorton doubled up Hornby High School 124-62, with a 22-0 run in the middle of the game being too much for Hornby to overcome. Ihaia Kendrew (25p) and Joshua Nickel (22p) both got over twenty, with Mahonri Tauiliili-Pau (16p), Ihaia Cox-Winiata (15p) and Talisau Paulo (10p) joining in double figures. Rylu Dequita had 13p and both Guy Cooper and Harvey Mesias had ten points each for Hornby.

Linwood College went down to Papanui High 97-70, with Rhoi Sanchez again leading the way (20p), JC Kabigting (14p) and Dehn Mitchell (10p) also providing some scoring for the hosts. A new Dowson Cup holder was found, as Burnside fell to Cashmere 76-55.

All Results:

Whelan Division I

Rangi Ruru 63-39 Kaiapoi

Burnside 102-89 Cashmere

Middleton Grange 81-58 Ashburton

St. Andrew’s 66-33 Rangiora

Bye – Christchurch Girls’

Ladder

 Whelan Division II

St. Margaret’s 54-49 Lincoln

Ellesmere 65-49 Villa Maria

Avonside 58-52 Hillmorton

Ladder

Thompson Division I

Shirley 86-80 Ashburton

Cashmere 76-55 Burnside (new Dowson Cup holder)

Christ’s 84-66 Christchurch Boys’

Middleton Grange 110-64 St. Bede’s

Rangiora 70-35 St. Andrew’s

Ladder

Thompson Division II

Papanui 97-70 Linwood

Cathedral 131-64 Riccarton

Kaiapoi 84-73 Lincoln

Hillmorton 124-62 Hornby

St. Thomas 98-63 Ellesmere

Ladder

Photo courtesy of Chris Abdon

In the latest round of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier competition Mt Albert Grammar preserved their unbeaten record, Auckland Girls Grammar lost theirs and there was a first win for Carmel College.

Carmel, paced by 31 points from Tayla Dalton, were too good for Orewa College winning 70-46 at Rosmini College gym on Monday night.

Megan Hoare scored a couple of early baskets for Orewa but Dalton had logged eleven by the quarter time break as Carmel led 13-11.

Emily Broomfield made her mark in the second netting 8 points, a period dominated by Carmel, as they extended their lead to 36-16.

Arianna Henare was prominent for Orewa after the break but Dalton kept finding her way to the basket as Carmel led 56-32 at three-quarter time.

Henare and Hannah Wentworth landed threes then a neat inside basket from Holly Kagan-Downer took Orewa on an 8-0 run.

Dalton put an end to that with a brace of scores, Broomfield and Carmen Haybittle added another couple, and Carmel had a deserved first win of the season.

Score: Orewa 46 – Henare 16, Hoare 10, Wentworth 8,

Carmel 70 – Dalton 31, Broomfield 11, Cattermole 11, Simpson 9

Mt Albert Grammar remain unbeaten after defeating Rangitoto College 93-51 at home on Monday.

Rangitoto started positively as Bella Elgar and Centaine Noon-Duckworth made baskets but trailed 14-8 at quarter time following threes from Sharne Pupuke-Robati and Jada Manase.

MAGS poured in the points in the second as Trinity Peau and Riana Rangi-Brown combined for 16 to extend the lead to 43-19 at the break.

Peau scored three straight baskets for the hosts, Noon-Duckworth replied with a couple for Rangi but MAGS had eight different scorers in the third period as they finished the quarter with a dominant 69-32 lead.

Tessa Talo-Tomokino and Monica Kelly completed the job for MAGS in the fourth as they moved to the top of the table with a resounding victory.

Score: Mt Albert 93 – Peau 20, Pupuke-Robati 16, Manase 13, Talo-Tomokino 10, Rangi-Brown 10

Rangitoto 51 – Burgess 12, Spooner 11, Elgar 10, Noon-Duckworth 8

In the game of the round Massey High School, trailing for the majority of the game, edged Auckland Girls Grammar 72-69 to end AGGS unbeaten start to the season.

Grammar made the better beginning as Teneva Ropati dropped six early points in a 12-8 advantage.

A couple of Mele Latu triples helped keep AGGS in the ascendancy but a three late in the half from Terina Aratangi kept Massey in touch at half-time trailing 33-30.

More good work from Latu and Ropati helped the visitors but back to back treys from Alyesha Schuster meant it was just a two points lead, 53-51, with 10 minutes remaining.

10 points in the final quarter from Zhanay Hettig seemed to keep Grammar on course for another win but Massey had other ideas.

Shauna Povey knocked down a three, Aratangi made six straight points and Tessa Nikolaison an important free throw, as Massey closed back to within two points.

With the home support right behind them Nikolaison made the go ahead basket, a banked three, with two minutes to play.

Massey held firm against a pressing Grammar defence to clinch an exciting 72-69 win.

Victorious coach Aaron Leslie felt the home support made a difference. “The home crowd were amazing they gave us extra legs late in the game.”

Score: Massey 72 – Aratangi 23, Povey 21, Leslie 10, Schuster 8

AGGS 69 – Mele 23, Hettig 10, Papa 10, T Ropati 10

The fixture between Westlake GHS and Avondale College was postponed.

Premier Standings

 5-0 Mt Albert

4-1 Massey

4-1 Auckland Girls Grammar

3-2 Rangitoto

2-2 Westlake

1-4 Carmel

0-4 Avondale,

0-5 Orewa

Senior A Results

Pakuranga 26 St Mary’s 71

Birkenhead 54 St Kentigern 78

Diocesan v Mt Roskill – result not received

Bye – Epsom

Photo courtesy of Kelly Vivian from Spinnerchild Photography.

A full round of Auckland Secondary School Premier Grade games were played on Monday night.

With wins for all four 2016 top four finishers early signs are that it will be Auckland Grammar, Rangitoto, Rosmini and Westlake fighting over the silverware again in 2017.

Rosmini College, paced by a super efficient 38 points from Mitch Dance, bounced back in style from the defeat at Westlake three days earlier to beat Macleans College 97-88.

Macleans were well served by Alex Arthur and Blake van Uden who combined for 51 points but the greater depth of the Rosmini lineup was the telling factor.

Jayden Boucher and Dance took Rosmini out to 8-2 early on then Joseph Hylton drove through traffic to push the lead into double figures.

A string of fouls presented Macleans with plenty of opportunities from the foul line, chances van Uden and Sai Kuvelkar were happy to accept.

Marvin Williams-Dunne closed the quarter with a long three to extend the Rozza lead to 33-18 at quarter time.

Van Uden opened the scoring in the second and a back door score from Michael Babaran bookended a pair of Dance inside baskets.

Arthur and van Uden kept the score ticking over for Macleans and when the latter converted from yet another trip to the foul line, the home team lead was back to single figures – 45-36.

Taine Murray dropped a triple on the half-time buzzer with Rosmini 52-41 to the good.

Kuvelkar opened the Macleans scoring in the third but Reihana Maxwell-Topia, who had a fine game, made two quick baskets and Dance then landed his second triple.

Kruz Perrott-Hunt found his scoring rhythm and in a flash Rosmini were twenty points ahead, extended to 78-53 at the last break.

The workaholic Arthur scored a couple of times early in the third but when Boucher landed a baseline jumper to take Rozza 86-62 ahead the only concern for the hosts was three players sitting on four fouls.

Terrific ball movement presented Terence Abdon with an open three, which he duly knocked down, as Rosmini were able to run their young bench players in the closing stages.

Score: Rosmini 97 – Dance 38, Hylton 20, Perrott-Hunt 8, Williams-Dunn 8

Macleans 81 – van Uden 27, Arthur 24, Kuvelkar 12, Babaran 7

A poor second quarter proved costly for Mt Albert Grammar as they attempted to upset unbeaten Rangitoto College.

It was 17 points apiece at quarter time before Rangitoto led Zac Te Puni, Harry Payne and Harry Clarke put the foot down in the second to stretch out to 44-25 at half-time.

Forwards Jonty Vink and Te Akau Pumipi helped the hosts recover in the third, one it won in convincing style, to reduce the arrears to 55-46.

Ryan Laumatia kept the chances of an unlikely comeback alive but the experienced Cam Stone and Te Puni helped Rangi to a fourth straight win.

Score: Mt Albert 62 – Laumatia 14, Luamanuvae-Su’a 11, Vink 11p/11r, Baledrokadroka 9

Rangitoto 70 – Te Puni 15, Clarke 12, Payne 11., Stone 11

It was only in the final quarter that Auckland Grammar were able to shake off persistent Kelston Boys.

Grammar made the better start with six straight points from Leroy Brown carrying his team to a 19-11 lead.

Matangi Prescott – 10 points in the quarter – and Kale Lawson led the Kelston revival in the second period. But for a strong showing by Anzac Rissetto Grammar could have fallen behind but instead shared the spoils at the break, 34 points apiece.

Forward Tom Higgins scored 12 straight points either side of the break as Grammar eased ahead and he found a useful accomplice in Thomas Whyte who landed a couple of threes. However Prescott had another double figure quarter and Kelston remained well in the contest at three-quarter time trailing 61-57.

Grammar put the clamps on the Kelston offence in the fourth and cleared away to run out comfortable winners as they racked up 30 points in the period.

Score: Kelston 65 – Prescott 25, Lawson 12, Mase 10, Milne 9

Grammar – Higgins 23, Rissetto 22, Whyte 10, Winitana 8

Westlake remain unbeaten after something of a topsy-turvy encounter at home against St Kentigern College.

Josh Hidalgo connected early from beyond the arc, one of three he landed on the night, but a combined 14 points from Max Shorter and Tom Chester took St Kentigern out to a 21-13 first stanza lead.

It was a different story in the second as Mark Malinga made his presence felt with 11 points – Jackson Port added half a dozen an the advantage was with Westlake, 46-40 at half time.

Momentum was firmly with the hosts after the break – Malinga and Matt Cairns-Hita dropped triples, Manyere added inside points and the lead was out to 67-49 at the three-quarter break.

A stroll in the last quarter looked on the cards for Westlake but St Kent’s had other ideas. Zac Chan knocked down a triple, Max Shorter, on his way to a game high 30 points did the same and suddenly Westlake were looking over their shoulders.

Kyle Robb chipped in with points to keep the momentum with the visitors but Reuben Fitzgerald steadied things with nine final quarter points as Lake stumbled across the finishing line.

Score: Westlake 84 – Malinga 23, Fitzgerald 18, Manyere 12, Hidalgo 11

St Kentigern 76 – Shorter 30, Chester 16, Robb 12, Chan 9

 Premier Grade Standings

5-0 Westlake

4-0 Rangitoto

3-1 Rosmini

3-2 Auckland Grammar

2-3 St Kentigern,

1-4 Macleans, Mt Albert

0-5 Kelston

Photo courtesy of Kelly Vivian (Spinnerchild Photography)

Mt Albert Grammar and Massey High both boasted unbeaten records ahead of their Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier Grade match up on Friday night.

Neutral observers were hoping for a close encounter but MAGS had different ideas as they put together a dominant display winning all four quarters to run out convincing winners.

Despite six opening quarter points from Alyesha Schuster MAGS forged a 22-14 first period lead helped by threes from Jada Manase and Riana Rangi-Brown.

The pair continued to inflict damage on the Massey defence in the second as did Sharne Pupuke-Robati, the lead 52-23 at half-time. Manase led all scorers at the break with 17 points.

Massey were unable to find a consistent scorer to threaten the MAGS advantage, in contrast the hosts had a number of stand outs including Rangi-Brown and Pupuke-Robati who corralled 18 points between them in the third frame.

Shauna Povey and Schuster plugged away for Massey but a Moanekah Va’ai three capped off a dominant MAGS performance in style.

Score: MAGS 101 – Pupuke-Robati 26, Manase 22, Peau 18, Rangi-Brown 17

Massey 53 – Schuster 12, Povey 10, Jost 6, Aratangi 6

Orewa College took an early lead against Westlake Girls High courtesy of a Sophie Emmitt basket although the hosts, led by Emme Shearer, took charge after that running off 13 straight points to lead 17-9 at the first break.

Jordyn Maddix opened term two with an And1 play and followed that with a lay-up from a steal.

Janke Pretorius replied for Orewa but Piper Manolas and Kaia Pola opened the margin to twenty points, Westlake ahead 46-15 at half-time. Shearer led all scorers with 18 points at the break.

Shearer drew a roar from the sizeable crowd after an athletic block and a long three from Rosie Dil solicited more cheers. Further threes from Tabitha Leyson, Maddix and Shearer extended the lead to 76-17 at the three-quarter mark.

Maddix dominated the scoring in the early stages of the fourth as Lake moved to an untroubled 90-18 lead.

A floater from Orewa guard Shevaun Green found nothing but net before Dil capped off a resounding win for Westlake.

Score: Westlake 101 – Maddix 29, Shearer 25, R Dil 18, Leyson 11 Orewa 22 – Hoore 5, Pretorius 5

Despite a combined 47 points from Tayla Dalton and Emily Broomfield Carmel College was defeated 83-60 by Rangitoto College in a North Harbour derby game.

Tyra Campbell and Kaitlin Burgess eased Rangitoto to a 20-12 first quarter advantage. Despite a late basket in the second from Devon Liddell Rangi, fuelled by 8 second quarter points from Burgess were well ahead at the interval leading 40-23.

Bella Elgar scored six straight points to open the third but Carmel produced a strong response courtesy of Dalton and Izzy Cattermole as the two teams traded baskets through the stanza.

Five Rangitoto players contributed eight points or more and that greater scoring threat helped the hosts to a comfortable win.

Score: Rangitoto 83 – Burgess 21, Elgar 16, Campbell 16, Noon-Duckworth 10, Spooner 8

Carmel 60 – Dalton 30, Broomfield 16, Cattermole 4

The score from the Avondale College v Auckland Girls Grammar fixture has not been received.

Premier Standings

 3-0 Auckland Girls Grammar, Mt Albert

3-1 Massey, Rangitoto

2-1 Westlake

0-3 Avondale,

0-4 Carmel, Orewa

Results from Senior A Grade:

St Mary’s 91 Diocesan 25

Mt Roskill 50 Birkenhead 65

St Kentigern 74 Epsom 53

Senior A Standings

3-0 St Kentigern

3-1 Epsom

2-1 St Mary’s, Birkenhead

1-3 Mt Roskill

0-3 Pakuranga, Diocesan

Terrific photo courtesy of Kelly Vivian (Spinnerchild Photography)

The largest crowd of the season was on hand to witness a couple of the Auckland Premier Grade heavy hitters go head to head on Friday night.

It was packed to the rafters in the Westlake Sports Centre as local favourite James Moors scored the first points of the game although Mitch Dance and Kruz Perrott-Hunt opened up a slim 6-2 lead for the visitors. Perrott-Hunt was forced to the bench with a second early foul but Marvin Williams-Dunn twice hit threes to open a 12-4 lead for the visitors.

A couple of steals and a Thabo Manyere dunk brought the home crowd to its feet, his athleticism troubling the Rozza defence. A late Reihana Maxwell-Topia basket edged Rosmini ahead 20-18 at quarter-time.

A pair of Reuben Fitzgerald drives restored the Westlake advantage 24-23 but Matt Sokol replied with a brace himself as the lead changed hands on numerous occasions in the second.

Another Manyere dunk – another lead change – Rosmini coach Matt Lacey called a timeout – 31-30 with 4:07 left in the half.

Dance made a couple of inside baskets on the resumption but five straight points from the Moors carried Lake to a 41-35 half-time lead. The Westlake swingman led all scorers at the interval with 15 points.

A Manyere flush opened the second half but shortly after was forced to the bench with a third foul. However Westlake continued to puncture the Rozza defence via Moors and Fitzgerald and opened a 52-45 lead.

Peter Jenkins and Dance responded for Rozza to reduce the lead to two points, 52-50, Zac Fitzgerald needing a timeout mid third term in the third.

Manyere scored on his reintroduction although Peter Jenkins kept Rozza in touch, down 61-56 at three-quarter time.

Both teams struggled to score in the early stages of the fourth before Moors and Mark Malinga took the Westlake lead to ten points (66-56).

A Maxwell-Topia jumper and a Dance floater helped Rozza but the visitors were finding it increasingly difficult to score – Moors, Manyere and Lucas Mennenga ensuring no second chance opportunities were on offer a feature of Westlake’s defensive play that would have impressed on-looking Lake alumni Jack Salt.

Fitzgerald had the hot hands and his 10 straight points, including a brace of threes, took Lake to a commanding 78-62 lead with 3:40 to play.

Rosmini were unable to threaten in the closing minutes, Westlake easing to a convincing fourth straight win, 82-64.

Score: Westlake 82 – Moors 24/11r, Fitzgerald 21, Manyere 17, Malinga 9

Rosmini 64 – Williams-Dunn 16, Dance 13, Sokol 10, Maxwell-Topia 7

Despite 20 points from Kelston power forward Kale Lawson, Mt Albert Grammar was able to get a first win of the season, protecting home court advantage, to record a 77-55 win.

Both teams entered the game with 0-3 records but it was MAGS, courtesy of six points from Mandela Baledrokadroka that made the more promising start leading 16-5 at quarter time.

Things improved greatly for Kelston in the second stanza as Lawson found his range. A brace of buckets from Clarke Aiono kept MAGS in the ascendancy, 27-22 at the break.

Threes from Ryan Laumatia and Lawson plus a handy six point contribution from Xjana Luamanuvae-Su’a kept the visitors at bay as MAGS took a 50-40 advantage into the final period – Kelston well served in the period by To’o Mase.

A strong fourth quarter performance from guard Matangi Prescott hinted at a Kelston revival but 10 final quarter points from Luamanuvae-Su’a sealed the deal for MAGS.

Score: MAGS 77 – Luamanuvae-Su’a 15, Baledrokadroka 15, Laumatia 13, Te Akau Pumipi 9  Kelston 55 – Lawson 20, Prescott 13, Brooking 8, Mase 7

Tom Higgins reeled off a third consecutive 30 points haul as Auckland Grammar returned to winning ways with a close 75-65 success at St Kentigern College.

Max Shorter drained a couple of early threes for St Kent’s but Higgins and Tony Solomoana combined to give AGS a 17-13 early advantage.

St Kent’s had further success from the land of triples in the second as Kyle Robb and Zac Chan connected from deep. However Rua Winitana responded in kind for the visitors and a couple of inside baskets from Anzac Risetto helped Grammar to a 38-30 lead at half-time.

Ryan Jones had an outstanding third frame for St Kent’s landing 10 points in the period but the combined force of Higgins and Risetto (19 points between them in the quarter) maintained a nine points buffer for AGS at the last break.

St Kent’s captain Kyle Robb kept the home team in touch in the fourth but threes from Teancum McCarthy and Elijah Andrews plus the inside one-two punch of Higgins and Risetto sent the visiting fans home happy.

Score: St Kentigern 55 – Robb 26, Shorter 14, Jones 13, Chan 6

Auckland Grammar 65 – Higgins 35, Risetto 17, Andrews 7, Solomoana 6

Rangitoto College are now three from three after the Harry’s, Clarke and Payne, combined for 58 points in a high scoring contest against Macleans College.

 The national champions are well versed at performing without some of their big guns and this week was no exception as Dan Fotu, Zac Te Puni and Caleb Langridge were sidelined.

The loss of the experienced trio certainly didn’t hinder Rangi – threes from Payne and Clarke began a first quarter rampage as the hosts raced to a 33-18 lead.

Despite Alex Arthur and Blake van Uden making a couple of baskets each things didn’t improve greatly for Macleans in the second. Jarrod Thornton and Co made light of the visitors defence and were in full control at the interval leading 51-29.

Macleans made adjustments in the half-time break and put together an improved second half performance. Michael Babaran and Sai Kuvelkar assisted Arthur and van Uden with some scoring punch although the result was never in doubt.

Cam Stone waded in with 12 second half points, Thornton and Joon Back also got in on the scoring act but it was Clarke and Payne that caused Macleans most grief.

Score: Rangitoto College 111 – Clarke 32, Payne 26, Thornton 22, Stone 14

Macleans 89 – van Uden 31, Arthur 25, Babaran 15, Kuvelkar 13

Premier Grade Standings

4-0 Westlake

3-0 Rangitoto

2-1 Rosmini

2-2 St Kentigern, Auckland Grammar

1-3 Macleans, Mt Albert

0-4 Kelston