The top three teams in the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Senior A competition all enjoyed success in the Round 8 games played on Monday night.
Rangitoto College, paced by 31 points from Maddy Skelton, remain unbeaten after a 75-44 win at One Tree Hill College.
Manurewa High School and Carmel College remain joint second on the table after recording their fifth wins of the season.
Manurewa had to come from behind to eventually run down Mt Roskill Grammar. Bella Manu-Moore (25 points) was outstanding in the win.
Carmel College also had to come from behind to secure the win. Avondale College led 16-13 at quarter time before Carmel went on to decisively win the second and third periods.
One Tree Hill College 44 – Milla Eckford 11, Harriate Heta 9, Arise Maliepo 6, Melaia Tuisuva 5, Jesse-Lee Upu 5
Rangitoto 75 – Maddy Skelton 31, Eva Veale 15, Mela Andrews 13, Sienna Maurice 10, Maia Pirie 6
Round 8 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier Grade competition saw comfortable wins for Westlake Girls High, Epsom Girls Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar School.
Twenty-point hauls from Emma Schroeder and Rebeca Moors ensured Westlake Girls High would prevail 98-54 against Northcote College.
Westlake debutant Zenthia Stowers was handed a starting berth and responded immediately with the opening basket of the game.
Northcote gave Westlake plenty of headaches in the opening game of the season and when Kaitlyn Haliday (twice) and Ema Lavemaau (on three occasions) made inside baskets another challenging night for the hosts looked on the cards.
However the back end of the opening period was dominated by Westlake as they carried a 25-14 lead into the break.
Nikki Gear scored 6 points for Northcote in the second but with Moors, Schroeder and Elin Vincent into their scoring stride the gap was over 20 points at half-time (49-28).
Both teams enjoyed scores from multiple players in the second half but from Northcote’s perspective the pace of scoring from their opponents was problematic – Westlake matching Epsom’s 7-1 record with the win.
Northcote 54 – N Gear 10, Lizzie May 9, Lily Morgan 8, L Gear 6, DJ Hannah 6, Haliday 6, Lavemaau 6
2022 New Zealand U17 teammates Ritorya Tamilo and Wai Clarken were in number crunching form in Mt Albert Grammar’s 67-47 victory against Baradene College.
Baradene centre Tamilo is the youngest member of the Tall Ferns squad headed, later this week, to the FIBA Asia Cup in Sydney. She signed off this term’s school commitments with a haul of 25 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocks.
MAGS captain Clarken was also in double-double territory amassing 40 points, 13 steals and 7 rebounds.
Clarken scored all 13 of MAGS first quarter points but Daisy Parke and Tamilo ensured Baradene would have an 18-13 lead.
It all changed in the second quarter as MAGS piled on 32 points – three triples from Peyton Uri supplementing Clarken’s good work – MAGS ahead 45-30.
In contrast the pace of scoring in the third quarter slowed to a dawdle – just 15 points scored with the MAGS lead increased by one.
Clarken and Tamilo continued their dualling in the final period with both completing impressive personal performances.
A season high 24 points from Maya Fowler paced Epsom Girls Grammar to a comfortable 77-33 victory against St Mary’s College.
The Epsom lead was just 9-5 at quarter time before blowing out to 38-9 by half-time.
Led by India Nash and Layla Aholelei St Mary’s put up an improved showing in the second half. However with Talia Vea and Leah Patuwairua joining Fowler in double figures the result was never in doubt. There was also an opportunity for Epsom’s Year 9 rookie Olivia Edhouse to score her first Premier points.
Epsom 77 – Fowler 24, Vea 15, Patuwairua 10, Kiyara Te Amo 9, Rosa Todd-Pemerika 8, Ivy Tino 7
St Mary’s 33 – Nash 9, Aholelei 8, Christiana Setu 4, Tamzin Jakeman 4
The Takapuna Grammar School v St Kentigern College game has been postponed until next week.
In arguably the most exciting and craziest finish of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier season Westlake Boys High scored a last gasp 75-74 win against North Shore rivals Rangitoto College.
With a touch over four minutes to play a Michael Ropotini And-1 play had taken Rangitoto to a 72-63 lead and the very real prospect of avenging their opening round loss to the same opponents.
Despite a corner three from Troy Wentworth and an inside bucket from Noah Rasmussen, Ropotini’s free throws meant the Rangi lead was 73-68 with less than 90 seconds to play.
Westlake centre Hadi Alshami scored inside before Rasmussen’s free-throws were cancelled out by foul line makes from Ropotini and Arnold Nam – Rangi ahead 74-72.
Malachi Book then made one of two free-throws to precede 18 seconds of chaos.
From consecutive inbounds plays Rangi turned the ball over – Westlake did the same – then Rangi again lost possession courtesy of a held ball situation.
On the final possession of the contest the ball ended up in the hands of Westlake skipper Book. He made a left handed layup down main street as time expired, to edge his team to a one-point win.
Book ended up being mobbed by a jubilant home team while watching supporters were in a state of excitement or disbelief depending on the team they were following.
Earlier, the contest between the opposing centres Joel Brown (19 points) and Alshami (21 points) was one that caught the eye.
Westlake got out to an early 24-13 lead before being pegged back in the middle stages as they were outscored 19-14 and 26-14 in quarters two and three.
A 56-52 three-quarter time lead favoured Rangi as did that 72-63 advantage but ultimately counted for little amidst that chaotic finish.
Westlake 75 – Alshami 21, Wentworth 18, Gabriel Ames 11, Rasmussen 10, Book 7
Rangitoto 74 – Ropotini 24, Brown 19, Jimmy Kim 11, Max Mudford 9
In the only game featuring two top four teams St Kentigern College earned a valuable 78-67 victory at Rosmini College.
St Kent’s led by one point at half-time (33-32) and by four at the three-quarter mark (54-50) to set up the prospect of an exciting finale.
Despite baskets from Jameer Reed and Chris Wyllie that expectation quickly evaporated. From trailing 59-54 Rosmini gave up the next 11 points as George Turner, Merrick Rillstone and Charlie Hughes combined to take the game away from the hosts.
Broughton Weenink took the St Kent’s lead out to a damaging 18-points before a late rally put a slightly better look to the scoreline from a Rosmini perspective.
Early on six points from Noah Johns had the home support in good voice although the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for the introduction of debutant Harlan Roudon – his score late in the first gave Rosmini a 20-12 lead.
The second spell favoured the visitors – seven points from Rillstone taking them ahead at half-time.
Opposing number eight’s prospered in the third – Reed for Rosmini and Rillstone for St Kent’s. Another debutant, Noah Heke, made a pair of freebies for St Kent’s as we were left wondering if that four point buffer at three-quarter time would be enough.
Eight points from Turner and 10 from Rillstone provided the answer – an emphatic yes.
St Kent’s 78 – Rillstone 31, Turner 18, Hunter Te Ratana 9, Frankie Groves 5, Luke Franish 5
Mt Albert Grammar School continued their unbeaten season with a 100-75 win at Sacred Heart College. Taking advantage of Heart’s depleted front court Dante Matakatea scored a season high 37 points.
Undaunted facing the table toppers Heart made the better start forging a 22-19 lead – 9 points to Matt Fautuaalii-Taia.
The second period told a different tale. Tyler Wilson-Voyce joined Matt Fautuaalii-Taia in double figures but MAGS demonstrated their superiority running up 32 points as Matakatea moved to 18 points at the half with his team 51-38 ahead.
More MAGS dominance ensued in the third as Romani Keith-Peraua and Kade Cartwright helped push the visitors out to a commanding 81-51 advantage at three-quarter time.
Heart improved in the fourth, with Cameron Stewart and Jerome Jakeman to the fore, but it was a MAGS debutant who had the final say.
Lucas Cartwright has spent over a decade watching on from the sideline at MAGS games – finally getting the opportunity to make his Prems debut he got on the scoresheet in the closing moments – you imagine he’ll score a few more in the coming seasons.
Sacred Heart 75 – Fautuaalii-Taia 20, Wilson-Voyce 13, Sam Snowdon 12, Jakeman 10, Jamie Vile 8
MAGS 100 – Matakatea 37, Louis Uri 15, Harri Coker-Grey 13, Keith-Peraua 13, K Cartwright 11
In the fourth game of the round visitors Auckland Grammar had the better of the early stages to lead St Peter’s 27-22 at quarter time and 44-35 at the main break – Josh Howes with 20 first half points for AGS.
Gus Dallow, headed to a game high 25 points, had 8 third quarter points and Bailey Smith 5 as St Peter’s had marginally the better of the period. Ryan Hunt and George Milburn kept the score ticking over for AGS – their lead 65-58 with ten minutes to play.
Again St Peter’s kept the AGS defence honest – Dallow nailed a pair of threes – but Milburn and Brigham Hakaraia ensured AGS moved through to win number six.
St Peter’s 77 – Dallow 26, Bryan Curtis 8, Smith 8, Milan Tolich 7
With games coming thick and fast – two more rounds are to be played this week – the Senior A Boy’s and Girl’s Round 7 wrap has taken on a more modified format. Normal service will resume after the editor has caught his breath!!
In Girl’s Senior A unbeaten Rangitoto College continued their winning ways as seven players scored 8 points or more in the 101-30 win at Avondale College.
In a top four clash Carmel College got the better of Manurewa (60-48) while a low scoring encounter at Auckland Grammar was won 34-31 by Mt Roskill Grammar.
*Massey High School have withdrawn from the competition
In Boys Senior A action:
Following successive losses Mt Roskill Grammar got their season back on track with an 85-56 against a depleted Selwyn College side.
Liston College continued their recent good form with a 77-64 win against Manurewa High School while Kelston Boys, also in good form, got the better of Dilworth School recording a 91-80 victory to move to outright fourth on the ladder.
Northcote College remain unbeaten – their latest success was at Avondale College.
The Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier Grade competition has reached the halfway point of the regular season with Epsom Girls Grammar and Westlake Girls High sitting top of the table.
On the back of 30 points from Amy Pateman Westlake unfurled a commanding 87-38 victory at Baradene College.
Baradene welcomed back Ritorya Tamilo after her spell away with the Tall Ferns and she put the first points on the board for the hosts. She and Deyna Topia scored all 13 of Baradene’s first quarter points but they trailed by eight at the first break.
The triple threat of Amy Pateman, Rebecca Moors and Emma Schroeder were each in double figures by half-time as Westlake built a 49-26 advantage.
Moors threatened a triple double (18 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists) as Westlake continued to build their lead in the second half and record win number six.
Next up for Westlake is a North Shore derby against Northcote College on Monday while Baradene have a tough assignment against MAGS. It remains to be seen if Tamilo is available for the game given that she has been named to the Tall Ferns team for the FIBA Asia Cup in Sydney beginning June 26.
Epsom Girls Grammar were made to work a lot harder for their 67-50 victory at St Kentigern College.
The game was very much in the balance at three-quarter time with Epsom ahead by just three points (40-37). However Epsom saved their best until last with Leah Patuwairua’s assault on the hoop producing 10 straight points. Add in a couple of timely threes from Mya Fowler and Epsom went on to win the fourth 27-13 and claim the W.
Epsom made marginally the better start establishing a 12-11 lead but by half-time the balance had tilted slightly in favour of St Kentigern (27-25).
Ash Tuumaialu and Anamaia Rangihaeata had 8 points each for St Kent’s while Patuwairua had chalked up 14 for Epsom.
Three scores from Draun Forbes were the highlight of the third as Epsom forged the narrow three-quarter time lead ahead of their dominant showing in the final period.
St Kent’s 50 – Tuumaialu 20, Rangihaeata 12, Sophie Jones 6
The game of the round was at Takapuna Grammar School where the hosts were pipped 58-56 by Mt Albert Grammar School.
MAGS made the stronger start – 6 points from Lara Cocker-Lemalie and a couple of scores late in the frame from Gianna Tiatia helping them to a 15-7 first quarter lead.
Takapuna struck back in the second. A couple of Bailey Flavell baskets preceded a brace of threes from Amy McKenzie and a further triple from Mariah Parker. Peyton Uri knocked down a trey for MAGS as they clung on to a 32-31 half-time advantage.
Momentum stayed with Takapuna after the break – ten points from McKenzie taking the hosts to a 48-45 three-quarter time lead.
Neither side could get their offence flowing in the fourth but MAGS did just enough to get the win – crucial points from Meiya Lemafa, Nadia Rosa-Enari and Nia Roberts tilting the contest in their favour.
The Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Premier Grade has reached the halfway point of the regular season.
The Round 7 top of the table clash at Rosmini College saw visitors Mt Albert Grammar School record a convincing 72-50 victory in the matchup between the two unbeaten teams.
Points were of a premium early on as MAGS led 8-3 after five minutes and 17-8 after a low scoring opener – seven points to Louis Uri in that spell.
Defence continued to dominate in the second period although Noah Johns did break the shackles with 8 points for Rosmini. Despite the hosts having marginally the better of the quarter a Dontae Matakatea triple kept MAGS in the ascendancy – ahead 31-25 at half time.
MAGS made their move in the third period, a decisive 18-6 run propelling them to a 49-31 lead with the damage largely in batches of three.
Uri engaged in a spot of good humoured verbal interchange with the home crowd as he made impressive back-to-back And-1 plays. Matakatea made a rather more subdued three-point play and when Rohani Keith-Peraua made a high arching triple MAGs were rolling along with confidence.
Jameer Reed continued the thread of threes with a trio of baskets but Rosmini were behind 60-37 at three-quarter time.
The scoring dipped again in the fourth – Josh Batty and Josh Wyllie converted from deep but
Kade Cartwright and Harri Coker-Grey replied in kind to snuff out any chance of a Rosmini resurgence.
The winning performance confirming MAGS as the team to beat in 2023.
After successive close losses St Kentigern College returned to winning ways with a 96-83 home win against St Peter’s College. The platform for success laid in the opening ten minutes as the hosts ran in 30 points to establish a 12-point lead. George Turner scored 11 of the St Kent’s points while Gus Dallow was one shy of that number for St Peter’s.
St Kent’s increased their lead in the second as Luke Franich and Hunter Te Ratana made 6 points apiece. Bryan Curtis-Marsters replied with points for St Peter’s but their deficit was significant at the half-time break (56-35).
St Peter’s quickened their scoring pace after the interval with Dallow, Milan Tolich and Bailey Smith accumulating the majority of the 25 points scored by the visitors in the stanza.
However the margin was only reduced by three as Charlie Hughes and Merrick Rillstone ensured the hosts enjoyed a regular supply of points.
Bryan Marsters tallied 11 points for St Peter’s in the fourth but a late three from Jacob Neary capped off a fourth win of the season for St Kent’s.
Photo courtesy of Linden Moore
Saint Kent’s 96 – Rillstone 26, Turner 19, Hughes 12, Te Ratana 12, Franich 8, Broughton Weenink 6
St Peter’s – Dallow 31, Bryan Curtis-Marsters 17, Tolich 13, Smith 9
Auckland Grammar School established an early advantage and didn’t look back as they defeated visitors Rangitoto College 83-63.
George Milburn scored ten first quarter points to set AGS on their way; 21-13 their advantage.
Four straight scores from Joel Brown and a brace of threes from Elyas Taher helped Rangitoto to a share of the spoils in the second – 17 points apiece. A three late in the half from Lawson Pryor kept AGS in the ascendancy at the half-time break (38-30).
AGS put the brakes on the Rangi offence in the third keeping them to 10 points in the period. Josh Howes added 7 points and Milburn, heading towards a game high 25 points, tallied a dozen as AGS moved to a comfortable 61-40 advantage ahead of the final ten minutes.
Brown and Arnold Nam made threes in the closing stages but Charl Hirschfield and Lawson Pryor made a brace apiece from deep to see off the Rangi challenge.
Rangitoto 63 – Brown 16, Nam 15, Taher 13, Michael Ropotini 12
Westlake Boys High picked up a valuable win at Sacred Heart College prevailing 86-72.
Tyrell Cocker scored 7 first quarter points but a collective effort from the Westlake starters eased them to a 24-18 opening quarter lead.
Gabriel Ames landed a triple for Westlake although that was answered by Jerome Jakeman and Sam Snowdon. Their efforts from deep meant Heart were just five points adrift at half-time (41-36).
A three from Troy Wentworth preceded 9 points from Noah Rasmussen – Westlake ahead 60-52 at the last break.
Despite Snowdon and Cocker scores Westlake were able to maintain control in the fourth quarter. 6 points from big man Haidi Alshami and a flurry of baskets from guard Malachi Book ensured it would be a Westlake win.
Sacred Heart 72 – Cocker 16, Preston Tuaputa 12, Snowdon 11, Matt Fautuaalii-Taia 9, Jamie Vile 7, Jakeman 7
Westlake 86 – Alshami 19, Book 17, Rasmussen 14, Wentworth 7, Harper Wilson 7
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In Round 6 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A competition Rangitoto College maintained top spot on the ladder after defeating nearest rivals Manurewa High School 83-67.
The three-quarter time scoreline was 62-54 in favour of Rangitoto but with Bella Manu-Moore (27 points) in good form a Manurewa victory was still on the cards.
However 8 points from Tamsin McAsey and further scores from Maddy Skelton and Kyree Rakena ensured Rangitoto bossed the final frame 21-13 to secure the win and remain undefeated.
Earlier Eva Veale’s 11 points had given the visitors a 23-15 lead although Manu-Moore’s 8 second quarter points, and contributions from Beautiful Campbell and Shirley Tuilimu, reduced the Rangi lead to just three points at half-time (35-32).
Manu-Moore scored another dozen points in the third but 10 points from Skelton and 11 from Mela Andrews gave Rangitoto that valuable 8-point three-quarter time cushion.
Carmel College, on the back of a double-double from Ruby Railton, secured a valuable away win at Mt Roskill Grammar School winning 61-47.
Railton finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds as she duelled with Roskill’s Nelly Ioane (31 points) for the player of the game nomination.
In the first half Ioane and Annelliesse Folaumoetao countered the scoring threats of Railton, Annie Gaylor and Imogen O’Rourke to give Roskill a narrow 26-25 advantage.
The hosts controlled the third period as the Ioane’s (Nelly and Bree) scored all but two of Roskill’s 17 points as they established what appeared to be a match winning 43-34 lead.
However momentum swung around completely in the fourth quarter as the Carmel defence kept Roskill to just 4 points – Gaylor, O’Rourke and Railton provided the shot making as Carmel nipped a two game losing streak in the bud.
Mt Roskill 47 – N Ioane 31, B Ioane 6, Folaumoetao 6
In the other game Auckland Girls Grammar School solidified their spot in the top four with a 59-33 win against One Tree Hill College.
A couple of scores from Milla Eckford and Harriate Heta got One Tree Hill out to a 14-11 quarter time lead. However that was just a prelude to AGGS, and Faith Hurt in particular, dominating the remainder of the game.
Faith, destined for a game high 26 points and the only player to reach double figures, had 14 points by half-time with AGGS ahead 29-19.
They would go on to win the second half 30-14 to complete a comfortable win and move up to third on the points ladder.
In the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Senior A competition Northcote College remain unbeaten with a perfect 6-0 record. There were also wins on Monday for Liston College, Kelston Boys High and Dilworth School.
At half-time an upset looked a possibility as an undermanned Manurewa High School team led table topping Northcote College 39-38.
However the Senior A’s leading scorer Aaron Sievert stepped on the accelerator in the second half. The Northcote guard amassed 32 second half points to finish the game one point shy of 50 points, making nine threes in the process as his team departed with a 99-76 victory.
Sievert received good support from Shunta Shinzaki and Tane Cook with 15 points and 10 points respectively.
Jarell Tuhega was a dynamo for Manurewa scoring 25 points with Issachar Pati and Gordon Campbell both in double figures.
Kelston Boys High School made it back to back wins with a 93-58 home win against Avondale College.
Real Wheaton followed up his 41-point haul against Manurewa with a game high 31 points in this one.
He scored 22 points in the first half as Kelston opened up a 42-30 lead. Avondale stayed in touch in the third with Deuel Lelaulu and Akram Al Wakeel providing the scoring impetus.
Kelston went on to dominate the fourth quarter piling on 33 points with Alec Phillips, Sam Tuitupou and Rodman Fuaivaa also hitting the double figure points mark.
Avondale 58 – Lelaulu 18, Al Wakeel 14, AJ Tsukada 6, Abraham Zoll 6, Niko Perez 6
Dilworth School also made it back to back wins after downing Selwyn College 80-48.
A convincing win by Dilworth looked unlikely as they trailed 22-19 at quarter time after a trio of triples from Ashton Muraahi and a further three from James MacDonald.
However, led by 20-point performances from Ezrah Eagle and Kingston Kailahi-Aso it was all Dilworth thereafter as they won each subsequent quarter by double digit margins.
Eagle demonstrated his outside scoring prowess with three triples while Finlay Edwards waded in with a pair from deep to wrap up the victory in the fourth quarter.
Liston College won a second successive contest and ending Mt Roskill Grammar’s run of home wins with a fine 67-58 win.
Rasheed Ieremia, on his way to a game high 21 points scored 7 points in the opening quarter to help Liston to a 20-17 lead.
Neither side could get their offence out of third gear in the second quarter – just 19 points scored in total with Liston ahead 30-26.
The pace quickened in the third. Six points for Mitch Greenaway was countered by a half-dozen from Ronnie Juan as Liston maintained their lead (46-40).
A three from Wai Tonga and scores from Ngawaka Rakete and the Greenaway’s heralded a fourth quarter run from Roskill. However Ieremia’s 12 fourth quarter points proved critical and when Flynn Ridley nailed a three the Liston win was assured.
Mt Roskill 58 – M Greenaway 19, Rakete 10, D Greenaway 9, Josh Wadams 7, Wai Tonga 6
Liston 67 – Ieremia 21, Juan 10, Ridley 10, Marvellous Michael 9, Dhon Lao 7
A few days ago Epsom Girls Grammar were sitting third on the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Premier Grade ladder with the prospect of playing the top two sides in the space of 72 hours perhaps a little daunting.
If it was then they have swept away the nerves, and the form book, to record back to back wins against both of the 2022 grand finalists.
On Friday they defeated Westlake Girls 70-64 and on Monday night beat Mt Albert Grammar School 50-42.
Both coaches Brent Lay (MAGS) and Jelena Vučinić (Epsom) admitted the low scoring game was a grind but for Epsom it produced win number five and they now sit at the top of the ladder alongside defending champions Westlake.
Draun Forbes scored 8 points as Epsom forged a 17-9 lead at quarter time and 24-19 by half-time.
Missing the offensive fire power of Wai Clarken MAGS could only muster 7 points in the third period – Kiyara Te Amo’s three-point plays helping Epsom stretch their advantage to 38-26 at three-quarter time.
MAGS had the better of the fourth as Jorjia Fiu, Emina Tiatia and Meiya Lemafa found the route to basket a little more straightforward. However a couple of baskets apiece from Leah Patuwairua and Te Amo ensured the Epsom win.
MAGS 42 – Fiu 13, Lemafa 12, Tiatia 7 Epsom 50 – Forbes 16, Te Amo 12, Patuwairua 12
Westlake Girls High bounced back from their defeat against Epsom Girls with a comfortable 89-57 home win against North Shore neighbours Takapuna Grammar School.
Winning every quarter Westlake were 25-10 ahead at quarter time and 44-26 to the good at half-time with Amy Pateman and Rebecca Moors in good touch.
The pair demonstrated the form that propelled them into the All-Star Team at the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi recently. Moors posted a near double-double of 27 points and 9 rebounds while Pateman scored 26 points.
Emma Schroeder and Lily Fotu were also in double figures for Westlake while Kaia Tuuta provided a fourth quarter cameo that included an arching triple.
Takapuna were again well served by Bailey Flavell and Amy McKenzie, the pair scoring 29 points and 18 points respectively.
Northcote College will have breathed a collective sigh of relief after securing their first victory win of the season – a 73-54 away win against Baradene College.
Close to the W on a number of occasions this season the opening win of the campaign came about in a contest in which they won all four quarters.
Baradene captain Deyna Topia scored 6 points in the opening period but a brace of threes from Lizzie May countered those – Northcote ahead 21-13.
Another half-dozen for Baradene, this time from Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs, took the home team’s tally to 29 but DJ Hannah and Nikki Gear combined for all but two of Northcote’s 23 second quarter points as they took a 44-29 lead into half-time.
Into the third and again Cavanagh-Briggs and Topia were carrying the scoring load for Baradene but with Northcote ahead 62-44 at the last break that elusive Northcote W was in sight.
The scoring slowed to a trickle in the final frame but it mattered little to Northcote as a Lily Morgan three put the icing on the winners cake.
Northcote 73 – Hannah 22, N Gear 21, May 14, Morgan 8
St Kentigern College bounced back from their defeat at MAGS on Friday with a 78-44 home win against St Mary’s College.
St Mary’s made a promising start – with threes for Tamzin Jakeman and Layla Aholelei they were trailing by just three points at the first break (19-15).
St Kent’s moved up a gear in the second to move out to a 40-18 half time lead. Anamia Rangihaeata, Ashleigh Tuumaialu, Charlie Yock and Kilani Tuineau all got in on the scoring action.
St Mary’s responded after the interval with three-point plays from Jakeman and India Nash but St Kent’s were still in control at the three-quarter mark with a 56-31 advantage.
Yock’s 12 fourth quarter points capped off a winning St Kent’s performance.
Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College will head into their Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade Round 7 clash on Friday with unbeaten records following decisive wins on Monday night.
In a game where defences largely held sway Rosmini College made it six straight wins with a 69-48 victory at Westlake Boys High School.
A couple of scores from Malachi Book gave Westlake a brief early lead before Rosmini unfurled a 17-5 run to close the first quarter with a 22-11 advantage – 7 points in the period for Noah Johns.
Troy Wentworth provided some impetus off the bench but another 11-2 surge from the visitors, with the Wyllie brothers Josh and Chris doing most the damage, meant the Rosmini lead was close to twenty points.
Troy Supple landed a triple as the first half came to a close – the Westlake deficit 40-25.
Noah Rasmussen was the first scorer on the resumption however the response was immediate from Rosmini. The Wyllie’s made three point plays before Jameer Reed got into the scoring action to push the lead out beyond 20 points.
A Harper Wilson three plus a Wentworth And-1 play trimmed the deficit but Westlake still had a mountain to climb at three-quarter time trailing 56-38.
The final period was a defensive grind with just 23 points tallied in total – triples from Book, Batty and Chris Wyllie worthy efforts of note.
Westlake 48 – Wentworth 12, Book 11, Noah Rasmussen 9, Supple 7, Wilson 5
Rosmini 69 – Johns 13, C Wyllie 13, J Wyllie 13, Reed 10, Batty 10, Anton Seuseu 6
Mt Albert Grammar School were also comfortable winners defeating St Peter’s College 88-66.
Six points apiece from Harri Coker-Grey and Louis Uri propelled the hosts to a 22-11 first quarter lead.
An improved second quarter showing saw St Peter’s reduce the half-time deficit by two points (43-34) as Milan Tolich, Bryan Curtis-Marsters and Gus Dallow provided some much needed scoring punch.
Triples from Mario Nola and Dallow kept the visitors in the hunt although another 8 points from Coker-Grey enabled MAGS to enter the final frame with a 67-53 advantage.
MAGS, with six players scoring 8 points or more, and Dante Matakatea posting an imposing stats line of 16 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals had little trouble closing out a sixth straight win ahead of that trip to Rosmini.
MAGS 88 – Coker-Grey 19, Matakatea 16, Uri 16, Kade Cartwright 12, Romani Keith-Peraua 9, Dante Tapula’aia 8
St Peter’s 66 – Tolich 22, Dallow 18, Curtis-Marsters 12, Nola 5
At St Kentigern College, Auckland Grammar grabbed an important 96-91 road win to leapfrog St Kent’s into third place on the ladder.
Eight first quarter points from Josh Howes propelled Grammar to an 19-16 lead but it was all square by half-time at 46 points apiece. Merrick Rillstone, who led all scorers at the break with 20 points, was ably assisted by George Turner with a dozen. For Grammar Howes and Ryan Hunt were in double figures.
The scoring pace continued in the third as the two teams split 52 points to leave the game tied at 71-all with ten minutes to play.
Rillstone took his tally into the 40’s for the second successive game with 12 points in the fourth but that effort was trumped by George Milburn, Howes and Hunt – the trio combining for all but two of Grammar’s twenty-five fourth quarter points.
St Kent’s suffering their second nail biting finish in consecutive rounds having been pipped 89-87 by MAGS last Friday.
St Kent’s 91 – Rillstone 41, Turner 16, Hunter Te Ratana 13, Charlie Hughes 7, Max Johnson 6
At Sacred Heart College, in a points-fest, Joel Brown proved to be the difference maker in the fourth quarter as Rangitoto claimed a 100-90 win.
Heart trailed by just two points at three-quarter time (69-67) but with Tyrell Cocker (13 points) fouling out Brown was able to take advantage. The Rangi forward, headed to a season best 28 points, scored 15 of them in the final period and with Arnold Nam nailing a couple of triples the visitors were able to claim a second win of the season.
After the first half finished with Rangi 42-39 ahead Sam Snowdon and Preston Tuaputa set about rectifying the situation for Heart. Snowdon iced three triples and Tuaputa made a brace of three-point plays in a hotly contested quarter.
Earlier Michael Ropotini, Jimmy Kim and Elyas Taher had helped Rangi stay ahead in the high paced, high scoring encounter.
LACEY LOWDOWN 