Apr 05 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Blacks, Tall Ferns

Mixed fortunes in Spain for Fotu and Karena plus Rooney into semi-finals

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With Tom Abercrombie and Jillian Harmon inactive only three Kiwis were in action last weekend in Europe.

Erin Rooney and Artego Bydgoszcz are locked at 1-1 with Wisla Can in the Polish League semi-final play-off series. Artego won the first game 68-65 on Saturday but were beaten 81-66 in the second encounter on Sunday. Rooney played just 5 minutes on Saturday but was reinstated to a starting role 24 hours later and contributed 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

The other Tall Fern in Europe Jillian Harmon enjoyed a weekend off. Her club Le Mura Lucca had a break ahead of an Italian League quarter-final series against Pallacanestro Broni.

Zaragoza is now in last but one spot on the Spanish League ladder after falling 65-54 at Iberostar Tenerife. Tall Blacks forward Isaac Fotu scored 7 points and claimed 5 rebounds in the not unexpected result – Tenerife are top of the table. It doesn’t get any easier for Zaragoza next week visiting powerhouse FC Barcelona.

Sammic ISB improved to 21-6 at the top of the Spanish LEB Silver League table with a comprehensive 94-65 victory against the deliciously named Torrons Vicens L’Hospitalet on Saturday.

Mike Karena helped ensure Sammic were not the casualties of an upset by claiming 14 points and 7 rebounds in this one. Sammic face a tougher task next week against third placed Granada.

In Turkey Tom Abercrombie missed Demir IBB breaking a ten game losing streak against Ted Kolejliler Ankara. Demir beat the bottom of the table TKA 96-73.

 

Apr 03 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Ferns

Good performances from Bygate, Edmondson, Wallbutton, Hunter & Stockill

 

 

 

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There were a number of commendable performances from Kiwis in Australian State League competitions over the weekend including a fine double double from Jess Bygate at a facility known to many Kiwi basketball players.

Bygate scored a game high 19 points for Sandringham Sabres in the South East Australian Basketball league (SEABL) but the Melbourne team went down heavily at Albury Wodonga losing 89-59. Bygate also corralled 11 rebounds in a game played at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre, a facility well known to the many young Kiwi players that have represented New Zealand Koru teams.

Jordan Hunter notched 7 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists on debut for Sturt Sabres in the South Australian Premier League on Saturday. The Sabres only scored 30 points in the first three periods against Southern Tigers but came home on a wet sail winning the last quarter 31-18 and the game 61-59.

Toni Edmondson top scored with 16 points (6/14FG) and claimed 4 rebounds as Perry Lakes Hawks defeated Cockburn Cougars 66-61 in the Western Australian State League. A decisive 20-11 second quarter did the trick for the Hawks that remain unbeaten after three rounds.

Also in WA Lisa Wallbutton was in good form for Perth Redbacks. Wallbutton led the game in rebounds (11) and blocks (4) as the Redbacks comfortably beat Kalamunda Eastern Suns 80-54. The former North Harbour forward added 7 points and 3 assists for good measure.

Sunbury Jets made it four wins in four outings in the Big V League after defeating Bulleen Boomers 68-58 on Sunday. Josie Stockill, in her first season out of college basketball scored 10 points and added 6 rebounds, a block and a steal for the Kennedy Kereama coached Jets.

Apr 01 2017
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School Basketball

3×3 National champs found

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St Peter’s School Cambridge Girls and Rangitoto College Boys continued their recent domination of Secondary Scholls Basketball at the 3×3 Slam today. Plenty of other schools impressed – enjoyed writing the review on link below

http://bit.ly/2okZxfW

Mar 31 2017
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School Basketball

3×3 Nationals play-off action looms

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Rangitoto College is aiming for a three-peat in the Senior Boys section of the Secondary Schools 3×3 National Slam being held in Tauranga. However Rongotai College, having qualified both teams for the quarter-finals, looks the biggest threat to this ambition.

Rongotai Gold beat the Dan Fotu led Rangitoto Blue 21-18 on day two although Palmerston North Boys High topped Pool A courtesy of a crucial 14-10 win against Rongotai. All three teams ended pool play with an 8-1 record but the points scoring record favoured PNBHS.

In Pool B the top two teams were Rongotai Blue and Westlake Boys High School, both with 8-1 records. Rongotai head the pool courtesy of a 15-13 victory over last year’s finalists. Long Bay College (7-2) upset Rongotai 18-12 to clinch third spot with Fielding High School rounding out the top four. Westlake’s James Moors finished day two in a moon boot and his non availability will cause Lake some serious problems in the play-offs.

St Peter’s College Cambridge Red remains favourites in the Senior Girls competition. Led by Charlisse Leger-Walker, Ella Bradley and Jayzelee Waihi, they dominated all opposition in Pool B inflicting a 15-7 defeat on closest rivals Melville High (6-1). Westlake Girls (5-2) and Rotorua Girls High (4-3) also qualify for the quarters.

Massey High School Teams One (6-1) and Three (5-2) advanced from Pool A along with Hamilton Girls High School (6-1) and local favourites Aquinas College (5-2). HGHS beat Massey High 1 14-9 in the final pool game to clinch top spot in the section having surprisingly lost 9-8 to Massey 3 earlier.

Rosmini College and St John’s College both remain unbeaten in the Junior Boys competition.

St John’s (6-0) top Pool A followed by defending champions Rongotai College (5-1); they are followed by Te Aroha College (4-2) and St Kentigern’s (2-4).

Pool B is headed by Rosmini Blue (7-0) closely followed by the handy Rotorua Boys High School team (6-1) who went down narrowly to Rozza 13-11. St Thomas of Canterbury College (5-2) and St Peter’s Cambridge (4-3) also progressed to the last eight.

The Junior Girls competition is already at the semi-final stage. In the quarters Melville High School beat Westake Girls High Green 15-9, whilst Hamilton Girls High was defeated by Westlake Red 8-5.

On the other side of the draw St Mary’s College Ponsonby accounted for Rangitoto College 11-4 and Kavanagh College outlasted Rotorua Girls High 9-4.

Mar 31 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Ferns

Erin Rooney into Polish League semi-finals

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The starters played the bulk of the minutes but Erin Rooney still chipped in for ten minutes off the bench as Artego Bydgoszcz won an epic five game series in Polish League quarter-final action. With the series locked at 2-2 Artego beat Energa Torun 86-80 on the road in the decisive fifth game on Wednesday.

Rooney dished off one of the team’s 26 assists but otherwise had a quiet night statistically.

The Tall Ferns point guard is working her way back to full fitness after an injury ravaged 2015. Since joining Artego in January the Cantabrian has played 15 games averaging 20 minutes of court time and accruing 3.4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal per game.

Artego begin a semi-final series at the weekend against TS Wisla. When the teams met in the regular season Wisla won both encounters although the margins were just 6 points and 7 points.

Mar 29 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Blacks, Tall Ferns

Rooney in a tussle, Fotu and Abbo in sticky situations.

Tom Abercrombie and Isaac Fotu are fighting rearguard actions in Europe but it is better news for Erin Rooney, Jillian Harmon and Mike Karena.

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Erin Rooney and Artego Bydgoszcz are locked at 2-2 in a five game dual in the Polish League quarter-final play-off series – Artego beat Energa Torun 61-60 in an exciting game three. Rooney played a steady hand scoring 7 points on 3 from 5 shooting in 26 minutes.

Torun bounced back in game four on Sunday to win 65-55 – Rooney had a quiet night in that one getting just 3 rebounds and a steal.

Le Mura Lucca relinquished top spot on the Italian League ladder in the very last game of the regular season going down 70-65 at fourth placed San Martino on Sunday. Jillian Harmon was busy with 18 points, 4 rebounds and a brace of steals but Lucca’s opening quarter of just 5 points proved to be their undoing.

Lucca will now face the winner of the Ubertide v Broni tie at home in the quarter-finals.

Zaragoza are having a tough time in the lower reaches of the Spanish League but a home loss by 45 points must be the low point of the season. Defeated 102-57 by sixth placed Gran Canaria, Zaragoza slipped one place to 15th on the 17 team Liga Endesa table. Tall Blacks forward Isaac Fotu was used sparingly scoring just 6 points in 18 minutes of action.

Mike Karena stacked the stats sheet with 14 points (4/11FG), 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals as Sammic ISB beat Valladolid 88-84 to remain at the top of the LEB Silver league table – the Spanish third division. Sammic appeared to be cruising at the three-quarter mark leading 77-61 but were given a scare by their mid table rivals in the fourth period before securing a sixth straight win

In Turkey it’s now 10 straight defeats for Demir IBB and Tom Abercrombie has been involved in half of the losses since arriving in Istanbul. At the weekend Abercrombie managed 9 points (3/6FG) and 3 rebounds as Demir fell 84-67 to third placed Besiktas.

Mar 29 2017
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School Basketball

Preview of National Secondary Schools 3×3

 

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Sixty-three teams will compete at the 2017 Secondary Schools 3×3 National Slam being played in Tauranga over three days this week, beginning on Thursday.

In all four grades the 2016 champions will be defending their titles. Who might challenge the holders click here

http://bit.ly/2ntDfGh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 27 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Blacks

Tall Ferns shine in Oz

A number of Australian State competitions are underway and some of the 2016 Tall Ferns are already making a mark.

Toni Edmondson, fresh from a fine Australian WNBL season with Perth Lynx, put a dominating 19 points performance together as Perry Lakes Hawks beat Kalamunda Eastern Suns 84-59 in the second week of the Western Australian State League. Edmondson added 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for good measure.

Basketball - Tall Ferns v Japan, 27 August 2009

Also in Perth forward Lisa Wallbutton went scoreless for Perth Redbacks but she did secure a team high 12 rebounds. Unfortunately the Redbacks fell 69-58 to Southwest Slammers.

Over in Melbourne Jess Bygate scored 14 points on debut for Sandringham Sabres in their 66-60 SEABL first round win against Canberra Capitals. Bygate also snared 5 rebounds for the Sabres.

Sunbury Jets made it three from three in the Victorian Big V League with an 89-72 home win against Ringwood Hawks. Tall Ferns coach Kennedy Kereama is in his second season with the Jets and he is yet to lose a game after Sunbury went unbeaten last season when gaining promotion from Division 1 to the Championship.

Former Colgate University stand-out Josie Stockill was in fine form for the Jets scoring 25 points (8/17FG) in addition to securing 9 rebounds and dishing a couple of assists. 2016 New Zealand Select point guard Shea Crotty scored three points for Sunbury knocking down her only shot of the game – a typical arching three.

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Josie Stockill

Jordan Hunter, based in Adelaide, is expected to make her debut for Sturt Sabres when they begin their season next weekend.

Mar 23 2017
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Uncategorized

Harmon and Lucca lose important game

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Le Mura Lucca are in danger of relinquishing top spot on the Italian League table after suffering a 74-61 defeat at the hands of defending champions Famila Schio on Wednesday night. Lucca lost to Schio in the Italian Cup final last month and a win against their arch rivals would have secured the regular season title for Lucca. However they trailed at every interval in the game falling to just their third league defeat of the season.

Jillian Harmon was forced to spend time on the bench in the second half after picking up a fourth foul but still mustered 20 points, 8 points and a brace of assists in 31 minutes.

The Tall Ferns forward was one of just two Lucca players in double figures on the night.

The top four teams will play each other at the weekend in the final regular season fixtures. Lucca (18-3) will travel to fourth placed San Martino (15-6) whilst Schio (17-4) entertain Venezia who have the same (17-4) win/loss record.

The top three spots are still up for grabs ahead of the play-offs. By my reckoning Lucca hold the head to head over Venezia but not Schio. Therefore they need to topple San Martino at the weekend and hope Venezia can overturn Schio in order to take the number one ranking into the play-offs.

Mar 22 2017
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Kiwi's Abroad, Tall Blacks, Tall Ferns

A mixed bag in Europe this week

Despite a change of coach a couple of games ago Zaragoza, with another loss, are flirting with the Liga Endesa relegation zone after a 100-92 loss at Andorra. Former Rangitoto College favourite Isaac Fotu finished the game with 10 points (5/8FG) and 5 rebounds. Zaragoza now has an 8-16 record, just one win above the drop zone.

In contrast Mike Karena and Sammic ISB are flying high. Sammic head the LEB Silver ladder, the Spanish third division, with a 19-6 record. Karena put together another strong performance nabbing 21 points (8/12FG) and 6 rebounds in the latest Sammic success – an 89-82 win against mid-table Zornotza.

In Turkey Thomas Abercrombie’s club Demir IBB continue to struggle slipping to a ninth straight league defeat. Up against defending champions Fenerbache in Istanbul Demir was well beaten 89-68.

In his fourth game for Demir Abercrombie scored 7 points (3/8FG) and also totaled 3 rebounds and a block.

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Erin Rooney scored 9 points for Artego Bydgoszcz in Polish League quarter-finals play-off action. Artego went down 75-61 at Energa Torun in the first game in the best of three tie on Saturday.

48 hours later Artego leveled the series with a nail biting 68-67 victory in game two. Rooney enjoyed 30 minutes of court time in that one producing 5 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal.

The deciding game is on Saturday.

In Italy top of the table Le Mura Lucca thumped Umbertide 87-46 to improve to 18-3 for the season. Starting forward Jillian Harmon was only required for 18 minutes but still scored 17 points on 8 from 9 shooting. Harmon has amassed 352 points this season averaging 17.6 points per game.

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