LACEY LOWDOWN

Northcote College are the outright leaders of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Senior A competition after beating previously unbeaten Mt Roskill Grammar School 84-75.

Northcote’s win was achieved on the back of 29 points from Aaron Sievert and 19 points from Tane Cook.

There was nothing between the teams at quarter time with Northcote ahead 20-19 although that had stretched to 37-31 at half-time.

Sievert, fresh off a successful U19 National’s campaign with North Harbour, had 13 at the break and was ably supported by Tane Cook and Shunta Shinzaki.

Roskill responded admirably in the third to trim the deficit to just three points (56-53).

Daniel and Mitch Greenaway, Ryan Aramoana and Haisem Osman each made double figure contributions for Roskill but it was Jake Talaic, Sievert and Cook that got the job done in the fourth to secure win number five for Northcote.

Northcote 84 – Sievert 29, Cook 19, Shinzaki 11, Talaic 10

Mt Roskill 75 – M Greenaway 14, D Greenaway 14, Aramoana 12, Osman 11, Ngawaka Rakete 9

The highest individual score of the round went the way of Kelston Boys High’s Real Wheaton who scored 41 points as Kelston proved too strong for Manurewa winning 97-88.

Although Kelston led 27-21 at half-time Manurewa had evened the ledger by half-time – the scores tied 42 points apiece.

It was still an even ball game at the three-quarter mark (65-65).

Jarrell Tuhaga, Richard Campbell and Issachar Pati were performing great deeds for Manurewa but with Tuhega forced to the bench with four fouls Kelston seized their opportunity.

Rodman Fuaivaa came up with 10 fourth quarter points and Wheaton 13. Add a triple from Isiah Tulisi and Kelston were able to pull away for the victory.

Kelston 97 – Wheaton 41, Alec Phillips 16, Fuaivaa 11, Sam Tuitupou 11

Manurewa 88 – R Campbell 24, Tuhega 21, Pati 16, Annun Leng 9, Gordon Campbell 8

Selwyn College defeated Liston College 71-62. Both teams now sitting in the top four.

The Avondale College against Dilworth School fixture has been deferred to a later date.

Boy’s Senior A Standings

5-0 Northcote

4-1 Mt Roskill

3-2 Selwyn, Liston

2-3 Kelston

1-3 Dilworth

1-4 Manurewa

0-4 Avondale

In the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A competition Rangitoto College and Manurewa High School sit atop the table with perfect 5-0 records.

Auckland Girls Grammar won by the narrowest margin possible claiming a 56-55 home win against Carmel College.

Faith Hurt led the way for AGGS with 22 points while Harmony Hurt knocked down four triples in her 14 points. Ruby Railton led the way for Carmel with 19 points.

To use an old cliché this was a game of two halves with Carmel dominating the opening segment and AGGS the second. 

Carmel were 31-16 to the good with Railton, Annie Gaylard and Millie Lloyd sharing the bulk of the scoring.

A couple of threes from Harmony Hurt and 6 points from Faith Hurt meant the Carmel lead had been trimmed by 4 points at three-quarter time.

AGGS put their foot down in the fourth rattling up 26 points to run down Carmel in an exciting finish. Ryn Nikoia scored valuable points in the fourth but it you will excuse the pun it was the Hurt’s that hurt Carmel the most.

AGGS 56 – F Hurt 22, H Hurt 15, Geavani Barnes 6, R Nikoia 5

Carmel 55 – R Railton 19, A Gaylard 12, M Lloyd 10, Imogen O’Rourke 8, Zahara Tibbotts 6

Rangitoto College kept their unbeaten record intact with an 83-46 victory against Mt Roskill Grammar School.

The Avondale College v One Tree Hill College fixture has been postponed until a later date while unfortunately Massey High defaulted against Manurewa High School.

Girl’s Senior A Standings

5-0 Rangitoto, Manurewa

3-2 Carmel, AGGS

2-3 Mt Roskill

1-3 One Tree Hill

0-4 Avondale

0-5 Massey

There is a three-way tie at the top of the Auckland Secondary Schools Girl’s Premier Grade ladder following the completion of the Round 5 games.

Previously unbeaten Westlake Girls High School lost their first game since 2021 downed 70-64 by Epsom Girls Grammar.

Westlake’s Amy Pateman and Rebecca Moors were two of ten New Zealand athletes that attended the 13^th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi last weekend. Both were selected to the Girl’s All-Star Team and although Moors missed the encounter with Epsom, Pateman showed off her offensive arsenal with a game high 29 points.

However it wasn’t enough to get the win as Draun Forbes paced Epsom to a notable victory.

Epsom were out the gate at pace forging a 22-14 quarter time lead with Forbes scoring 8 points. The lead stretched out to 17 points by half-time (44-27) as Maya Fowler and Leah Patuwairua continued the Epsom scoring onslaught.

The tide turned dramatically in the third as Pateman and Emma Schroeder led Westlake’s revival – the Epsom lead reduced to 55-49 at three quarter time. 

Westlake continued to press for the win but Fowler and Forbes combined for 13 fourth quarter points to enable Epsom to close out a fourth win of the season.

Epsom 70 – Forbes 25, Patuwairua 18, Fowler 15, Talia Vea 6, Kiki Reti 6

Westlake 64 – Pateman 29, Schroeder 17/9rebs, Elin Vincent 7, Imani Rasmussen 3/9rebs

Joining Westlake and Epsom at the top of the league are Mt Albert Grammar School after they completed an 82-61 home win against St Kentigern College.

Nine first quarter points from Jorjia Fiu propelled MAGS to an 18-13 lead.

Fiu and Peyton Uri knocked down threes after Kilani Tuineau had made a couple of neat inside scores for St Kent’s. 

A tumbling drive from Ash Tuumaialu and 8 straight points from livewire guard Anamia Rangihaeta trimmed the deficit before Gianna Tiatia re-established a double digit half-time advantage for MAGS (46-29).

Despite Rangihaeta continually finding a way to basket MAGS extended their lead beyond 20 points as Emina Tiatia and Nia Roberts nailed 3-pointers – the three-quarter time buzzer beater from Roberts particularly hurtful for the visitors as they trailed 71-45.

St Kent’s stuck gamely to their task in the final quarter but MAGS were rarely troubled as they eased to win number four. 

MAGS assistant coach Mike Uri, standing in for head coach Brent Lay who was away  managing the New Zealand 3×3 teams in China, will likely hand back the reins for the team’s top of the table clash with Epsom on Monday.

That should be a cracker of a contest!

MAGS 82 – Fiu 20, Roberts 16, E Tiatia 12, Lara-Poppy Cocker-Lemalie 11, Uri 9, G Tiatia 7

St Kentigern 61 – Rangihaeta 23, Tuumaialu 16, Kilani Tuineau 5

The North Shore derby went the way of Takapuna Grammar as they edged a close one at Northcote College 85-82 on the back of 30-point hauls from Amy McKenzie and Bailey Flavell.

It was Northcote with the better start winning the opening stanza 26-20 with Nikki Gear scoring 9 points for the hosts.

However Takapuna exerted their authority in the second outscoring Northcote 29-12 to lead 49-38 at the interval. It was Amy McKenzie with the hot hands – she made five 3-pointers in the period and with Natalija Burton also burying a three the visitors were humming along.

Lily Morgan and DJ Hannah combined for 15 third quarter points as Northcote stormed back into the contest trimming the Taka advantage to 64-61.

Lizzie May made a couple of three-point plays for Northcote but there was no stopping the McKenzie-Flavell scoring axis. Two threes apiece in the final term took Flavell to five in the game while McKenzie enjoyed a career night nailing eight from beyond the arc.

Northcote 82 – Hannah 21, Morgan 18, N Gear 15, May 11, L Gear 7

Takapuna 85 – McKenzie 34, Flavell 31, Mackenzie Mackereth 9, Burton 7

In a game brought forward to Tuesday night St Mary’s College secured their first win of the season beating Baradene College 71-55.

We have no other details although Baradene will definitely have missed the services of centre Ritorya Tamilo who is in Europe with the Tall Ferns – she made her debut against European champions Serbia earlier this week.

Standings

4-1 MAGS, Epsom, Westlake

3-2 Takapuna 

2-3 St Kent’s, Baradene

1-4 St Mary’s

0-5 Northcote

Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College remain unbeaten after Round 5 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boy’s Premier Grade competition.

Mt Albert were pushed all the way by St Kentigern College before eventually prevailing 89-87 in a game where fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout.

Midway through the third quarter the home team seemed headed for a comfortable win with a 10-point (59-49) lead but with Hunter Te Ratana bagging 13 points in the period St Kent’s halved the margin to trail 67-62 at three-quarter time.

St Kent’s carried momentum into the last period and quickly erased the deficit completely.

A long three from Merrick Rillstone, on his way to a 45-point haul, meant the scores were again tied with 3 minutes to play at 79 points apiece.

A 7 point swing in favour of the hosts ensued with Harri Coker-Grey and Romani Keith-Perau making telling drives.

However St Kent’s weren’t done as Rillstone and Te Ratana reduced the margin to a single point (87-86) with 13.7 seconds left on the clock.

Coker-Grey drew a foul and converted a pair of freebies to push the gap out to three points but with 2.7 seconds left St Kent’s guard Max Johnson earned himself a trip to the foul line.

He made the first then purposely rimmed the second to give his team the opportunity to gather an offensive rebound. Neither team could gather possession in a mad scramble under the basket – MAGS the victors in a close one.

Early on it was Rillstone and skipper George Turner making the running for St Kent’s with Louis Uri, Coker-Grey, Keith-Peraua, and Dante Matakatea to the fore for the hosts – the dual between junior internationals Rillstone and Matakatea fun to watch. 

St Kentigern Coach Aaron Young, named as a Perth Wildcats Assistant Coach this week, will have been happy with the effort of his young charges while opposition coach Daryl Cartwright will be hoping to make it six straight wins in Monday night’s game at home to St Peter’s.

MAGS 89 – Coker-Grey 21, Keith-Peraua 21, Matakatea 16/9rebs, Uri 14/9reb, Kade Cartwright 11/10rebs

St Kentigern 87 – Rillstone 45, Turner 18, Te Ratana 17

Also sitting at 5-0 are Rosmini College who eventually overcame stubborn resistance at Rangitoto College before winning 97-86.

Rosmini won a free flowing opening period 29-27 but Rangi had the better of the second to lead 45-41 at half-time – Arnold Nam with 18 first half points for the hosts.

Rosmini put a brake on the Rangi scoring in the third and with the ‘J-Squad’ of Jameer Reed, Josh Batty and Josh Wyllie finding scoring form it was Rosmini with a handy three-quarter lead of 68-60.

Michael Ropotini, Joel Brown and Elyas Taher, headed to a game high 27 points, kept Rangi in the hunt but Batty’s sixth and seventh threes plus a combined 21 fourth quarter points from Reed and Wyllie eased Rosmini to the win.

Rangitoto 86 – Taher 27, Nam 20, Brown 19, Ropotini 9

Rosmini 97 – Reed 26, Wyllie 25, Batty 21, Liam Bates 16, Noah Johns 7

St Peter’s College remain without a win after falling to a 77-69 home defeat against Westlake Boys High.

The point of attack differed greatly for the opposing teams with Westlake centre Hadi Alshami leading their scoring while point guard Gus Dallow was the focal point of the St Peter’s offence with 25 points.

Alshami scored the first seven points for Westlake as they edged the opening frame 13-6.

The second quarter also went the way of the visitors as Alshami, Troy Supple and Noah Rasmussen extended the Lake lead to 38-21.

St Peter’s fought back in the third with Dallow and Bailey Smith denting the Westlake defence with 13 points and 8 points respectively –  however Westlake were still in control ahead 65-52 with ten minutes to play.

The Saints also had the better of the fourth but were left to regret the slow start they made to the game.

St Peter’s 69 – Dallow 25, Smith 17,  Bryan Marsters 7, Mario Nola 6

Westlake 77 – Alshami 27, Supple 16, Rasmussen 7, Braden Gibb 6, Harper Wilson 6

Eighty athletes attended the 13^th Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Abu Dhabi last week with Ryan Hunt from Auckland Grammar School one of ten New Zealand participants.

The Grammar guard returned to domestic action to score 18 points and help his team to a convincing 92-73 home win against Sacred Heart College.

Hunt, Roera Tipene and Mikaere Tait were in the thick of the action as Grammar swept to a 32-15 quarter time lead.

Tyrell Cocker scored 8 second quarter points for Sacred Heart but with Hunt and Roman Ma’afu-Moerua dropping threes Grammar were in control at the main break leading 46-28.

Cocker, Tyler Wilson-Voyce and Preston Tuaputa kept Heart’s scoring on the move although George Milburn and Charl Hirschfield ensured the Grammar lead hovered around the 20-point lead through the third frame.

Little changed in the fourth – Hunter Balle and Tait exchanging threes to close proceedings.

AGS 92 – Milburn 20, Hunt 18, Howes 11, Ma’afu-Moerua 10, Tait 9, Tipene7

Sacred Heart 73 – Cocker 16, Tuaputa 14, Wilson-Voyce 10, Sam Snowdon 8, Jerome Jakeman 7, Matt Fautuaalii-Taia 7

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Standings

5-0 MAGS, Rosmini

3-2 St Kentigern, AGS

2-3 Westlake, 

1-4 Sacred Heart, Rangitoto

0-5 St Peter’s

Dilworth School defeated Manurewa High School 88-77 in the Auckland Secondary Schools Senior A competition on Thursday night.

Completing the Round 4 fixtures the result represented Dilworth’s first win of the season.

After the scores were tied at 14 points apiece in the back half of the first period Dilworth unleashed four straight threes although Manurewa guard Jarrell Tuhega’s 16 points in the opening spell meant his team were well in contention despite trailing 25-22.

Ezra Eagle scored the first two baskets of the second quarter and when Ikahui Mahe went coast-to-coast Manurewa needed a timeout.

Issachar Pati and Annun Leng provided the necessary response as Manurewa closed within 4 points. However Mikaera Hoeta finished the half with a three-basket flourish as the hosts eased ahead 47-35 at half-time.

The second half began with Nepia Moore knocking down a brace of threes and when he and Eagle further added to their tallies the Dilworth lead was 20-points (59-39).

Gordon Campbell and Leng made a couple of timely scores but the Dilworth lead was a handy 67-48 at three-quarter time.

Leng made his third three of the contest but home scores via Eagle and Kingston Kai’lahi-Aso kept Dilworth in the ascendancy (80-66) with five minutes to play.

The Manurewa resistance could have folded at that point but to their credit they found an extra gear as Tuhega and Richard Campbell – a constant menace on the offensive boards – cut the deficit to ten points (83-73).

Pati and Tuhega made further baskets but with time running out Kai’lahi-Aso was able to put the seal on a deserved Dilworth win in an entertaining encounter.

Both teams will enjoy an eight day break before Dilworth entertain Avondale College and Manurewa visit Kelston Boys High School in Round 5 match-ups.

Dilworth 88 – Eagle 28, Kai’lahi-Aso 17, Moore 12, Hoeta 12, Mahe 12

Manurewa 77 – Tuhega 24, R Campbell 19, Pati 12, Leng 9, G Campbell 6

Standings

4-0 Northcote, Mt Roskill

3-1 Selwyn

2-2 Liston

1-3 Manurewa, Kelston, Dilworth

0-4 Avondale

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May 29, 2023

After the Boy’s Senior A Round 4 action Northcote College and Mt Roskill Grammar remain a perfect 4-0 with their upcoming Round 5 match up one to look forward to. 

The individual performance of the round belonged to Selwyn College guard Ashton Muraahi.

Muraahi scored a stunning 49 points to pace Selwyn College to a 102-78 win at Avondale College. He scored 21 points in the opening quarter as Selwyn eased to a 27-13 lead and he had 33 as the half-time lead stretched to 60-29.

The Selwyn guard had good support from Charlie Barnfield and Alfred Casiple while for Avondale Liam Takenaka-Wesley scored a team high 20 points.

Avondale 78 – Takenaka-Wesley 20, Deul Lelaulu 16, AJ Tsukada 13, Akram Al Wakeel 8, Raymond Korboe 6

Selwyn 102 – Muraahi 49, Barnfield 11, Casiple 10, Zavier Atatoa 9, James MacDonald 8

Northcote won a high scoring affair at home against Liston College 104-82 with Aaron Sievert lighting up proceedings with 45 points.

Liston, led by Rasheed Ieremia’s 30 points, had few issues at the offensive end but couldn’t keep Northcote at bay. The hosts, after opening a 25-19 lead won every quarter as they claimed a fourth straight victory.

Northcote 107 – Sievert 45, Tane Cook 15, Shunta Shinzaki 13, Jake Talaic 9, Ethan Ray 8

Liston 82 – Ieremia 30, Gia Helu 15, Dhon Lao 14, Manuel Tuaere 11, Jeyden Ale 8

Mount Roskill Grammar are also unbeaten after a 68-52 home win against Kelston Boys High School.

Roskill put the defensive clamps on in the first half restricting Kelston to just 19 points to lead by 20 at the interval.

17 points from Sam Tuitupou and 16 from Real Wheaton helped Kelston shade the second half but the damage had been done earlier.

Haisem Osman had a game high 18 points for Roskill with Mitch Greenaway posting 16. 

Mt Roskill 68 – Osman 18, M Greenaway 16, Dan Greenaway 9, Ezra Ogbuze 7, Ngawaka Rakete 6

Kelston 52 – Tuitupou 17, Wheaton 16, Alec Phillips 7, Rodman Fuaivaa 7

The Dilworth v Manurewa High School fixture has been postponed to Thursday June 1

Standings

4-0 Northcote, Mt Roskill

3-1 Selwyn

2-2 Liston

1-3 Manurewa, Kelston

0-3 Dilworth

0-4 Avondale

—————————————-

In the Auckland Secondary Schools Girls Senior A competition Rangitoto College and Manurewa High School sit atop the table with perfect 4-0 records.

Rangitoto won the North Shore derby on the back of a stunning fourth quarter effort. Trailing Carmel College 48-37 at three-quarter time they outscored their opponents 24-7 down the stretch to claim victory. Maddy Skelton was the instigator of the recovery scoring 12 of her 19 points in the closing ten minutes.

Earlier, on the back of 23 points from Ruby Railton and a dozen from Imogen O’Rourke, Carmel had made all the running leading at the end of every quarter except the all-important fourth.

Rangitoto 61 – Skelton 19, Esther Roberts 9, Tamsin McAsey 7, Mela Andrews 7, Kyree Rakena 6

Carmel 55 – Railton 23, O’Rourke 12, Annie Gaylard 9, Zahara Tibbotts 7

Manurewa High School joined Rangitoto at the top of the table after an 85-44 away win at One Tree Hill College.

Manurewa got off to a good start establishing an 18-8 lead at quarter time.

Beautiful Campbell, headed to a game high 35 points, and Bella Manu Moore dominated the middle stages as Manurewa steadily built a match winning lead.

Harriate Heta led the way for One Tree Hill with 16 points. OTH scored almost half their points from beyond the three-point arc – Melaia Tuisuva knocking down a trio of treys!

Despite having just five players Manurewa were able to close out a fourth straight win.

One Tree Hill 44 – Heta 16, Tuisuva 11, Sophia Govind 5

Manurewa 85 – Campbell 35, Moore 22, Shirley Tuilimu 14, Zhendy Li 8, Alyssa Uluheua 5

 

With five players scoring in double figures Auckland Girls Grammar School eased to a comfortable 85-39 win at Avondale College.

AGGS built a 10-point cushion in the opening quarter, gradually increasing their advantage in each period.

Hayley Abbott scored a game high 18 points for Avondale but the balanced AGGS effort, led by Ryn Nikoia (17 points), proved to be the recipe for success.

Avondale 39 – Abbott 18, Shiloh Caffery 10, Zion Mann 4

AGGS 85 – R Nikoia 17, Julia-Rose Fiesher-Martin 16, Faith Hurt 16, Grady Nikoia 12, Harmony Hurt 10, Zara Leavasa-Avauli 6, Geavani Barnes 6

Bree and Nelly Ioane scored all of Mt Roskill Grammar’s first quarter points as they opened up a 17-6 lead over Massey High School.

The pair would go on to dominate proceedings with 20-point games as Roskill went on to win 70-29.

Lucy Ward was a standout for Massey tallying 13 points.

Mt Roskill 70 – N Ioane 22, B Ioane 20, Allie O’Callaghan 8, Tamara Viviani 8, Havana Iaea 8

Massey 29 – Ward 13, Cyntalia Schuster 8, Valentine Tausi 4

Standings

4-0 Rangitoto, Manurewa

3-1 Carmel

2-2 Mt Roskill, AGGS

1-3 One Tree Hill

0-4 Avondale, Massey

May 28

Season bests from Bailey Flavell (45 points) and Anna Dyachenko (19 points) propelled Takapuna Grammar School to a commanding 91-53 away win against Baradene College.

Takapuna scored the first seven points of the contest and after Amy McKenzie, Flavell and Dyachenko made threes Takapuna had raced to a 33-11 quarter-time lead.

Baskets from Ritorya Tamilo, Deyna Topia and Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs reduced the deficit immediately after the restart although it didn’t take long for Takapuna to get back in the scoring groove to close the half with a 48-24 advantage.

Tamilo and Cavanagh-Briggs did some inside damage in the third but another 9 points from Flavell helped Takapuna to a game winning 64-38 lead at the three-quarter mark.

Natalja Burton impressed for Taka in the closing stages with Odile Dolon getting valuable minutes for the hosts.

Ritorya Tamilo will be missing from the Baradene lineup for the next couple of rounds following her selection for the SKY Sport Tall Ferns European Tour – congratulations Ritorya.

Baradene 53 – Topia 17, Cavanagh-Brown 13, Tamilo 12, Amelia Nathan 6

Takapuna 91 – Flavell 45, Dyachenko 19, McKenzie 13, Natalja Burton 6

Mt Albert Grammar School bounced back from their defeat at the hands of Westlake last week in emphatic style pounding St Mary’s College 120-37 with Waimanu Clarken posting a career high 51 points.

The tone was set early on as MAGS carved out a 27-10 first quarter lead which ballooned to 66-22 by half-time.

MAGS enjoyed other double figure contributions from Te Arina Roberts, Gezreyal Maiu’u and Lara-Poppy Cocker-Lemalie while India Nash battled gamely for 10 points for St Mary’s.

MAGS 120 – Clarken 51, Roberts 15, Cocker-Lemalie 13, Gezreyal Maiu’u 10, Jorjia Fiu 8, Peyton Uri 8

St Mary’s 37 – Nash 10, Layla Aholelei 7, Teuila Salesa 6, Tamzin Jakeman 5

Westlake Girls High School made it four wins from four outings with a 77-53 victory at St Kentigern College.

Seven points from Emma Schroeder helped propel Westlake to a 16-10 first quarter lead.

Anamia Rangihaeata landed a triple and Ashleigh Tuumaialu scored 8 points as the hosts went toe to toe with the defending champions in the second frame.

However consistent scoring from Lily Fotu and Brennah Latoalevi-Nosa ensured Westlake headed to the main break with a 36-27 advantage.

The highest scoring period of the match ensued in the third. For the hosts Sophie Jones and Rangihaeata knocked down threes while Tiffany Thompson and Tuumaialu added to their tallies. 

Westlake also had a pair of 3-point makes courtesy of Latoalevi-Nosa and Katie Moors while sister Rebecca had 8 points in the paint – Westlake 55-47 to the good at three-quarter time.

Restricted to just 6 points in the fourth period St Kentigern could only watch as Westlake stretched their lead into the twenties and close out win number four.

St Kent’s 53 – Tuumaialu 17, Rangihaeata 11, Kilani Tuineau 8, Thompson 6 

Westlake 77 – Schroeder 21, R Moors 18/8rebs, Latoalevi-Nosa 13, Fotu 12/6 assists

A big third quarter put the seal on Epsom Girls Grammar’s 67-39 win at Northcote College. 

Although they had the better of the second quarter the visitors lead was only six points (29-23) at the interval with the contest fairly evenly poised.

However 8 points from Leah Patuwarua and 9 from Draun Forbes tilted the balance firmly in favour of Epsom as they pulled away to a 52-30 lead.

11 points in the final quarter from Maya Fowler, on her way to a game high 21 points, put the seal on a third win of the season for EGGS.

DJ Hannah returned to the Northcote lineup to post a team high 19 points – the next best were Nikki Gear with 9 points and Lily Morgan with 8 points

Northcote 39 – Hannah 19, N Gear 9, Morgan 8

Epsom 67 – Fowler 21, Patuwarua 11, Forbes, 11 Talia Vea 11, Kiyara Te Amo 5

Standings

4-0 Westlake

3-1 MAGS, Epsom 

2-2 St Kent’s, Baradene, Takapuna

0-4 St Mary’s, Northcote

May 27, 2023

Mt Albert Grammar School and Rosmini College remain unbeaten after Round 4 victories in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade competition.

It was gripping in Glendowie as Sacred Heart College saw an opportunity for a notable victory slip through their fingers as they were pipped 66-64 in overtime by Rosmini College.

Heart after keeping Rosmini to just 20 first half points led 43-26 midway through the third quarter before being pegged back and in overtime, after scores by Preston Tuaputa and Tyrell Cocker, were 64-59 in the ascendancy.

At both points of the game a home win looked the most likely outcome but on both occasions Rosmini fought their way back into the contest. With a second overtime period looking likely Rosmini guard Josh Wyllie made the game winner with just 4 seconds left in the overtime period.

Earlier a baseline drive and two handed flush from Noah Johns put Rosmini 11-9 ahead before Heart closed the first quarter with a 12-3 run to lead 24-16, with Tuaputa, Sam Snowdon and Matt Fautuaalii-Taia to the fore.

If the Heart scoring was pedestrian in the second the Rosmini effort was in slumberland as defences dominated – the quarter won 9-4 by the hosts to lead 33-20 at the break.

Tuaputa continued to trouble the Rosmini defence and when Matt Fautuaalii-Taia nailed a triple Heart were 17 points clear (43-26).

Rosmini responded with a strong finish to the third period – a three from Bart Jackowski and 6 points apiece from Josh and Chris Wyllie saw them trail by just 4 points (45-41) with ten minutes to play.

It was neck and neck throughout the fourth – Josh Wyllie’s late score cancelling out Tuaputa’s effort to send the game into an extra period.

Cocker and Tuaputa put Heart in overtime ascendancy before Jameer Reed and Josh Batty tied proceedings – cruelly for Heart the Josh Wyllie winner was the first time Rosmini had led since early in the opening period.  

 

Sacred Heart 64 – Tuaputa 23, Fautuaalii-Taia 16, Snowdon 8, Cocker 7

Rosmini 66 – Reed 21, C Wyllie 14, J Wyllie 12, Batty 9

There was also action aplenty on Alberton Ave as Mt Albert won the “Grammar Grapple” against Auckland 89-76.

With ten minutes to play, and a close finish in prospect, Auckland Grammar held a 57-55 lead after Josh Howes, George Milburn and Mikaere Tait had turned a 4 point half-time deficit into 2 point three-quarter time lead.

Faced with a first defeat of the season MAGS put together a scoring avalanche in the fourth running up 34 points with Dante Matakatea doing most of the damage. 

The 2022 New Zealand U17 representative scored 16 points in the quarter and with Louis Uri, Romani Keith-Peraua and Kade Cartwright lending good support the hosts pulled away for a decisive win.

Early on a low scoring opening period was edged 12-9 by Auckland before MAGS got the better of the second. The two number 5’s led the scoring at the break – Cartwright had 14 points for MAGS with Howes making a dozen for AGS. 

MAGS 89 – Cartwright 23, Matakatea 21, Uri 14/11rebs, Keith-Peraua 13, Harri Coker-Grey 11, Dante Tapulaaia 5/8rebs/6 steals

AGS 76 – Howes 21, Milburn 19, Ryan Hunt 11, Tait 8, Kalid Petzer 6

With Old Boy and new Perth Wildcats signing Dontae Russo-Nance in the house St Kentigern College, and Merrick Rillstone in particular, got off to a flying start against Westlake Boys High School. Rillstone had a couple of triples, and 16 points in total, as the home team forged ahead (26-17) in the opening spell.

St Kent’s continued their dominance in the second period with George Turner and Hunter Te Ratana joining Rillstone in the double figure scoring column.

Hadi Alshami led the Westlake scoring at the main break as the visitors faced a 50-28 deficit.

Lake enjoyed the better of the third quarter cutting the arrears by four to trail 68-50 at three-quarter time – Noah Rasmussan’s 10 points a feature of the frame.

Max Riechelmann and Andre Bautista knocked down threes for Westlake in the fourth but St Kent’s were in fine form from deep themselves – particularly Turner and Rillstone who combined for nine of the team’s thirteen made threes.

St Kentigern 89 – Rillstone 37, Turner 28, Te Ratana 14

Westlake 68 – Rasmussan 17, Alshami 11, Riechelmann 10, Malachi Book 9, Braden Gibb 7

Rangitoto College were boosted by the return of Michael Ropotini, for his first game of the season, and his 24 points were a significant contribution in the 104-74 defeat of St Peter’s College.

Both teams were looking for their first win of the season and it was Rangi that made the better start forging a 29-17 opening quarter advantage. Gus Dallow, on his way to a game high 36 points, had 10 at that stage for St Peter’s – Joel Brown with 8 points and Elyas Taher 6 for the hosts.

Rangi enjoyed another productive quarter to rack up 60 points by the interval and with it a lead of 27. Jackson Mills, Jimmy Kim, Arnold Nam and Ropotini each made multiple scores in the period.

Dallow and Caleb Afeaki upped the scoring tempo for St Peter’s but 9 third quarter points from Ropotini meant Rangi were out of sight at the last break with an 88-58 lead.

Dallow posted his second successive 30-point game but significant support was in short supply for the St Peter’s guard as Rangitoto cruised to the win. 

Rangitoto 104 – Ropotini 24,Taher 18, Nam 13, Max Mudford 11, Brown 10, Mills 9, Kim 7

St Peter’s 74 – Dallow 36, Afeaki 9, Milan Tolich 9, Bryan Curtis 7

Standings

4-0 MAGS, Rosmini

3-1 St Kentigern

2-2 AGS

1-3 Westlake, Sacred Heart, Rangitoto

0-3 St Peter’s

In a Boys Senior A Round 3 contest played on Monday night Mt Roskill Grammar School joined Northcote College as the only two teams with perfect 3-0 records after a convincing 85-59 home win against Dilworth School.

What shaped to be a tight contest, after just four points separated the two teams at quarter time, turned into a comfortable victory for the home side after they bossed the middle periods.

A triple from Finlay Edwards and 7 points from Kingston Kai’lahi-Aso meant Dilworth entered the second quarter just 18-14 adrift.

That deficit increased in the second with Mitch Greenaway and Josh Wadams inflicting most of the damage as Roskill established a 40-29 half-time advantage.

Despite the efforts of Ezrah Eagle, Ikahui Mahe and Kai’lahi-Aso the Roskill lead continued to climb. A Haisem Osman triple pushed the lead out to 20-points and it was 22 at three-quarter time (66-44).

Both teams gave opportunities to their bench players in the closing minutes – a three from Lincoln Tupa’i Samuel capping off a fine Roskill performance.

Mt Roskill 85 – M Greenaway 19, Wadams 18, Osman 12, Daniel Greenaway 8, Wai Tonga 7

Dilworth 59 – Kai’lahi-Aso 17, Eagle 14, Mahe 14 

The full roundup of Round 3 games can be found here: https://laceylowdown.com/2023/05/22/the-auckland-secondary-schools-senior-a-round-3-wrap/

May 22nd

Carmel College put together a dominant first half display to lead Massey High School 49-14 at the main break.

Hannah Bellett scored 27 points for the visitors with Ruby Railton tallying a massive double-double of 24 points and 24 rebounds. Zahara Tibbotts and Millie Lloyd also posted double-doubles.

Lucy Ward and Cyntalia Schuster, with 17 points apiece, were outstanding for Massey. 

Massey 42 – Ward 17, Schuster 17

Carmel 99 – Hannah Bellett 27, Ruby Railton 24/24rebs, Zahra Tibbotts 18/11assists, Millie Lloyd 18/13rebs, Leighton Esera 8

After trailing 42-24 at half-time Auckland Girls Grammar reduced the deficit to 57-53 with ten minutes to play.

However 9 fourth quarter points from the game’s leading scorer Eva Veale and 6 points from Mela Andrews steered Rangitoto to a third straight win.

Faith Hurt led the way for AGGS with a team high 18 points.

AGGS 61 – Hurt 18, Ryn Nikoia 10, Zara Avauli 10, Grady Nikoia 9, Julia-Rose Fiesher-Martin 7

Rangitoto 74 – Veale 19, Andrews 14, Sienna Maurice 12, Tamsin McAsey 9, Grace Giles 6

Manurewa High School have joined Carmel and Rangitoto at the top of the table, with 3-0 records, after defeating Avondale College 87-34.

Bella Manu-Moore scored 11 first quarter points as Manurewa forged a 23-3 lead.

Daisy Ducloux and Maya Loomes knocked down triples for Avondale but with Shirley Tuilimu joining Manu-Moore in double figures the Manurewa half-time lead was a comfortable 40-14.

Astrid Henricks and Lavinia Liufau helped maintain the Manurewa dominance in the second half – Loomes and Shiloh Caffery the major contributors for Avondale.

Manurewa 87 – Manu-Moore 27, Tuilimu 22, Henricks 13, Liufau 10, Alyssa Uluheua 7

Avondale 34 – Loomes 10, Caffery 9, Zion Mann 7, Daisy Ducloux 5

In the final game of the round One Tree Hill College grabbed their first win of the season defeating Mt Roskill Grammar 93-61. Both teams have a 1-2 record after the first three games.

Unfortunately I don’t have individual scorers from this fixture.

BOYS Senior A Round 3

In the closest game of the round Kelson Boys High and Liston College played out a thriller with Kelston claiming a narrow 75-73 victory.

The opposing number 9’s were prominent in the opening quarter. Rasheed Ieremia scored 9 early points for Liston but Kelston edged the opening period 23-21 with Rodman Fuaivaa tallying 8 points.

Liston had the better of quarters two and three. Jeydin Ale, Zymhon Moreno and Ieremia dominated the scoring in the middle stages as the visitors lead climbed to 61-51 with a quarter to play.

Kelston saved their best to last as both teams had to navigate a heavy foul count that would eventually see five players exit early.

Sam Tutopou (9 points) and Fuaivaa (10 points), with support from Alec Phillips and Sione Filimoehala, wrestled the initiative as Kelston outscored their opponents 24-12 in the fourth quarter and eke out their first win of the season.

Kelston 75 – Fuaivaa 28, Tuitupou 19, Phillips 10, Eyob Hailu 8, Filimoehala 6

Liston 73 – Ieremia 26, Ale 15, Moreno 8, Dhon Lao 8, Manu Tuaere 8

Northcote College won the clash between two of the unbeaten sides prevailing 86-73 at Selwyn College after leading at the end of each quarter.

Nine points from Carlos MacPherson helped Northcote establish a hand 26-19 lead at the conclusion of the first period.

Eleven points from Ashton Muraahi either side of the first quarter break helped the Selwyn cause, as did a triple from Luca Vietri.

14 first half points from Shunta Shinzaki played a major part in Northcote building a 40-32 half-time lead.

The score rattled along in the third quarter as players from both sides found points easier to come by. James MacDonald dropped three triples and with Muraahi adding 13 points Selwyn tallied 29 points in the period. Northcote almost matched that making 27 points with Shinzaki and Aaron Sievert combining for 20 of them – Northcote with a 67-61 advantage ahead of the final period.

The scoring in the fourth became pedestrian in comparison to the previous period as both defences tightened up considerably.

Vietri and Muraahi made a couple of scores apiece for the hosts but a Tyler Aitchison triple and multiple baskets from Ethan Ring, Sievert and Shinzaki meant it was Northcote claiming a third straight victory.

Selwyn 73 – Muraahi 32, Vietri 13, MacDonald 11, Zavier Atatoa 8

Northcote 86 – Shinzaki 26, Sievert 21, MacPherson 9, Ring 8, Jake Talaic 6

Manurewa High School made a great start to the game against Avondale College piling on 27 points to establish a 10-point lead – 9 points for Richard Campbell.

Liam Takenaka-Wesley scored 13 first half points for Avondale but the half belonged to the hosts as they established a 46-32 lead with Jarell Tuhega, Issachar Pati and Campbell to the fore.

Avondale struck back strongly in the third – a triple from AJ Tusukado and more points from Takenaka-Wesley trimmed the Manurewa advantage to four points at the three-quarter break (56-52).

A three from Ray Korboe and half a dozen points from Deul Lelaulu kept Avondale in touch but the exciting contest eventually went the way of Manurewa – 10 points in the fourth from the Campbell brothers sealing Manurewa’s first win of the season

Manurewa 74 – R Campbell 22, Tuhega 12, Pati 11, Gordon Campbell 10

Avondale 69 – Takenaka-Wesley 19, Lelaulu 11, James Tipelu 8, AJ Tusukado 7

Mt Roskill Grammar will entertain Dilworth on Monday night.

21 May 2023

In a high paced, quality encounter Westlake Girls outlasted visitors Mt Albert Grammar to win 86-80 and register a third straight game.

One of the highlights of the contest was the matchup between 2022 U17 New Zealand internationals Wai Clarken and Amy Pateman. The opposing captains were at the centre of the action with Clarken scoring a career high 40 points for MAGS and Pateman a season best 31 for Westlake.

MAGS made the slightly better start with Jorjia Fiu and Nadia-Rosa Enari prominent as they forged a 14-9 lead. However rookies Katie Moors and Imani Rasmussen had an immediate impact off the bench for Westlake as they took a narrow 25-23 lead into the quarter time break.

The second quarter was tied 22 points apiece with Pateman and Lily Fotu to the fore for Westlake and Clarken getting valuable assistance from Fiu and Te Arina Roberts.

Fiu and Clarken shared all 13 of the MAGS points in the third period but with Emma Schroeder tallying 9 points and Rasmussen and Pateman chipping in with scores the hosts had a 70-58 lead at three-quarter time.

The fourth quarter became a shoot-out between Pateman and Schroeder in the red corner and Clarken and Fiu in the blue corner. The foursome scored 36 of the 38 points scored in the quarter with the reds of Westlake just doing enough to hold off the MAGS challenge. 

Westlake 86 – Pateman 31, Schroeder 21, Fotu 11, Moors 7, Rasmussen 6, Kalei Morgan-Tafea 6

MAGS 80 – Clarken 40, Fiu 20, Enari 10, Roberts 7

For the third straight game Northcote College were extremely competitive but couldn’t quite get the W going down 68-58 at St Kentigern College.

A three from Anamia Rangihaeata and 6 points from Ash Tuumaialu propelled St Kent’s to a 19-7 quarter time lead.

The hosts scored another 19 in the second period but smarting from their slow start Northcote tallied 23 to trail 38-30 at half-time. Lizzy May scored 10 second quarter points for Northcote with Tuumaialu making 9 points for St Kent’s.

The scoring slowed in the third with just 12 points apiece posted. Lily Morgan and Nikki Gear made all of the Northcote points – Tuumaialu and Rangihaeata all the St Kent’s scores.

Morgan and Gear continued to trouble the St Kent’s defence but the hosts enjoyed a greater spread of scorers as Gigi Forster and Sophie Jones complimented the scoring supply provided by Tuumaialu and Rangihaeata to close out the win.

St Kentigern 68 – Tuumaialu 26, Rangihaeata 14, Forster 10, Jones 8

Northcote 58 – N Gear 25, Morgan 14, May 12

Fresh of her time at the Tall Ferns Trial Camp Ritorya Tamilo proved the difference maker, scoring 26 points, as Baradene College pipped Epsom Girls Grammar 57-53.

It was Baradene with the superior start – 7 points from Poppy Cavanagh-Briggs helping them establish as 17-13 quarter time lead.

Epsom trimmed the deficit by a point in the second quarter with Maya Fowler and Savana Feite leading the way.

Despite missing two starters Epsom took charge of proceedings in the third quarter with Fowler and Kiyara Te Amo, deputising at point guard, helping them to a 46-42 three-quarter time lead.

Talia Vea’s three kept Epsom briefly in the ascendancy but Tamilo was the dominant force in the final frame scoring 9 points to secure Baradene a second win of the season and match Epsom’s 2-1 start to the season.

Epsom 53 – Fowler 15, Vea 13, Feite 8, Te Amo 7

Baradene 57 – Tamilo 26, Cavanagh-Briggs 16, Amelia Nathan 6

Beginning the game wearing #31 Amy McKenzie finished the contest matching her singlet number with a season best 31 points to propel Takapuna Grammar School to their first win of the season – a 77-47 victory at St Mary’s College.

The Takapuna guard scored 8 points as the visitors raced to a 22-7 lead at the ten minute mark.

McKenzie and Bailey Flavell landed triples in the second period as Taka established a 37-18 half-time advantage.

St Mary’s improved markedly after the break – 7 third quarter points from India Nash and other scores from Teulila Salesa and Tamzin Jakeman meant the spoils were shared evenly at 18 points apiece in the period.

Takapuna dominated proceedings in the final frame with Anna Dyachenko, Carmen Selby, Natalja Burton and Flavell complimenting the fine work of McKenzie. 

St Mary’s 47 – Nash 17, Salesa 9, Jakeman 7, Christiana Setu 6

Takapuna 77 – McKenzie 31, Flavell 19, Dyachenko 9, Burton 6