LACEY LOWDOWN

The latest round of Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade games played on Friday featured a first win of the season for Onehuna High and convincing wins for last seasons two finalists.

It has been a tough start to the season for Onehunga High School losing the first eight games of the season. However, on the back of a dominant fourth quarter they won 95-83 against Kelston Boys High School on Friday.

Onehunga gave up a 49-42 first half advantage to trail 68-65 at three-quarter time before riding home 30-15 in the last to gain a much needed win. Unfortunately I don’t have any other details about the game other than the scorers for Kelston.

Final Score: Onehunga 95 – Kelston 83 – To’o Mase 25, Liam Milne 22/13, Kale Lawson 18/17, Matangi Prescott 12

First played third at Rangitoto College and for three parts of the game Auckland Grammar School looked as if they would push the defending champs all the way.

At three-quarter time AGS trailed by just three points, 73-70. However their starters had played big minutes in order to sustain momentum and keep pressure on the home defence.

In the closing ten minutes AGS were unable to maintain concentration their energy levels dropped and they were blown away 31-8 in the period to lose 104-78.

Unhappy with giving up 54 first half points Rangitoto coach Kenny Stone described his team’s second half performance as, “The best half of basketball we have played this season.”

Rangitoto scored on its first five possessions of the game as Logan Anderson, Brayden Inger, Sam Waardenburg and Dan Fotu all found the net. Thomas Whyte was in good form for AGS and he and Taki Fahrensohn kept their team in touch down by just four, 25-21 at quarter time.

It rained three’s at the start of the second quarter as Harry Payne, Dan Fotu and Zack Te Puni all connected from deep for Rangi and Whyte and Farensohn did the same for Grammar.

Samson Aruwa and Connor Flanagan caused Rangi some inside problems and they helped put Auckland into the lead 47-43.

Inger and the white-hot Whyte landed a pair of threes each as AGS led 54-53 at half time.

Flanagan made an impressive baseline move followed by a triple and it took a couple of baskets from Harry Clarke and Cam Stone to keep the visitors at bay at three-quarter time.

Then came that Rangi rush in the fourth. Last week Waardenburg and Fotu scored 49 points between them, this week they went one better, making a round fifty as they helped Rangi to an eighth win of the season.

Final Score: Rangitoto 104 – Waardenburg 27pts/15rebs, Fotu 23pts/8assists, Inger 19, Anderson 13, Te Puni 7 AGS 78 – Whyte 23, Aruwa 18, Flanagan 16, Farensohn 11

Isaac Letoa missed almost half of the game against Rangitoto after suffering a gashed eyebrow but he made up for lost time plundering 35 points against Mt Albert Grammar on Westlake’s home court on Friday.

He made his intentions clear from the outset combining typically athletic drives with outside accuracy – 8 points in the opening salvo including two baskets from beyond the arc helped take Westlake to a 15-12 quarter time advantage.

Another 8 points in the second plus a helping hand from fellow guard Josh Hildago and Lucas Mennenga kept Westlake in the ascendancy at the break 29-22. Michael Gardner made just 4 first half points as the MAGS danger man was kept in check by the Lake defence. Trent Kimiangata.

John Barr scored a couple of early second half baskets for the visitors in the third but with James Moors dropping a three, Reuben Fitzgerald and Hildago making a couple of baskets each and Letoa purring along the lead was 52-34 in favour of Westlake at the third break.

MAGS enjoyed their best scoring quarter in the fourth as Paina Slade and Jack Morrison found the net but Letoa wasn’t done. The Westlake captain scored another ten points in the period to cap a fine game and get his team back on track for a top two finish.

Final Score: Westlake 75 – Letoa 35, Hildago 12, Moors 7pts/9rebs, Scott Telfer 7pts/9rebs MAGS 51 – Gardner 8, Kimiangatau 7, Barr 6, Slade 6, Morrison 6

Rosmini College may have been without three players, on duty in Melbourne with the NZ Under 16 team, but they made light work of their visit to Liston College winning 113-50.

Rosmini dominated from the outset leading 38-16 at quarter time with guard Taine Wattie, in good form this season, nabbing 9 points in the period. The game was over as a contest by half-time with the visitors ahead 67-23.

Stand-in coach Matt Lacey had the luxury of giving extended court time to his bench in the second half enabling eight players to make double figures.

Dru Leo and Kim Estonactor shared 33 points for Liston including a combined nine triples.

Liston 50 – Leo 19, Estonactor14, Blessing Matambanadzo 7 Rosmini 113 – Wattie 19, Ben Turpin 17, Kruz Perrott-Hunt 13, Nathan Curran 12pts/10rebs Peter Jenkins 12pts/8rebs, Reihana Maxwell-Topia 11

League Standings

9-2 Westlake Boys HS

8-2 Rangitoto College

7-3 Rosmini College

6-4 Auckland Grammar

5-5 Kelston Boys HS

4-6 Mt Albert Grammar

2-7 Onehunga HS

0-9 Liston College

Auckland Girls Grammar School bounced back in style from their defeat against Mt Albert Grammar in Auckland Secondary Schools Prem Grade last week. The girls from the central city defeated Rangitoto College in ‘The Freezer’, otherwise known as Rangi’s gym, 76-67 on Friday.

The score line slightly flattered Rangitoto as AGGS led 65-47 early in the fourth and took their foot of the pedal in the dying stages.

Led by Elianna Tuaiti AGGS base their game around aggressive defence and rebounding to fuel their transition game. But they are no one trick pony as demonstrated by Tyla Tuala who knocked down a couple of outside shots early on to propel her team to a 16-11 lead.

Unfortunately Bella Elgar and Rionne Papa had a clash of heads early in the period with Elgar coming off worse and having to retire from the game. Papa continued after some treatment and a spell on the bench.

Tabitha Jenkins made a couple of nice left handed inside buckets but Rangi trailed 22-11 at the first break.

A triple from Riana Rangi-Brown hinted at a home team comeback but the trio of Papa, Eli Tuaiti and Mele Latu were dominating the boards and despite a Sophie Bond three in the shadows of half-time AGGS were in control 39-23 at the interval.

Rangitoto were dealing primarily in threes in the third quarter as Bond, Jenkins, Tessa Gush and Annalina Crosbie all converted from beyond the arc. In contrast AGGS were penetrating and dishing as Tuaiti opened up the lanes for southpaw Papa and Latu to make baskets and take the visitors to a 58-41 lead.

Karma Skilton-Roberts made a difficult drive look easy as AGGS stretched the lead to eighteen but credit to Rangi, they had the better of the back end of the game, and closed to within ten points.

Fittingly Eli Tuaiti, the player of the game, made a late three to put the finishing touch to a conclusive AGGS win.

Shout out to the AGGS coaching staff of John Subritzky and Miu Tuala who both wore shorts in ‘The Freezer’ – they are probably still thawing out!

Final Score: Rangitoto 67 – Jenkins 18pts/14rebs, Crosbie 14, Bond 11, Robyn Blackstock 9pts/11rebs Auckland Grammar 76 – E Tuaiti 22, Latu 17, Tuala 15, Papa9, Skilton-Roberts 9

Just down the road Westlake Girls High School entertained Mt Albert Grammar School in a game to decide outright second on the ladder.

Both teams were minus a New Zealand reps with MAGS forward Sharne Pupuke-Robati and Westlake guard Jordyn Maddix both in Melbourne with the NZ Under 16 team.

Westlake won the opening stanza 15-11 with forward Sophie Dil kick starting their effort.

The lead was extended to 32-27 at half-time as the Westlake duo of Tiarna Clarke and Keeley Tini shared 21 points. Trinity Paeu had a strong half for MAGS with 8 points, as did Rikki Fiatau with seven.

Photo courtesy of Sylvia Wilkins

Clarke nailed a pair of three’s in the third period and Piper Manolas scored five straight points as Westlake took the period 19-11 to extend their advantage to 13 points (51-38).

It was more of the same in the fourth as Westlake eased out to a 69-48 victory.

Final Score: Westlake 69 – Clarke 18, Tini 15, Jessica Moors 9, Rosie Davison 9 Mt Albert 48 – Jodea Joseph 11, Moanekah Vai 8, Paeu 8, Fiatau 8

Katie Diakhaby proved the difference between the two sides as she powered Orewa College to a 61-54 road win against Massey High School. The Junior Tall Ferns forward amassed 34 points and 31 rebounds – 17 at the offensive end – in one of the outstanding individual performances of the season to date.

Photo courtesy of Sylvia Wilkins

The game was close throughout highlighted by the fact that only one scoring shot separated the teams in three of the quarters. The decisive period was the third, that Orewa won 19-12, to give them a 43-37 advantage that they were able to protect in the closing stages.

Guard Hannah Wentworth (13pts) gave Diakhaby good support with Shauna Povey and Terrina Aratangi leading the Massey effort.

Final Score; Massey 54 – Povey 18, Aratangi 14, Ashlee Tyacke 7, Alyesha Schuster 7 Orewa 61 – Diakhaby 34/31, Wentworth 13, Ariana Henare 6, Megan Hoore 5

Result between Avondale an St Kentigern is unknown at this stage.

Girls Standings:

8-1 Auckland Girls GS

9-2 Westlake Girls HS

7-3 Mt Albert GS

7-4 Rangitoto Coll

3-7 Orewa Coll

2-7 Avondale Coll

2-8 Massey HS

1-7 St Kentigern Coll

The new Westlake Boys High School gym was packed to the rafters for the local derby with Rangitoto College on Monday night.

The game appeared to be heading for a tight finish before Westlake guard Isaac Letoa was forced from the court with blood streaming from a head wound in the third period.

After receiving attention on the sideline the international guard headed to hospital for further treatment and took no further part in proceedings. His presence was sorely missed by Westlake as they slipped to an 83-65 defeat, outscored 56-25 in the second half.

Logan Anderson landed a three for Rangitoto but they were off the pace in the early stages forcing coach Kenny Stone to call a timeout with his team trailing 15-5 after 5 minutes.

Stone took the opportunity to introduce Dan Fotu and Sam Waardenburg into the fray and the move paid dividends as both scored in a 12-1 run to edge them ahead 17-16 at quarter time.

The pair had arrived at the game straight from Auckland airport having attended the prestigous Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp in Melbourne at the weekend.

Raw pace took Marc Malingin to the basket on consecutive Westlake offences and he then unloaded an impressive pass for a Lucas Mennenga basket that took them ahead 26-21.

Brayden Inger cut the Westlake advantage to a point but Reuben Fitzgerald countered, 30-27.

A Thabo Manyere two and an Isaac Letoa three excited the home crowd and when Letoa landed an NBA range three on the half time buzzer Westlake boasted a 40-27 lead.

A Letoa intercept and layup opened the second half scoring but consecutive threes from Inger and Harry Clarke gave the visitors some momentum.

A Fotu put back cut the Westlake advantage to 44-39 but on the same play Latoa suffered that crucial injury.

Initially Westlake coped adequately as Fitzgerald and James Moors made baskets but a Waardenburg And 1 play followed by scores from Inger and Harry Clarke took Rangitoto to a 63-59 three-quarter time lead.

The fourth quarter was largely one way traffic as Waardenburg, Fotu and Clarke shared 18 points in the period.

Rangitoto are yet to field a full team this season due to injuries and international calls. This performance suggests they will be the team to beat when the silverware is on the line later in the season.

Final Score: Westlake 65 – Fitzgerald 19pts/9rebs, Letoa 19, Manyere 8, Moors 5pts/9rebs Rangitoto 83 – Waardenburg 26, Fotu 23, Clarke 12, Inger 9pts/9rebs

Footnote: Sam Waardenburg claimed the Camp MVP Award at the Basketball Without Borders Clinic held in Melbourne last weekend. In addition Christchuch Boys High guard Quinn Clinton was voted the MVP of the All- Star game.

Boys Standings after 8 rounds:

7-1 Westlake Boys HS, Rangitoto College

5-3 Auckland Grammar, Rosmini College

4-4 Mt Albert Grammar

3-5 Kelston Boys HS

1-7 Liston Coll

0-8 Onehunga HS

Photo courtesy of Sylvia Wilkins

In perhaps an Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade first, the Rangitoto College Girls team played two games in five hours on Monday. At 1pm they entertained St Kentigern College and at 6pm visited local rivals Westlake.

A clumsy opening quarter against St Kentigern was punctuated by a number of fouls and turnovers as both sides struggled to find any offensive fluency.

Forward Vilisi Tauvi scored the first basket for St Kent’s and a basket from Summer Motufoua gave the visitors an early 10-5 advantage.

Five points from Robyn Blackstock reduced the margin but St Kent’s closed the first period 14-12 to the good.

Riana Rangi-Brown gave Rangitoto the lead with a drive bookended by pair of threes. Tabitha Jenkins and Kaitlin Burgess made buckets and suddenly Rangi were 26-17 to the good and St Kent’s called a timeout.

Nothing came of the discussions as Rangitoto embarked on another 14-0 run, fuelled predominantly by Jenkins, to lead 40-17 at half-time.

St Kent’s only basket in the second quarter was courtesy of Renee Flay.

Tavui scored early in the third period and Tash Leishman converted a triple for St Kent’s but Rangitoto, with Blackstock and Jenkins combining well inside, were able to keep the score ticking over.

Motufoua sank a three and a jump shot for two from the head of the key but it was only a mild inconvenience for Rangi who led 58-29 at three-quarter time. Seven different players contributed to the Rangi score in the third and the balanced scoring effort continued in the final period.

With the cushion of a thirty point lead Rangitoto rotated their troops in a bid to keep their players fresh for the Westlake clash later in the day.

Final Score: Rangitoto 73 –Rangi-Brown 16, Jenkins 14, Blackstock 12, Burgess 11 St Kentigern 41 – Motufoua 10, Tauvi 8, Renee Flay 7, Courtney Griffiths 6

Rangitoto found the going a lot tougher against Westlake Girls High School in the 6pm game. With a short turnaround they visibly wilted in the middle stages eventually going down 71-59.

Tiarna Clarke scored 8 of Westlake’s first 9 points, a close opening ten minutes won 17-15 by Westlake.

Clarke continued to inflict damage knocking down a three to extend the Lake advantage to 24-17.

Robyn Blackstock scored the first basket of the next period for Rangi and Kaitlin Burgess also connected followed by a Blackstock a reverse lay-up.

When Tessa Gush landed a triple the Westlake lead had been cut to 36-31 at the interval.

Rosie Davison (10 points in the quarter) scored the opening 2 baskets of the second half and then fed Sia Talafou for a score as Westlake quickly opened a double figure advantage.

Bella Elgar ended a 12-0 Westlake run but even when Riana Rangi-Brown made an And 1 play the deficit was still 10 points.

Year 10 student Emme Shearer, having an outstanding game, scored back to back lay ups and followed those with a corner three to end a dominating 28-13 quarter in favour of Lake – 64-44 they led.

Rangi-Brown with a drive made the opening score of the final quarter but a long three from Clarke snuffed out any hint of a Rangitoto revival as did further baskets from Chanel Brodeur-Muir and Davison.

Westlake with the win – Rangitoto perhaps regretting scheduling two games on the same day.

Final Score: Westlake 71 – Clarke 21, Shearer 20, Davison 17, Brodeur-Muir 7, Rangitoto 59 – Rangi-Brown 16, Blackstock 12, Elgar 10, Gush 6

Premier Girls Standings:

7-1 Auckland Girls GS

8-2 Westlake Girls HS

7-2 Mt Albert GS

6-3 Rangitoto College

2-6 Massey HS, Orewa College

1-7 Avondale College, St Kentigern Coll