LACEY LOWDOWN

A number of teams were short handed in round 6 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Boys Prem competition due to New Zealand teams attending the Medibank Classic in Melbourne. In contrast Westlake Boys High School welcomed back Isaac Letoa from his trip to Kazakhstan with the NZ 3×3 Under 18 team.

Letoa showed no ill effects from the long trip scoring his team’s first three baskets as they opened up an early 8-2 lead at Rosmini College.

Rosmini replied with baskets from Nathan Curran and Taine Wattie to pull back to 8-6 five minutes in. Turnovers blighted the efforts of both teams in the period shaded by Westlake 16-15.

Reuben Fitzgerald scored three baskets in quick succession for Lake in the opening two minutes of the second period and when a third foul was called on Nathan Curran midway through the period things didn’t look so rosy for the hosts.

However Peter Jenkins stepped up admirably and with Mitchell Dance and Will Heather making triples Rosmini squeezed ahead 29-28

The lead didn’t last long as Letoa made a tough and one play in traffic, he led all scorers at the break with 17 points, Mitchell Dance the beast for Rosmini with a dozen.

Heather and Wattie were the first scores of second half before Letoa made yet another tough play.

The lead changed hands repeatedly in the third before a bench technical called on Westlake allowed Marvin Williams-Dunn a trip to the foul line to put Rozza ahead 48-44 at three-quarter time.

A Wattie triple early in the final period encouraged the raucous Faithful, the volume of support increasing for the home team with every Westlake error.

A neat Curran banked hook pushed the Rozza lead out to 56-49 prompting a Westlake time out with 4:49 left.

The breather worked as Thabo Manyere made back to back baskets; 60-53 to Rozza with 3:30 on the clock.

A Westlake press created a James Moors steal and basket but a Wattie layup kept the hosts ahead 64-56 with less than 2 minutes to play.

Ethan Martin made a neat basket but a Heather put back kept Rosmini ahead 67-58 with 1:15 to play.

Westlake were forced to foul to stop the clock availing Jordan Wilson the opportunity to calmly convert four consecutive free throws to ice the game and inflict on Westlake its first defeat of the season.

Final Score: Rosmini 71 (Dance 17, Wattie 10, Heather 10, Jenkins 8pts/9rebs, Wilson 8) Westlake 63 (Letoa 25pts/9rebs/6assists, Manyere 13/10, Fitzgerald 7)

Dan Fotu top scored for Rangitoto

Mt Albert Grammar School and Rangitoto College, both affected by unavailability of players fought out a close encounter on the north shore.

Michael Gardner scored 12 first quarter points for MAGS in an even first period that finished with Rangitoto 19-18 to the good. Rangi put the defensive clamps on the visitors in the second period and with Dan Fotu making 10 points in the half extended to a 35-26 lead at the main break.

MAGS outscored their hosts 16-13 in the third but couldn’t repeat the dose in the final quarter. Harrison Clarke nailed a three to open the Rangi effort in the fourth and Zac Te Puni made three consecutive baskets as they got the better of the final stanza, but only just, to record a 68-61 victory.

Final Score: Rangitoto 68 (Fotu 20, Zac Te Puni 11, Kaycee Anibueze 10, Harry Clarke 10) MAGS 61 (Gardner 22, John-Afi Stowers 12, Trent Kimiangatau 8, Jonty Vink 7pts/13rebs)

Kelston Boys High School demonstrated its competitiveness this season by pushing Auckland Grammar all the way only to fall to an agonising 80-82 defeat.

The bulk of the Kelston scoring was done by Kale Lawson (25pts), Sam Brooking (19pts) and Linus Jakzst (17pts).

The result of the game between Onehunga High School and Liston College is unknown at the time of posting this news.

All teams play again on Monday June 13 with the clash between Westlake and Auckland Grammar the pick of the fixtures.

Boys Standings after 6 rounds;

5-1 Westlake Boys HS, Rangitoto College

4-2 Auckland Grammar

3-3 Kelston Boys HS, Mt Albert GS, Rosmini College

0-5 Onehunga HS, Liston College

Michael Gardner (No 10) has been in fine form for MAGS this season

There were a couple of one sided affairs in the fifth round of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Boys competition on Friday as winless Liston College and Onehunga slipped to 0-5. In other games Mt Albert Grammar won the battle of the two promoted teams and Rosmini College got its season back on track with a win at Auckland Grammar.

A Thabo Manyere transition dunk and penetration from livewire guards Marc Malingin and Josh Hildago helped open up a 12-5 Westlake Boys High School lead before an eye catching drive through traffic from Blessing Matambanadzo (surely the coolest name in Prem basketball) dragged Liston back into the contest.

Baskets either side of the quarter time break from Scott Telfer extended the Westlake lead to 29-12 before a transition basket from Emmanuel Maagdenberg encouraged Liston.

Maagdenberg and Lev Prokefyeu worked tirelessly under the hoop for the visitors but they endured a heavy workload as Westlake continually attacked the offensive boards. Reuben Fitzgerald (10pts) led all scorers at the interval, Westlake in the ascendency 56-24.

Liston opened the second half with a 14-7 run causing Westlake coach Phil Campbell enough concern to call a timeout. Matambanadzo kept the momentum going for Liston with a couple of fast break baskets and when Kim Estonactor converted a high arching jump shot the visitors had logged 20 points in 6 minutes. James Moors restored a semblance of order with a couple of quick baskets, his team 79-46 to the good with 10 minutes to play.

The final quarter was a formality as Westlake, with seven players in double figures, ran out 101-60 winners. Despite the scoreline Liston, to their credit, continued to compete up to the final whistle.

Final Score:

Westlake 101 – Moors 16, Greg Vukets 15, Telfer 12/11rebs, Ethan Martin 12

Liston 60 – E Maagdenberg 15, Matambanadzo 14

Mt Albert Grammar won the battle of the two promoted teams beating Kelston Boys 88-66. Michael Gardner paced the MAGS effort with 28 points (11/21FG) to take his team to their third win of the campaign.

With Jonty Vink dominating the glass (11 rebounds including 5 offensive) MAGS jumped out to an early double figure lead extended to eighteen at half time, 51-33.

Kelston had the better of the third period cutting the deficit to 10 points, 66-56, before MAGS moved clear in the fourth.

Kelston assistant coach Tom Blair was disappointed with his team’s effort “We were flat from the start an gave our worst performance of the season, we didn’t turn up.”

Sam Brooking led his team’s effort with 17 points as they slipped to a second loss of the season.

Final Score:

MAGS 88 – Gardner 28, Luke Fitzpatrick 11, Trent Kimiangatau 11, Mandela Baledrokadroka 10

Kelston 66 – Brooking 17, Linus Jaczst 14, Kale Lawson 13

Rosmini College visited Auckland Grammar with the formbook pointing towards a home team victory but the Rozza boys had other thoughts and came away with a 97-79 win.

Rosmini got on top early with some full court defence that forced numerous turnovers from the home side, to lead 28-20 at the first break with Will Heather claiming 9 points.

AGS bounced back in the second quarter as Tuki Fahrensohn and Rua Winitana became more involved but they still trailed 51-43 at half-time.

Rosmini continued to prosper after the break as a double dose of double doubles from Kruz Perrott-Hunt (11pts/10rebs) and Nathan Curran (13pts/11rebs) extended the advantage.

A spot of chair throwing from frustrated AGS coach Manu Hoque, resulting in a technical foul, didn’t help the home cause. Rosmini guard Mitchell Dance helped himself to 15 points in the last quarter as his team eased to the win.

Final Score:

AGS 79 – Fahrensohn 29, Winitana 26, Connor Flannagan 10

Rosmini 97 – Dance 27, Taine Wattie 17, Heather 15, Curran 13/11, Perrott-Hunt 11/10

Unfortunately Onehunga High School arrived at Rangitoto with just five players and although Rangi rested a number of front line players the score still blew out to a lopsided 129-35 in favour of the home side. J Tufuga managed 24 of Onehunga’s points but it is to be hoped he finds a little more support in future games.

For Rangitoto Harrison Clarke scored 22 points with Logan Anderson (20pts), Zac Te Puni (19pts) and Kaycee Anibueze (18pts) the other main contributors.

Tiarna Clarke gets a jump shot off for the Junior Tall Ferns against USA Select

Westlake Girls High School entertained Massey High School in round 5 of the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier encounter on Friday. Both sides struggled to find the basket in the early stages and it took over 4 minutes before Terina Aratangi slotted home a pair of free throws to give Massey the lead. Chanel Brodeur-Muir opened the Westlake account, her team just ahead 9-5 at quarter time.

A classy drive from Tiarna Clarke opened the second quarter scoring for the home side but a couple of transition baskets from Shauna Povey plus a freebie tied the scores 13-13 at the 4 minute mark in the period. Rosie Davidson and Sia Talafoa led a 10-3 run as Westlake closed the half 23-16 to the good.

Back to back baskets from Davison stretched the Westlake advantage to 29-16 and when Clarke added another bucket Massey coach Sheryl Paalvast called a timeout. Sylvia Wieczorek responded with a basket and a block but three’s from Clarke and Brodeur-Muir helped stretch the Lake advantage to 45-23 at three-quarter time.

A succession of turnovers and errors from both sides marred the start of the final quarter before Jordyn Maddix and Clarke, off a nice Keeley Tini assist, got the scoreboard ticking again.

Emme Shearer went coast to coast as the Westlake lead stretched beyond 40 points before Aratangi and Povey scored consolation points for Massey as they eventually fell 75-27.

Westlake coach Jody Cameron, on international duty preparing the New Zealand Select team for their two games against China over Queens Birthday weekend, will be delighted her team bounced back to winning ways after the loss to Rangitoto College last week.

Final Score;

Westlake 75 – Clarke 21, Davison 13, Brodeur-Muir 11, Piper Manolas 6

Massey 27 – Povey 12, Aratangi 6 Wieczorek 2/10rebs

The only other game played last week resulted in a comprehensive win for Mt Albert Grammar School over Avondale College but unfortunately I don’t know the actual score

Girls Standings after 5 rounds (NB 4 teams have only played 4 games)

4-0 Auckland Girls GS

4-1 Westlake Girls HS

3-1 Rangitoto College,

3-2 Mt Albert GS

2-3 Massey HS, Mt Albert GS

1-3 Orewa College

1-4 Avondale College

0-4 St Kentigern CollegeWestlake

Thabo Manyere

A large vociferous crowd was in attendance for the game of the week in the Auckland Secondary Schools Premier Grade Boys competition as the unbeaten pair of Westlake Boys High School and Rangitoto College went head to head.

Neither side was at full strength as Westlake’s Isaac Letoa and Rangitoto’s Sam Waardenburg are both representing New Zealand at the FIBA 3X3 Under 18 World Championships in Kazakhstan.

Cam Stone opened the scoring for Rangitoto and Dan Fotu glided to the basket for a couple of baskets prompting Westlake coach Phil Campbell to call an early timeout with his team 11-1 down.

A pair of Josh Hidalgo jumpers sparked a Westlake revival but Rangi were in control 23-15 at quarter time.

A Thabo Manyere block excited the visiting fans and when he converted a put back Lake were within five points. He and James Moors continued the Westlake second quarter resurgance but Stone converted three triples in as many minutes as Rangi edged the half 43-39.

A Logan Anderson baseline three followed by a Fotu break away dunk took the Rangi lead out to 57-44 but thereafter Westlake held most of the attacking cards.

A Moors block and fast break drive cut the lead to 62-56 then good work from Reuben Fitzgerald and Luke Day dragged it back to 63-61.

Manyere tied the scores then made the go ahead free throws, 67-65 Westlake in the lead at the third interval.

Point guard Marc Malingin was busy for Westlake as he; Manyere, Moors and Greg Vukets stretched the advantage to 78-71 with 2:10 remaining.

Rangitoto coach Kenny Stone took his growing frustration out on referee Gareth Teahan and was hit with a technical in the closing moments. Moors scored from the subsequent free throws and despite scores from Stone and Zac Te Puni Westlake were able to preserve their unbeaten start to the season as Malingin, Manyere and Moors again, calmly slotted home free throws.

For the second successive year Westlake stole the early season win on Rangitoto’s home court.

Final score;

Rangitoto 80 – Fotu 27, Stone 16, Anderson 9, Te Puni 8

Westlake 89 – Manyere 24/11, Moors 23/9, Fitzgerald 12, Vukets 8

Kelston Boys recovered from an early 11 points deficit to beat Rosmini College 92-89. Rosmini led 22-14 at quarter time and 51-45 at the interval but they were outscored 26-13 in the third period before slipping to their third defeat of the season despite 32 points from Mitchell Dance.

Linus Jakzst

Linus Jakzst paced the Kelston effort with 32 points including 13 in the decisive third quarter.

Final Score;

Rosmini 89 – Dance 32, Taine Wattie 22, Nathan Curran 13pts/16rebs, Will Heather 8pts/8rebs

Kelston 92 – Jakzst 32, Matangi Prescott 15, Liam Milne 13, Kale Lawson 10

Auckland Grammar accounted for Liston College 99-79 and Mt Albert Grammar recorded a second win of the season beating Onehunga HS 98-69.

Boys Standings after 4 rounds;

4-0 Westlake Boys HS

3-1 Rangitoto College, Auckland Boys GS, Kelston Boys HS

2-2 Mt Albert GS

1-3 Rosmini College,

0-4 Onehunga HS, Liston College