Sam Mennenga scored a game high and season best 17 points on 7 from 10 shooting as Davidson College Wildcats beat Penn 72-60 at the Myrtle Beach Invitational on Saturday (NZT). The former Westlake and Harbour forward also tallied 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 28 minutes of action. Mennenga is averaging 11.8ppg for the 2-2 Wildcats.
Flynn Cameron totaled 18 points (plus 8 rebounds) and Callum McRae closed in on 500 career points as UC Riverside dominated Bethedsa 95-57. McRae also pulled down 8 rebounds with his 7 points taking him to 496 career points in 69 games for UCR.
Cantabrian forward Mason Whittaker scored his first collegiate points knocking down a three with his only shot of the game but American International were thumped 82-42 by Longwood.
In Women’s Div I games Emme Shearer put together a nice stats line as Portland picked up a 91-77 win in Hawaii against the Rainbow Warriors. The 2020 Harbour Breeze guard made 11 points (5/7FG) in addition to accumulating 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Tegan Graham produced 10 points including 2 from 3 from beyond the arc, and dished 3 assists as BYU dominated Boise State 84-40. Arielle Williams-Mackey also chipped in with a couple of points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in the win.
Other Results:
Georgia Southern 57 (Tsubasa Nisbett 2pts, 5rebs) San Diego State 65
Tera Reed moved to second on the New Zealand Women’s All-time NCAA Division I scoring list on Friday (NZT) when University of California Trojans overcame Western Michigan 80-50.
Plagued by early foul trouble (three in the opening period) the Trojans starter played just 17 minutes but still finished with 8 points, making 3 from 4 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers in her third game of the season.
That tally took the Tall Ferns and former Harbour Breeze wing to 1,498 Division 1 career points, a single point more than one of New Zealand’s all-time greats Megan Compain scored for the St Joseph’s University Hawks (1993-97).
Compain reached that mark in 113 appearances with Reed reaching the figure playing one game more.
Reed is in her Graduate Year at USC having previously played at Virginia Commonwealth University where, as a 4-year starter, she scored 1,466 points.
Only another former Tall Fern Erin Rooney remains ahead of Reed on the all-time scoring list. Cantabrian Rooney, a bronze medal winner at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, scored 1,648 points during her 131 game collegiate career – two years at Monmouth University Hawks and a further two years at Fordham University concluding in 2014.
If Reed stays healthy Rooney’s record tally is well within her reach with a 30+ game season ahead over the next four months.
Callum McRae scored 15 points and Flynn Cameron 7 points as UC Riverside (2-2) came off second best at San Diego losing 74-62 today.
McRae added 5 rebounds and 4 assists while Cameron came up with 6 boards. Angus McWilliam remains sidelined recovering from injury.
Abilene Christian won 80-71 in overtime against UT Arlington Flynn’s older brother Tobias Cameron posting 5 points and a trio of steals and rebounds.
Dan Fotu and St Mary’s Gaels made it three wins from three outings with a comfortable 70-51 win against Sothern Utah. The Tall Black forward finished with 12 points (6/10FG) and 6 rebounds.
Fotu became the first Gael to pass 50 points on the season when he scored 8 points in a St Mary’s 73-64 win against Bellarmine today – the Gaels 4-0 this term.
It’s not every week you get to play the defending Women’s Division I National Champions but that opportunity came the way of Emme Shearer and the Portland Pilots when they visited Stanford University.
As expected the result went the way of Stanford (77-55) but the Pilots will take heart from a good second half after trailing 43-24 at half-time. Shearer finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds and her customary pair of steals.
Porirua’s Grace Hunter (11 points) scored in double figures for the first time in NCAA Division I basketball as Florida International University beat Kennesaw State 67-57.
In her first year at FIU (2-2), after playing two years Junior College for South Plains, Hunter followed that with 13 points in an 81-74 loss to Georgia Southern University (3-0). Tsubasa Nisbett scored 3 points for GSU.
Kaitlin Burgess, another who played two years at Junior College, also scored 11 points (4/7FG) as Boise State downed Oregon Tech 83-48.
Helen Matthews contributed 6 points and 3 rebounds on her birthday but a 61-47 defeat against Florida was not the present she and the Wofford Terriers were hoping for.
Also with 6 points was Tara Manumaleuga as Texas Christian went to double overtime against Tulane before falling 88-78.
Lauryn Mapusua scored 9 points as Houston Baptist. The former NZ U17 international also grabbed a pair of steals.
In other results:
BYU 55 (Tegan Graham 3p, 2a, 1reb, 1block, Arielle Mackey-Williams 2pts, Kaylee Smiler 2rebs, 1a) Arizona State 44
Fresno State 88 (Amiee Book 5pts, 1reb, 1a) Stanislaus State 71
Ella Bradley (No 10 in pic above) scored 22 points (8/11FG, 6/6FT) and Maclani Michael (No 11) 12 points as Utah State Eastern dominated Phoenix College to win 104-38. Both players flirted with triple-doubles – Bradley pulled down 8 rebounds to compliment a career high 10 assists while Michael added 6 assists to 9 rebounds.
Bradley has now had three 20 points outings on the bounce.
Cantabrian Brooklyn Pouwhare (No 25) is the third Kiwi in the Eastern squad and she made her debut earlier this month for the Eagles.
Also racking up the points is Keeley Tini. Williston State beat United Tribes 89-62 with the power forward scoring a season high 25 points to go with 7 rebounds and 4 steals.
Izzy Cook led Western Nebraska with a symmetrical double-double off 11 points and 11 rebounds in the 95-56 win against Central Wyoming. Teammate Rashaan Smith scored 8 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
Another double-double performance came from Waiaaria Rogers but it didn’t prevent Marshalltown falling 79-63 to Western Illinois. The ex Rangitoto College guard finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Jordyn Maddix and Parehuia Delamere have experienced the highs and lows of overtime basketball in the past week.
Western Texas grabbed their first win of the season defeating Ranger College 71-66 after the extra five minutes with Jordynwas one of two Western Texas players in double figures scoring 11 points while Parehuiahad 9 points, 4 rebounds and a brace of steals.
The pair were also prominent in an agonising 68-65 additional time loss to Blinn College – Jordyn scoring 9 points and Parehuia a team high 16 points.
Samantha Jenkins had a busy 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals but couldn’t prevent Dawson College (3-2) falling agonisingly short against Dakota losing 67-65.
Kay-Hauata Phillips, Te Araroa Sopoaga and Te Oriwa Tuipolotu all enjoyed productive outings as Cloud County blew Bethany College away 105-54.
Sopoaga tallied 13 points and 4 rebounds, Tuipolotu 13 points and 4 rebounds while Phillips was close to a double-double racking up 8 rebounds to accompany 9 points, 4 steals and 3 blocks.
Dejaan Schuler knocked down a career best 15 points as Casper College brushed past Northeastern 66-48. The former Te Aroha College standout also pinched 3 steals.
Number 15 ranked Southern Idaho Golden Eagles (3-1) fell to their first defeat of the season having their wings clipped 72-62 by Central Arizona. Cantabrian Ashlee Strawbridge was good for the Eagles finishing with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Kyra Paniora tallied 6 points, all scored from the free-throw line.
Yzabelle Tevao enjoyed her best outing of the season as McCook flew past Air Force Prep 67-54. The ex-Waitakere and Massey High forward accumulated 8 points (3/3FG), 5 rebounds and a pair of dimes.
Dodge City College (4-1) starter Jenna Rose Mafua scored 9 points in the 51-47 road win against Ranger College.
Men
Nico Hill tallied 10 points and 5 rebounds but Missouri State-West Plains fell 75-70 to Indian Hills.
Ollie Hayward scored 6 points to accompany 4 rebounds but Midland CC slipped to their first loss in 5 games going down 71-59 to Ranger CC.
Louisiana State Eunice went down 80-74 to Southwest Mississippi. 2021 Auckland Huskies forward Kiani Saxon scored his first collegiate points for Eunice scoring 4 points.
Nate Wilson came up with 3 points and 3 rebounds in South Georgia Tech’s narrow 85-81 win against Shelton State.
Matariki Kapea was a starter as Bakersfield beat West Hills Lemore 91-83 in their home court opener. He finished with 5 points , 2 rebounds and a pair of assists.
Leo Wenman scored his first points in collegiate basketball as Northeast CC got the better of Southeast (99-61). 2 points for Leo in this one.
Former Junior Tall Ferns teammates McKenna Dale and Tera Reed went head to head as Virginia Cavaliers entertained University of Southern California (USC). It was Reed who left the happier as USC posted a 65-48 win.
She tallied 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists in 35 minutes while Dale had 2 points and an assist.
Olivia Williams continued her good start to her collegiate career scoring 10 points but unable prevent UC Irvine going down 68-60 to San Diego State. The Freshman guard has enjoyed three consecutive starts, totalled 31 points and shot the 3-ball at 55% (6/11).
Cantabrian guard Helen Matthews scored 3 points to go along with 2 assists and 2 steals but Wofford College slipped to 0-3 after being beaten 64-48 by Towson.
In Canada Sofia Kennedy helped Windsor University Lancers to a 71-59 win against Waterloo. The Cantabrian point guard added 3 steals and 4 assists to 13 points (4/7FG) with the Lancers now 1-3 this season.
Back to Division I in the States where Flynn Cameron and Callum McRae continued their good early season form as UC Riverside proved far too good for Cal State winning 72-54.
Cameron scored 11 points while McRae dominated the glass to finish with 12 rebounds, 4 of those at the offensive end and also had a pair of blocks and 5 points. That’s 26 rebounds in the first three games of the season for the former Junior Tall Black centre.
Kruz Perrott-Hunt was one of two Coyotes in double figures as South Dakota were thumped by highly regarded Drake 99-50. The Tall Blacks guard scored 10 points on 4 from 8 from the field – the Coyotes 1-1 for the season.
James Moors scored 6 points as Colorado State made it 3 wins from 3 outings with an 86-62 success against Peru State. In those three victories the former Westlake and Harbour forward has made 9 from 10 from the field – not surprisingly he leads the Rams field goal percentage statistics category.
What a performance from Kendell Heremaia as Fordham University defeated Seton Hall 82-63. The former Waikato and St Peter’s Cambridge standout amassed 29 points making 8 from 11 threes!
In addition she tallied 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals on a record breaking day.
Heremaia’s 8 from 11 from beyond the arc was the second most made threes in Fordham Women’s basketball history. She also passed 1,000 career points joining former Ram Erin Rooney as the second Kiwi amongst 22 players that have reached the landmark for Fordham.
Kendell is also just the 13th Kiwi woman to score 1,000 NCAA Division I points joining the likes of Megan Compain, Chev Paalvast, Stella Beck, Micaela Cocks, Tessa Boagni, current USC player Tera Reed as well as the afore mentioned Rooney.
Emme Shearer top scored for Portland as they convincingly beat Weber State 67-46. Shearer scored 16 points (5/8FG, 5/6FT), moving past 200 career points. She also added 5 steals, 3 assists and a pair of boards.
The 16 points and 5 steals both equalled career high’s in those two categories for Shearer.
There were four Kiwis involved in the BYU clash with Fresno State with Aimee Book wearing Fresno colours while Tegan Graham, Arielle Mackey-Williams and Kaylee Smiler suited for Brigham Young University.
Book was one of three Fresno players in double figures making 13 points (3/7 3PG) but it was the trio of Cougars that were the grinners after an 80-64 win with Graham posting an influential 6 points (2/3 3PG), 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals.
Smiler also scored 6 points as BYU won a second consecutive game to open the season.
Kaitlin Burgess scored her first Division I career points but Long Beach State defeated Boise State University 61-38.
The former Rangitoto College guard has joined Boise State after playing two years at Junior College for Southern – she finished with 3 points, I rebound and an assist.
Other Kiwi Women in action:
UC Irvine 50 St Mary’s 52 (Amy West 4pts, 2rebs, 1 steal, Jade Kirisome 4pts, 1reb, I assist, Tayla Dalton 2pts, 4rebs)
Georgia Southern 99 (Tsubasa Nisbet 7pts, 4rebs, 1 steal) Fort Valley State 71
Tall Black Dan Fotu, now in his senior year at St Mary’s College, California came up with a career high 19 points (5/10FG, 8/9FT) as the Gaels beat Texas Southern 67-58.
The #42 also contributed 9 rebounds, with 4 of those at the offensive end.
22 points, for the second time in two games, from Charlisse Leger-Walker and 13 from Krystal L-W powered Washington State University Cougars to a 62-54 win against Northern Arizona. Charlisse extended her double-digit scoring streak to 11 games dating back to last season.
The Tall Ferns both filled the stats line with Charlisse adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals while Krystal finished with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
The Cougars next play in Moscow in nine days time – that’s Moscow in Idaho not Russia!
Other Kiwi Women in action:
Florida International University 72 (Grace Hunter, 2 points and 1 rebound) Florida Memorial 69
Wofford College 57 (Helen Matthews 2 points and 2 assists) #5 North Carolina State 90
Another Tall Black Taine Murray scored his first collegiate points as University of Virginia beat Radford 73-52. The freshman wing scored with his only shot – a corner three, and added a steal and a rebound.
James Moors only played 9 minutes in Colorado State’s 91-71 victory over University Arkansas Pine-Bluff but it was a pretty efficient outing. The former Westlake forward scored with all four shots he put up to tally 8 points a couple of rebounds and a pair of blocks.
There are two career highs to report from NCAA Division II action.
Will Heather scored a career best 21 points (9/14FG, 3/4 3PG) as #14 ranked Dallas Baptist University beat #4 Colorado Mesa 63-56 to open their 2021-22 campaign.
“He has the ability to be an All-American,” said Dallas Baptist Head Coach Blake Flickner when questioned on Heather’s performance after the game.
Chanel Brodeur-Muir snared a career high 10 rebounds to add to 6 points despite St Thomas Aquinas going down 54-48 to American International.
Kiwis Amiee Book and Flynn Cameron were cooking today with a combined 11 from 16 (69%) from beyond the 3-point line.
Fresno State beat Utah Valley 71-62 with Book making 15 points, all three’s, for Fresno. Shooting an impressive 5 from 8 from beyond the arc the Nelsonian scored in double figures for the 44th time in her collegiate career. She also added 4 rebounds and a block.
Meanwhile Cameron was also in good form as he tallied a career high equalling 18 points as California Riverside squeezed home 66-65 against Arizona State – their game winning shot made on the buzzer from inside Riverside’s half. Cameron made 6 from 8 from deep as well as a couple of rebounds and a steal.
Callum McRae pulled down 10 rebounds to go with 5 points and 3 assists with Riverside having balanced the ledger – a win and a loss in the opening two games.
Kruz Perrott-Hunt top scored for South Dakota Coyotes as they flew over Air Force 59-53.
The junior guard finished with 14 points (6/13FG), 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 28 minutes.
Akienne-Tera Reed is now just 23 points shy of 1,500 NCAA Division I career points after her 11 points helped USC Trojans down Hawaii 90-50. The Tall Fern wing also produced a game high 5 assists.
Emme Shearer missed Portland’s pre-season game with a minor injury but was thrust straight into the starting line-up in the 91-48 win against UC San Diego. However the ex-Harbour guard suffered the wrath of the referees fouling out in just 8 minutes after contributing a block, steal, rebound and assist.
2019 NZ U17 representative Olivia Williams scored 8 points, including 2 from 3 from beyond the arc, as UC Irvine beat Southern Utah 81-65 to make it two wins from two outings for the Anteaters.
Over half of the 44 Kiwis playing NCAA Division I basketball have been in action in the last couple of days as the season proper got underway on Tuesday (Wednesday in NZ). Here’s an update on how they fared.
Tegan Graham, in her second season at Brigham Young University after transferring as a graduate from Colgate University ,scored a BYU best 18 points to help propel the Cougars to an 81-58 win over Lipscombe. Graham shot 6 from 11 overall, 4 from 7 threes and also dished 6 assists. Kaylee Smiler was also prominent with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists while Arielle Mackey-Williams added 2 points.
Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 22 points (8/13FG) as Washington State swept aside San Jose State 86-56. Named to the John Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy watch lists she also tallied 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Krystal Leger-Walker also filled most the stat categories with 7 points, 3 rebounds 8 assists and 3 steals.
Freshman Olivia Williams enjoyed a fine debut as California Irvine romped home 114-53 against Westcliff. Straight into the starting line-up Williams scored the first points of the season for the Anteaters finishing with 13 points on 5 from 6 shooting making 2 out of three from beyond the arc.
Tara Manumaleuga made a 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals contribution as Texas Christian swamped Houston Baptist 78-48. For Houston Lauryn Mapusua had 5 points and 3 rebounds.
St Mary’s Gaels won at Nevada 66-61 but live stats malfunctioned and I’m not sure the end result was 100% accurate. Amy West was credited with 2 points and 8 rebounds, with Tayla Dalton finished with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists while Jade Kirisome scored 2 points..
Other Kiwi Women in action:
University of Virginia Cavaliers 69 (Mckenna Dale 2rebs and 1 assist) James Madison 84
Colorado State 77 (Jess Moors2pts, 3rebs, 2 assists) Colorado Christian 42
In Men’s Division I action the highlight was a first NCAA double-double for Sam Mennenga. The former Harbour forward scored 13 points (5/9FG) and snared 10 rebounds as Davidson College beat Delaware 93-71. Mennenga also dished 5 assists in a fine all-round game.
Callum McRae also had 13 points for California Riverside Highlanders in their 66-53 loss to San Diego State. The former Palmy North centre, who missed all of last season due to injury, also pulled down 4 boards on his return to action. Flynn Cameron (4 points) had a cold shooting night but did come up with 4 rebounds and a steal.
Sam Waardenburg, like Callum McRae missed the whole of last season due to injury, began 2021-22 with a career high tying 3 blocks to accompany 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Quite a return from the former Rangitoto College forward as Miami beat Canisius 77-67.
Dan Fotu made 2 out of 2 three-point shots on his way to 14 points and 4 rebounds as St Mary’s California beat Prairie View A&M 87-68.
Colorado State 109 (James Moors4pts, 2rebs, 2 blocks) Oral Roberts 80
Hartford Hawks 59 (Tom Webley1 point) Wagner 77
NAIA Division 1
The Waikato duo of Maxim Stephens and Kael Robinson joint top scored with 15 points apiece as Rocky Mountain climbed all over Yellowstone Christian winning 99-65. Stephens added 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks while freshman Robinson made his highest collegiate score in just his fifth outing for Rocky.
Johnson 84 Milligan 68 (Finn McClure 10pts, 2 assists).
St Francis Illinois 58 (Reihana Maxwell-Topia 1 point, 8rebs) Calumet St Joseph 59
In the first week of the Junior College (JUCO) season Harbour’s Keeley Tini, Wellington’s Te Araroa Sopoaga and Ezra Vigafa and Taranaki’s Nico Hill have put in outstanding individual performances.
2021 Harbour Breeze forward Keeley Tini has begun the season in dominating fashion posting a pair of double-doubles for Williston State College. She registered 11 points and 10 rebounds as Williston were sunk 67-59 by Bismarck State. However what followed was remarkable – 19 points (7/16FG), 17 rebounds and 7 assists in a 72-43 demolition of Miles College. Cantabrian guard Molly Cockburn scored 7 points for Miles.
Te Araroa Sopoaga has been a beast for Cloud County Community College in their opening two games – a win and a loss. The 2020 Otago Gold Rush standout has averaged 16.5 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 4.5 steals and 1.5 blocks whilst leading the scoring in both games.
She tallied 13 points and 15 rebounds in the 79-68 win against Highland and 20 points and 11 rebounds in the agonising 80-79 loss at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa.
Sophomore forward Nico Hill scored a career high 31 points including shooting six for eight from behind the arc in the second half to lead the Missouri State West Plains to a 109-67 win over SEMO Prep. The former Opunake High School guard added 7 rebounds and 3 assists for good measure.
In the same game forward Dallas Clayton scored his first collegiate points, coming off the bench to tally 7 points and 3 rebounds.
Ezrah Vaigafa was a dime short of a triple double in his first outing for Neosho County. The former Wellington guard came up with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists as Neosho County grabbed a 108-72 victory.
In addition to the quartet of stellar performances above there were numerous other noteworthy deeds
Canterbury forward Ashlee Strawbridge top scored for Southern Idaho as they dominated Central Wyoming to win 60-39. Strawbridge finished with 14 points (4/6 3PG) with fellow Junior Tall Fern Kyra Paniora tallying 7 points.
Te Aroha’s Dejaan Schuler tallied 11 points and 5 assists as Casper College disposed of Community Christian College 116-39.
Casper then faced off against Southern Idaho but none of the Kiwis made a major impact. Southern Idaho won 59-53 with Strawbridge contributing 3 points and 6 rebounds but neiher Paniora or Schuler could register points.
Jordyn Maddix scored 10 points and Parehuia Delamere 8 (plus 7 boards and 3 steals) but the Harbour pair couldn’t stop Western Texas being downed 63-54 by Cisco College.
Ella Bradley joint top scored for Utah State Eastern in their 76-60 loss against Seward County. The Waikato forward finished with 15 points (5/8FG) and 6 rebounds. Also for Utah State former Avondale College guard Maclani Michaelfinished with 5 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on debut.
There are plenty of other encouraging debut performances to report:
Ollie Hayward enjoyed a tidy first outing as Midland College defeatedLoyalty College 87-56. The former Northcote College standout posted 4 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists and followed that with 11 points in a big 94-56 win against Strength ‘N Motion.
Heck of a debut from Safena Te Nana-Williams for Central Maine College Mustangs. The former St Mary’s College, Ponsonby guard amassed 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals and has recently been named a co-captain of the Mustangs.
Safena’s sister Leata had 4 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists while Taranaki’s Harata Coleman scored 3 points as the Mustangs butted Northern Vermont – Lyndon 102-67.
Coleman, having transferred from Barton Community College, went even better a couple of days later top scoring with 14 points in the 67-42 win against Villa Martin.
Samantha Jenkins made three 3-pointers and totalled 15 points on debut for Dawson Community College as they climbed over Rocky Mountain College 89-46 in their season opener. Jenkins played at Nayland College, Nelson before moving to Wellington where she suited up for Queen Margaret College.
Wellingtonian Rosie Campbell scored 4 points on debut as Southeast beat Midland 87-46.
LACEY LOWDOWN 