Day 2 at the 2022 Basketball New Zealand Secondary Schools National Championships in Palmerston North has seen a number of teams move a step closer to securing play-off berths.
‘AA’ Girls
Defending ‘AA’ Girls champions St Peter’s School Cambridge and St Andrew’s College will meet on Wednesday in a game that will determine top spot in Pool A – both teams have 4-0 records.
Rangiora High (1-3) only lost by single digits to both St Peter’s and St Andrew’s but also dropped a game to Mt Albert Grammar. Those two teams, along with Mount Maunganui College, will be vying for the all important third place and a spot in the Preliminary Quarter-Final draw.
Rotorua Girls High (3-0) head Pool B with Tauranga Girls College and Waimea College in hot pursuit – both teams with 2-1 records.
Westlake Girls High and Napier Girls High look to be on a collision course to claim top place in Pool C. Both teams have 3-0 records while Takapuna Grammar (2-1) look favourites to secure the crucial third place.
Pool D has a similar look to Pool C. Hastings Girls High and Hamilton Girls High are both 3-0 with Whangarei Girls High, runners-up in Zone 1 Premierships boasting a handy 2-1 record.
‘AA’ Boys
Defending ‘AA’ Boys champions Saint Kentigern College and Rotorua Boys High School meet on Wednesday to determine top spot in Pool A – both teams sporting a 4-0 record.
Rosmini College (3-0) will meet arch rivals Westlake Boys High (2-1) in a critical Pool B game on Wednesday. Mt Albert Grammar are also 2-1 in a pool where the top three spots are up for grabs
In Pool C New Plymouth Boys High (3-0) hold pole position after a couple of crucial wins against Auckland Grammar School (2-1) and St John’s College(1-2). Palmerston North Boys (2-1) face critical games against New Plymouth and AGS in a pool that is too tough to call.
Zone 4 and Canterbury schools champions Christ’s College, with three straight wins, look likely winners of Pool D. Again it is too difficult to pick the top three finishers although Waimea College and past winners Rangitoto College, with 2-1 records have the inside running.
‘A’ Boys
With both teams assured of a semi-final berth defending ‘A’ Boys champions Opunake High School will play Manukura at 10.45am on Wednesday morning to determine top place in Pool A.
Te Aroha College can count themselves unlucky to be playing for the minor placings having lost by three points in overtime to Manukura (88-85) and by six points to Opunake (78-72).
In Pool B South Island ‘A’ Boys Premiership winners Apirama College got themselves a 104-64 win against Greymouth High School to open the tournament but subsequently fell out of contention losing three straight games.
Nga Taiatea Wharekura have secured one semi-final berth with four straight wins leaving Hato Paora College (3-1) and Te Kura O Te Koutu (2-2) and Hornby High School (2-2) to fight over the other top four spot.
‘A’ Girls
Nga Taiatea Wharekura won three straight games in Pool A to earn direct passage to the semi-finals while Opunake High School (2-1) and Stratford High School (1-2) will play Wednesday morning in preliminary semi-finals.
Manukura have topped Pool B with a 3-1 record, the same as Aquinas College. However Manukura defeated Aquinas so win the head-to-head and earn direct entry into the semi-finals. Aquinas are joined by Te Kura O Te Koutu in the preliminary semi’s.
Fast Takes
- Underlining the scale of the Nationals tournament a staggering 60 games have been completed for the second day running.
- A team of 49 referees and 8 referee trainers are tasked with controlling the high volume of fixtures – as always a big thank-you goes out to out officiating team.
- Emphasising the national representation amongst the 69 competing teams Whangārei Girls High School (the first Northland girls team at Nationals since Kamo College in 2005) take on Southland’s James Hargest College on Wednesday. The Girls ‘AA’ Pool D fixture is at 9.00am on Court 8.
- Spotted keeping a keen eye out for the next up and coming NBL player – Judd Flavell (Canterbury Rams Head Coach), Trent Adam (Taranaki Airs Head Coach), Natu Taufale (Manawatū Jets Head Coach) and Aaron Young the Auckland Tuatara Head Coach who is also the St Kentigern College Boys Head Coach.
- Amongst the leading individual scorers on day one Cooper Ohlson scored 41 points for Palmerston North Boys High against Hamilton Boys High while Antonio Verhoeven tallied 40 points for John Paul II v Stratford High.
- Those numbers were bettered by Merrick Rillstone (44 points) for St Kentigern College in their win against Wellington College and by Mai Te Rangi Arahanga with 46 points for Hato Paora College against Aparima College.
- Josey Hansen scored 38 points for Paeroa College in an excellent win against Manukura and Leah Patuwairua 35 points for Epsom Girls Grammar against New Plymouth Girls High to lead the way in the Girls ‘A’ and ‘AA’ competitions.
