The 2018 Schick Championships ‘AA’ National Secondary School Basketball Champions have been crowned.
St Peter’s School Cambridge won the C.A. Clarke Trophy for the third time in four years by defeating Hutt Valley High School 92 – 51.
Rosmini College claimed the Doug Harford Trophy after beating St Patrick’s College Kilbirnie 114 – 62.
AA Girls Final: St Peter’s School Cambridge v Hutt Valley High School
A sublime performance from Charlisse-Leger (35 points, 24 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.) propelled St Peter’s to its third national title. However it wasn’t all about New Zealand’s youngest ever Tall Fern as Waita Jennings (19 points), Ella Bradley (21 points/10 rebounds) and Jayze’Lee Waihi (11 points) all played pivotal roles in the victory.
Sisters Leah Mafua (22 points/12 rebounds) and Jenna-Rose Mofua (16 points) were outstanding in defeat for Hutt Valley.
The first five scoring shots of the game were all threes until Bradley broke the trend with a put-back two as St Peter’s forged a 12-6 lead.
A Jennings drive took the St Peter’s lead into double figures and there was no respite for Hutt when Leger-Walker landed her fourth triple in the opening ten minutes. Leah Mafua dropped a baseline jump shot and Leilani Smith knocked down a triple for Hutt that trailed 27-16 at quarter time.
Leah Mafua’s put-back kept Hutt in touch until another three from Leger-Walker extended the St Peter’s lead beyond twenty points.
Jenna-Rose Mafua struck from long range but neat pick and roll interaction between Leger-Walker and Bradley took St Peter’s to the locker room with a 50-21 lead.
Eight points from captain Leah Mafua kept the scoreboard ticking for Hutt but ten points in the quarter from Bradley kept St Peter’s in the ascendancy at the last break leading 68-33.
St Peter’s dominated the tournament from the outset winning all eight games by an average of forty-seven points, giving up on average just thirty-six points.
A trey from Jenna-Rose Mafua and a jumper from Smith rewarded Hutt’s endeavours but they were unable to stall the St Peter’s march to victory.
Coach Leanne Walker was delighted with the St Peter’s performance.
“We have grown as a team during the year. Last year some of the younger players would lose concentration but this season being a year older and more experienced they have stayed on track.
I’m proud of the way we played as a team,” Walker added.
FINAL SCORE:
- Hutt Valley 51 – L Mafua 22/12r, J Mafua 16, L Smith 9
- St Peter’s 92 – C Leger-Walker 35/24r, E Bradley 21/10r, W Jennings 19, J Waihi 11
AA Boys Final: St Patrick’s College Kilbirnie v Rosmini College:
A tournament full of surprises had no shock ending as defending champions Rosmini College dominated their clash with St Patrick’s College Kilbirnie from start to finish winning 114-62.
Taine Murray scored the first two baskets of the game and Kainoa Lepou followed with three triples as Rosmini built an early 20-7 lead.
Filimone Waqabaca got St Pat’s on the board with a three but his team trailed 26-12 after Sean Murphy scored on the quarter-time buzzer.
Josh Hori scored early in the second period for St Pat’s but Reihana Maxwell-Topia took Rosmini twenty points ahead (35-14).
Tall Blacks trialist Kruz Perrott-Hunt extended the Rosmini lead before Leilani Smith scored with a neat left-handed drive but Hutt Coach Brendon Polyblank was in need of a timeout with his team 45-14 behind.
Hutt captain Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones responded with a long two and Jacob Paese with a three but Perrott-Hunt had the last say in the half with Rosmini leading 53-27.
Waqabaca opened the second half with a pair of threes but Perrott-Hunt, who flirted with a triple double (29 points, 11 rebounds and 9 steals), replied with a pair of buckets and Lepou (5/6 3PG) made his fifth three of the contest as the Rosmini lead ballooned beyond thirty points.
Tournament MVP Mitch Dance (20 points and 18 rebounds) moved into double-double territory and it was 69-33 to Rosmini. Jordan Perez found his way to basket in traffic but Rosmini were in total control at the last break ahead 93-41.
The final quarter was a formality as Rosmini claimed its second consecutive National title and third in eight years.
The win was a perfect birthday for Rosmini Head Coach Matt Lacey.
“It was a complete team performance with all twelve players contributing to the victory. The five seniors led from the front and set the tone, but all the players played their part and have done so throughout the season,” said Lacey.
FINAL SCORE:
- Rosmini 114 – K Perrott-Hunt 29/11r/9st, M Dance 20/18r, K Lepou 17, T Murray 13, J Hylton 11
- St Pat’s 62 – F Waqabaca 17, J Paese 14, J Hori 11, J Perez 8
Tournament teams, MVPs and Officials
GIRLS’ AA SCHICK CHAMPIONSHIPS TOURNAMENT TEAM:
- Emme Shearer – Westlake Girls High School
- Riva Walker-Pitman – Hamilton Girls High School
- Charlotte Whittaker – St Andrews College
- Sharne Pupuke-Robati – Mt Albert Grammar School
- Paris Lokotui – Queen Margeret College
- Ella Bradley – St Peters School, Cambridge
- Jordan Rangitawa – Hutt Valley High School
- Alana Paewai – St Peters School, Cambridge
- Leah Mafua – Hutt Valley High School
- Charlisse Leger-Walker – St Peters School, Cambridge
GIRLS’ AA SCHICK CHAMPIONSHIPS MVP:
Charlisse Leger-Walker – St Peters School, Cambridge
BOYS’ AA SCHICK CHAMPIONSHIPS TOURNAMENT TEAM:
- Maxim Stephens – Hamilton Boys High School
- Shalom Broughton – Saint Kentigern College
- Simon Lafaele – St. Johns College
- Anzac Risetto – Auckland Grammar School
- Jake McKinlay – Palmerston North Boys High School
- Kruz Perrott-Hunt – Rosmini College
- Jeremiah Savali – St Patricks College
- Taine Murray – Rosmini College
- Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones – St Patricks College
- Mitchell Dance – Rosmini College
GIRLS’ AA SCHICK CHAMPIONSHIPS MVP:
Mitchell Dance – Rosmini College
OFFICIALS FOR THE FINALS:
For the Bronze Girls’ AA Final: Toni-Lee Smith Hunwick and Liam Collins.
For the Bronze Boys’ AA Final: Corey Hogg and Mikey Graham.
For the Championship Girls’ AA Final: Apai Apai, Hamish Dale and Reagan Ashley.
For the Championship Boys’ AA Final: Sherhon Martin, Duran Whiu and Brad Clive.
