Canterbury have claimed both 2021 AON Under 17 National Championships at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin on Saturday.
The double success came as Canterbury A defeated Auckland 101-97 in the Boy’s Final and Hutt Valley 80-71 in the Girl’s championship game.
Girls Final
Canterbury recovered from a shaky start to win the Girl’s U17 title with a hard fought 80-71 victory against Hutt Valley.
Appearing in the final for the first time since 2008 Canterbury made a sluggish start. In contrast Hutt were up and running as they made five of their first seven 3-point attempts to forge a 28-15 opening quarter lead – Tayla-Kei Rahui-Laulau, Asher Parai prominent
In contrast Canterbury then dominated the second frame, winning the period 20-6 to trail by a solitary point (34-33) at the interval.
When the two teams met in pool play (Hutt won 70-64) the respective centres Jyordanna Davey and Lauren Whittaker amassed 25 and 24 points respectively. Again they were two of the leading protagonists in the final with their abilities at both ends of the court catching the eye.
The Cantabs fortunes took a hit when Whittaker was forced to the bench with some foul issues allowing Davey and Janina Buot to take advantage.
Unperturbed the KH’s hit back for Canterbury – Kate Herman and Keira Hill helped propel them to a 52-46 three-quarter time lead.
Buot dropped a three and Davey scored inside as Hutt moved to within three points.
Maddie Morrow hit back immediately with a trey and with a Karereatua Williams And-1 play following Canterbury regained control.
Davey scored 15 fourth quarter points but the collective efforts of Whittaker (22 points and 13 rebounds), Herman, Morrow and Williams (17 points and 12 rebounds) propelled Canterbury to a notable victory.
Commiserations to Hutt Valley who finished runners-up for a third successive year.
Final Score:
Canterbury 80 – Whittaker 22/13r, Williams 17/12r, Herman 16, Morrow 16
Hutt Valley 71 – Davey 24/7st, Rahui-Laulau 15, Pasia 9, Buot 8, Remera 7
Referees: Danielle Kooge, Jacob Cromb & Brittany Young
Girls 3rd/4th Play-off
Auckland 77 – Leusogi-Ape 16, Clarken 15, Cook 10, Aruwa 9, Tamilo 8
Harbour 63 – Chatfield 20, Clayton 8, Topia 7, Pugh 7, Dallow 7
Referees: Mikayla Ludlow & Daphne Martinez
Girls Tournament Team
Aria Cowley (Waikato)
Florence Dallow (Harbour)
Jyordanna Davey (Hutt Valley)
Kate Herman (Canterbury)
Maia Jones (Nelson)
Maddie Morrow (Canterbury)
Lilly Parke (Auckland)
Tayla-Kei Rahui-Laulau (Hutt Valley)
Lauren Tewhata (Wellington)
Lauren Whittaker (Canterbury)
Girl’s Tournament MVP: Lauren Whittaker (Canterbury)
Boy’s Final
Canterbury made it a double celebration for the region with a commanding 101-97 win against Auckland.
Auckland were undone by damaging performances from the Canterbury forward duo of Nic Book and Hunter Adam. Both finished with double-doubles with Adam amassing 40 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks while Book added 10 rebounds to 28 points.
In a sign of things to come Book and Adam combined for 24 of Canterbury’s 29 first quarter points as they opened up an early 12 points advantage.
Pressure defence presented easy scores for Dante Matakatea and Luka Vea as Auckland desperately tried to claw their way back into the contest.
Adam and Riley Sa restored some order before Matakatea had the final say of the half -Auckland, looking to claim a first championship since 2016, down 53-43 at the main break.
Adam scored the opening bucket of the second half to take his personal tally to 20, later in the third hitting the 30 mark.
In between Cody Brown and Barri Merimo had some good moments but Canterbury had one hand on the trophy at the three-quarter time leading 80-61.
Thomas Harrison dropped a three, and when the oustanding Adam converted a two-handed dunk Canterbury were almost thirty ahead.
The energetic River Drefers and Vea typified Auckland’s spirit but it was Canterbury’s day as they added the Boy’s U17 title to the U19 championship won earlier in the year.
Final Score:
Canterbury 107 – Adam 40, Book 28, Sa 12, Braithwaite 9, Harrison 7
Auckland 91 – Matakatea 24, Vea 23, Drefers 20, Merimo 8, Brown 8
Referees: Sherhon Martin, Regan Ashley, Liam Collins
Boy’s 3rd/4th Play-off
Waitakere 69 – Errey 23,Viliamu 13, Bennett 13, Retzlaff 7, Keith-Perau 7
Harbour 99 – Beattie 18, Cooper 18, Chang 16, Fotu 9, Sowman-Faaee 8
Referees: Brendon Douglas & Jayden Rosanowski
Boy’s Tournament Team
Hunter Adam (Canterbury)
Tom Beattie (Harbour)
Jordan Braithwaite (Canterbury)
Nic Book (Canterbury)
Franklyne Gordon (Counties Manukau)
Tom Harrison (Canterbury)
Josh Muggleston (Auckland)
Dontae Russo-Nance (Waitakere West)
Luka Vea (Auckland)
Arthur Pilcher (Hutt Valley)
Boy’s Tournament MVP: Hunter Adam (Canterbury)
MORE INFO:
- Full schedule, results and team lists here.
- Follow Basketball New Zealand’s social media channels: @BasketballNZ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
- Hashtag: #AonU17Nats.
- More info on the tournament page here including rosters and draw.
- Watch the day three and four livestream on www.nz.basketball/TV and Stuff Sport.
