The Finalists have been found on Day 3 of the 2021 AON Under 17 National Championships at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin.
Canterbury will contest both finals taking on Hutt Valley in the Girl’s showpiece game and Auckland in the Boys Championship game.
Girls Semi-Finals
A dominant final six minutes propelled Canterbury to a 96-76 Girl’s semi-final victory against Harbour.
Harbour were within 6 points with 6 minutes to play but Canterbury were in no mood to relinquish their advantage. The outstanding Kate Herman’s no look off balance jumper pushed the lead back out to double digits, Canterbury extending their advantage down the stretch.
Herman finished with 31 points (5/8 3PG) and was ably supported by all the Canterbury starters.
For Harbour Flo Dallow posted 30 points and Mackenzie Chatfield 19 but no other players could hit their scoring straps.
Canterbury edged the first quarter 23-21, and the differential was identical at half-time with Canterbury taking a 43-41 lead into the break. Canterbury’s Herman and Harbour’s Dallow both had 16 points at the half.
Canterbury made the better start to the third quarter stretching out to a 55-45 advantage. Lauren Whittaker (17 points and 14 rebounds) was into double-double territory, the Cantabs 67-59 ahead at the three-quarter mark.
Harbour 76 – Dallow 30, Chatfield 19, Clayton 9, Pugh 8
Canterbury 96 – Herman 31, Whittaker 19, Williams 14, Morrow 11, Lynch-Brown 9
Hutt Valley beat Auckland 69-63 in an exciting second semi-final with the result in doubt until the final 60 seconds.
When Mayako Taingahue drilled a long three Auckland were just a point behind (62-61) with 1:47 to play and you sensed momentum could be with the team in blue and white.
However Hutt upped the defensive intensity and reeled off six straight points to book themselves a place in Saturday’s final.
Tayla-Kei Rahui-Laulau, Jyordanna Davey and Janina Buot all scored in the teens for Hutt whilst Allyah Leusogi-Ape (15 points) led the Auckland scoring effort.
Forward Ritorya Tamilo (had a game high 15 rebounds) scored the first point of the game but it was the only occasion Auckland were ahead in the first half.
Hutt Valley led 16-13 at quarter time and 36-28 at the interval but Auckland gathered the lead courtesy of Waimanu Clarken at the mid-point of the third.
Tayla-Kei Rahui-Laulau made a left handed finish on the three-quarter time buzzer but Hutt trailed 48-46.
Hutt Valley 69 – Davey 16, Buot 15, Rahui-Laulau 14/12r/4a, Wen 7
Auckland 63 – Leusogi-Ape 15, Parke 11, Clarken 11, Aruwa 9
Girls Quarter-final Results:
Harbour 76 – M Chatfield 26, Q Stephano 10, K Tawhiao 10, F Dallow 9
Wellington 67 – L Taulelei 22, L Tewhata 17, N Sopoaga 15, T Doyle 7
Otago 54 – E MacKenzie 14, A Harris 10, L Briggs 10, S Beattie 7
Canterbury 77 – L Whittaker 18, K Williams 17, K Herman 10, K Lynch-Brown 10, M Morrow 8
Auckland 72 – L Parke 18, S Cook 13, A Leusogi-Ape 10, S Faleafa 8, R Tamilo 8, W Clarken 8
Waikato 66 – T Day 15, S Neale 15, C Lacey-Rameka 15, R Edwards 7
Hutt Valley 91 – J Buot 16, A Wiki-Cummings 16, C Wen 10, T Rahui-Laulau 10, E Vole 9
Tauranga 58 – A Hyland 27, M Gardiner Hano 10, R Cooney 8, G Kahle 6
Boys Semi-Finals
2019 champions Waitakere West won’t be repeating their championship success of 2019 after going down 90-62 to local rivals Auckland in the first Boy’s semi-final encounter.
Josh Muggleston scored a game high 19 points as Auckland enjoyed a balanced scoring effort with five players in double figures.
Dontae Russo-Nance and Scott Errey scored 15 and 14 points respectively for Waitakere.
Auckland knocked down 6-threes as they started the game at pace building a 32-21 first quarter lead.
Auckland guard Barri Merimo scored the first two baskets of the second quarter but Waitakere responded with an improved showing to trail 43-32 at half-time.
6 points in the third from Dante Matakatea helped Auckland build a decisive, and ultimately match winning, 65-45 three-quarter time lead.
Auckland pulled further away in the fourth as a tired Waitakere team were forced to play second fiddle on the night.
Waitakere West 62 – Russo-Nance 15/12r, Errey 14, Sorensen 11. Retzlaff 6
Auckland 90 – Mugglestone 19, Drefers 16, Matakatea 14/11r, Brown 12, Merimo 10
In the second semi-final Canterbury Red were too good for Harbour A winning 106-89.
Harbour were left to rue a poor defensive effort giving up 68 first half points before making a stirring comeback in the fourth period. When Tom Beattie (24 points) scored inside with four minutes to play Harbour had come from 32 points down to trail by 6 (93-87).
Alex Wenmoth and Kaia Dryden exchanged buckets before sharp shooter Thomas Harrison (32 points) made his seventh triple of the game to settle the Canterbury nerves.
The Harbour comeback was extinguished as the Harrison and Nic Book made further scores.
Early on Canterbury rattled up 36 first quarter points to produce a 17-point lead – Hunter Adam with an eye catching 11 of those 36 points.
Aided by four triples from Harrison Canterbury were in an even stronger position at half time with a 68-43 advantage.
Harbour provided a much improved display after the interval – a couple of treys from Jacob Fotu meaning they trailed 84-67 with 10 minutes to play.
Kane Murphy and Zeke Priest continued the Harbour fight back in the fourth but ultimately they had dug themselves too deep a hole in the opening half.
Canterbury Red 106 – Harrison 32 (7/11 3PG), Adam 26, Book 24, Wenmoth 9
Harbour A 89 – Beattie 24, Murphy 18, Dalton 11, Priest 11, Fotu 11, Dryden 10
Boys Quarter-final Results:
Waitakere West 76 – Russo-Nance 30, S Errey 11, Tam 10, Keith-Peraua 7
Hutt Valley 71 – Tongia 23, Kotuhi 11, Leong 10, Schmidt-Uili 8
Canterbury A 109 – H Adam 22, N Book 22, J Braithwaite 18, A Wenmoth 16, T Harrison 9
Counties Manukau 54 – Ikahifio 12, Turner 9, Pattison 8, Manuel 8, Hughes 8
Harbour A 85 – Beattie 27, Priest 22, Chang 12, Murphy 12
Waikato 75 – Cage-Heke 20, Tuhakaraina 17, Waitai 9, Lepou 7
Auckland 101 – Vea 25, Muggleston 18, Drefers 17, Brown 10, Matakatea 8
Tauranga 70 – Green 12, Broughton 11, Vautier 10, Monks 10, Harris 7
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.
Saturday, 17 July Showcourt – LIVESTREAM
- 8:00am Girls’ – Wellington V Waikato – 5/6 Playoff (Winner 5-8 SF1 V Winner 5-8 SF2)
- 9:45am Girls’ – Habour A V Auckland – 3/4 Playoff (Loser SF1 V Loser SF2)
- 11:30am Boys’ – Waitakere West V Harbour A – 3/4 Playoff (Loser SF1 V Loser SF2)
- 2:15pm Girls’ – Canterbury V Hutt Valley- Grand Final (Winner SF1 V Winner SF2)
- 4:00pm Boys’ Grand Final (Winner SF1 V Winner SF2)
