The 2018 Schick Secondary Schools National Basketball Championships qualifiers have been found for both the A* and AA* Tournaments in Palmerston North next month.
Following the Schick Zonal Premierships completed last week the 24 boys and 24 girls teams have been found for the AA Tournament, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. The pinnacle event on the schools basketball calendar will also see 24 teams competing for the A Boys and Girls titles.
AA BOYS
The AA Boys Tournament will feature 17 teams that competed in 2017 including defending champions Rosmini College who took out the Zone 1 title. Joining Rosmini College are Westlake Boys and Rangitoto College – the three schools having won seven of the last nine AA Boys national titles.
Other Zonal champions were Hamilton Boys High (Zone 2), Napier Boys High (Zone 3) and Cashmere High (Zone 4).
Returning to Palmerston North after missing the 2017 Tournament are 2014 champions Otago Boys High and 2008 victors St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie.
2018 Schick National Championship AA Boys Qualifying teams in finishing order within the four zones:
Zone 1 – Rosmini, St Kentigern, Rangitoto, Auckland Grammar, Westlake, Macleans, Mt Albert
Zone 2 – Hamilton Boys, St John’s, Rotorua, Tauranga, Fraser
Zone 3 – Napier, Rongotai, Palmerston North, St Pat’s Kilbirnie, New Plymouth, Hastings
Zone 4 – Cashmere, Shirley, Waimea, Middleton Grange, St Andrew’s, Otago,
AA GIRLS
The AA Girls Tournament will see 16 teams return from 2017 although a notable absentee are last year’s champions St Mary’s College, Wellington as they failed to make the top six qualifiers from Zone 3 – Sacred Heart College, New Plymouth, won that Zone.
St Peter’s School, Cambridge, the back to back Schick National Champions in 2015 and 2016 won Zone 2 Premiership title beating Hamilton Girls (National Champions themselves back in 2012) in the final.
Other Zonal winners were Mt Albert Grammar (Zone 1) and St Andrew’s (Zone 4).
2013 National Champions Christchurch Girls High finished fourth in Zone 4 with Hutt Valley High, champions in 2010 and 2011 finishing runners-up in Zone 3.
2018 Schick National Championship AA Girls Qualifying teams in finishing order within the four zones:
Zone 1 – Mt Albert GS, Auckland GGS, Westlake GHS, Rangitoto College, St Mary’s College, Massey HS
Zone 2 – St Peter’s, Hamilton, Rotorua, Fraser, Melville, Tauranga
Zone 3 – Sacred Heart, Hutt Valley, Napier, Queen Margaret, Wellington, Palmerston North
Zone 4 – St Andrew’s, Rangi Ruru, Otago, Christchurch, Waimea, James Hargest
A GIRLS AND BOYS
Runners-up at the 2017 Schick A National Championship, Manukura could be the team to beat at this year’s Girls Tournament as they proved far too good for all opposition at the North Island Qualifying Tournament. Te Aroha College will be a top four contender, as will South Island finalists Kavanagh College and Ellesmere College.
The A Boys defending champions Stratford High and Opunake High have already had some close games this season and many are picking these two to be potential National Championship finalists in Palmerston North after they occupied the top two places at the North Island Premierships.
Manukura and Te Aroha will be pushing for top four spots come October, as will South Island representatives Hillmorton High, St Kevin’s College, Dunstan High and Catholic Cathedral College. Hillmorton finished runner-up to Stratford last year and would love to go one better this year.
An exciting festival of basketball is in prospect at Central Energy Trusts Arena, Palmerston North, 1-6 October.
2018 Schick National Championship A Girls Qualifying teams in finishing order within the two zones:
North Island – Manukura, Te Aroha College, Stratford HS, Te Kura Kokiri, Te Wharekura, Opunake HS, Te Kuiti HS
South Island – Kavanagh College, Ellesmere College, Buller HS, Greymouth HS, Hillmorton HS
2018 Schick National Championship A Boys Qualifying teams in finishing order within the two zones:
North Island – Stratford HS, Opunake HS, Manukura, Waihi College, Te Aroha College, Tai Wananga, Nga Talatea Wharekura
South Island – Hillmorton High, St Kevin’s College, Dunstan High, Catholic Cathedral College, Rangiora New Life School
Teams our now considering their confirmation to attend the Nationals and the seeding, pools and draw to follow later this month.
