On Day 3 of the 2022 Basketball New Zealand Secondary Schools National Championships in Palmerston North the finalists were found to contest the ‘A’ Championships – Hamilton school Ngā Taiātea Wharekura will contest both the Boys and Girls Finals.
Opposing Ngā Taiātea Wharekura will be Opunake High School in the Boys championship game while in the Girls Grand Final Aquinas College will be the opponents.
In the first boys semi-final Ngā Taiātea Wharekura (NTW) made the early running, the Hamilton school 21-13 ahead at quarter time with Maioro Greensill scoring 9 quick points.
NTW extended their advantage courtesy of 19 points in the half from Arahi Marsh (28 points in the contest) – his steal and ‘Hail Mary’ shot to beat the half-time buzzer extended the lead to 40-23.
Manukura started the second half with a promising 7-0 run but NTW responded to post a 51-37 advantage at the three-quarter mark.
Manukura tried desperately to respond but every run they made was countered impressively by the boys in orange as they maintained a double figure advantage through the final 10 minutes.
Ngā Taiātea Wharekura 68 – A Marsh 28, M Greensill 17, K Winikerei 11, T Johns 6
Manukura 52 – J Blake-Kaiwai 12, H Lambert 9, D Blake-Kaiwai 8, E Minnell 8, H Hewson 8
In the second semi-final Opunake High School set themselves up for a decisive 81-53 victory against Hato Paora College with a dominant first half display. The Taranaki school establishing a 43-19 lead as Cameron Quinnell (headed for a game high 31 points) and Jaree Summerfield shared 26 points.
Hato Paora began the second half in positive fashion with an 8-3 run and with Te Ahitaewa Hakaraia Hosking taking his tally into double figures the local supporters began to find their voice.
Opunake quickly re-established command to stretch their lead to 67-37 by three-quarter time.
Hato Paora continued their spirited performance in the fourth but the defending champions moved comfortably into Thursday’s Grand Final.
Opunake 81 – C Quinell 31, J Summerfield 19, H Gibson 11, L Kidd 10
Hato Paora 53 – T Hosking 19, M Arahanga 16, W Pouto 10
In the first Girls semi-final a dominant display by the Rogers sisters, Emma and Sophie, propelled Aquinas College to an 80-67 victory against Manukura – the guard pairing scoring 29 and 22 points respectively.
Manukura edged the opening period 19-18 before Aquinas had the better of the second spell to lead 48-37 at half-time. Sophie Rogers had 15 points at that stage while Legacy Harrison led the way for Manukura with 10 points.
Manukura trimmed the deficit to 7 points at three-quarter time (60-53) and when they closed to within a point, via a Taylah Seng basket, early in the final period the momentum was with the home town team.
However Aquinas steadied the ship via an Olivia Malone triple but with 2:30 to play their lead was just 6 points (71-65).
Chasing the game Manukura were forced to foul – Emma Rogers taking full advantage from the free-throw line to book her team a deserved Grand Final slot.
Manukura 67 – L Harrison 15, P Donaldson 15, H Lawton 14, B Jones 9, T Seng 8
Aquinus College 80 – E Rogers 29, S Rogers 22, H Beilby 8, M Gardiner-Hano 8
In the second Girls semi-final Ngā Taiātea Wharekura (NTK) moved out to a 17-10 first quarter lead.
That advantage quickly moved into double figures but the deficit for Opunake was far from unmanageable as they closed the half strongly to trail 36-27 at the interval.
Opunake’s Bethany Cook led all scorers with 13 points at the half whilst a balanced NTK effort saw four players with 6 points or more.
Opunake remained in contention for the majority of the third period although NTK closed the frame with a 9-2 run to lead 61-44 with ten minutes to play.
Opunake, with Cook and Anna Bright outstanding, mounted a late charge to close to 71-64 with two minutes to play.
Tiahomai Ohia made a crucial triple with under a minute to play to finally see off the Opunake challenge in an entertaining contest.
Pirikitearoha Lewis, Ripeka Edwards, Te Paea Ma’u and Ohia were outstanding in an impressive Ngā Taiātea Wharekura display.
Ngā Taiātea Wharekura 76 – T Ohia 20, Te Ma’u 15, P Lewis 9, R Edwards 8, C Gabel 8
Opunake 66 – B Cook 30, A Bright 14, J Symes 9
‘AA’ Boys
Pool winners to have gained direct entry to the quarter-finals: Rotorua Boys High School, New Plymouth Boys High School, Rosmini College and Christ’s College.
Draw for the sudden death Preliminary Quarter-Finals on Thursday morning:
Saint Kentigern College v Westlake Boys High School
Mt Albert Grammar School v Wellington College
Waimea College v Hamilton Boys High School
Auckland Grammar School v Rangitoto College
‘AA’ Girls
Pool winners to have gained direct entry to the quarter-finals: Westlake Girls High School, St Andrews College, Rotorua Girls High School and Hastings Girls High School.
Draw for the sudden death Preliminary Quarter-Finals on Thursday morning:
St Peter’s School v Waimea College
Whangarei Girls High v Napier Girls High
Tauranga Girls College v Mt Albert Grammar School
Takapuna Grammar School v Hamilton Girls High School
Fast Takes
Yesterday we gave mention to our fine team of referees, today it’s the turn of the volunteers. Basketball Manawatu GM Mike Ryan and Volunteer Co-Ordinator Tess Petley have drawn together a team of over 100 volunteers undertaking numerous roles, most crucially that of score bench officiating. Without the commitment of this team, with an age range from 8 years to mid 70’s, the championships would not be the success they are – thank you!
Ngatai Pirini-Maika must have set a new Nationals individual shooting record. The Te Aroha College guard made sixteen (yes 16) 3-pointers in his 50 point haul against Stratford High School!
It’s not often that three players will score over 30 points for the same team in the same game but that’s exactly what occurred when Hastings Girls High defeated Palmerston North Girls High. For Hastings Keija Miringaorangi scored 31, Pahylss Hokianga tallied 35 and Storey Sadler topped it off with 37 points.
The leading individual scorers on Day 2 was Opunake High School’s Cameron Quinnell who scored 59 points against John Paul II High School. Other major contributors were Waimanu Clarken with 42 points for Mt Albert Grammar School Girls, Quake Webster with 41 points for Aparima College and Hawaiki Leach who tallied 40 points for Te Kura O Te Koutu.
Back in the saddle – Cashmere High School Girls Head Coach Dave Harrison lasted attended Nationals in 2000. The former Junior Tall Blacks Head Coach was then in charge of the Middleton Grange Boys team. Welcome back Dave!
