NC record big semi-final win
North Canterbury demolished Halswell with a record 117-41 victory in the Canterbury Basketball Women’s Premier championship semi-final at Cowles Stadium on Saturday.
NC will now meet defending champion Lincoln University (LU) after they edged the Pioneer Pacers 67-64 in the other deferred semi-final.
Against Halswell, Terina Wanoa (21 points- 9 rebounds- 15 steals) and Hayley Gray (25- 9-13,) set the pace for NC. Gemma Hazeldine (18-9-11) made some strong penetrating runs through the Halswell defence while Charlotte Whittaker (15) was restricted after picking up three early fouls. Taneisha Nutira (13) and Ash Fane (11) also made their presence felt. The Baker sisters from Rangiora, Emily (7) for NC and Jess (8) for Halswell, had some moments one on one.
It will be NC’s second championship final since they joined the premier competition in 2015, finishing runner-up to Canterbury University in both the Patron’s Trophy and championship finals that year. LU knocked NC out in last year’s semi-finals and beat them in this year’s Patron’s Trophy final 60-56.
A powerful second-half effort had Rangiora HS record a massive upset in the Boy’s U17A semifinal beating top seeds Middleton Grange Green 93-88.
RHS were trailing throughout the first half to be down 38-49 at halftime. With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, RHS were 21 points behind at 29-40 before an epic comeback.
Travis Jennings (19-9-8), Blake Cunninghame (16) and Canaan Tarawa (14) put on 15-straight points and the momentum built from there.
The RHS fightback continued in the fourth quarter, drawing level at 79-79 with 3.52 minutes remaining.
Tarawa and Cunninghame kept slotting baskets, then the MacFarlane brothers Conor (14) and Lachlan (11) pitched in as RHS held its nerve in the hectic last 30 seconds to take the win.
RHS will face Cashmere Gold in the grand final this Saturday.
Both the NC Girl’s U17 teams succumbed to strong Wharenui Gators teams on Sunday in the semi-finals.
NC2 was edged by Wharenui Gators Green 72-66, with Elsie McRobb 20, and NC1 went down 52-86 to Wharenui Gators White.