Basketball New Zealand

Basketball NZ Logo

Waitakere West Auckland have defended their boys’ title at the NZ U15 Championships at Wellington this week.

The Westies led all the way in their 69-58 win over Auckland in the final, with Tai Wynyard‘s 14 points the best of a balanced scoresheet. Wynyard was later named to the tournament team, while Ken Smith was Most Valuable Player.

For Auckland, Unique Naboa – one of the stars when Auckland took out the U13 national title last year – scored 25 points and was also selected in the tournament team.

In the girls’ final, Tera Reed scored 27 points to lead Harbour to a comprehensive 94-41 win. Reed was named MVP, while Shalae Salmon had 12 points for Porirua and was also rewarded with selection in the tournament team.

Meanwhile, in Tauranga, Harbour and Waitakere West Auckland again emerged on top – but swapped titles, with Harbour winning the boys and Waitakere the girls.

NZ U15 Championships
Wellington

Boys

Final - Waitakere West Premiers 69(Tai Wynyard 14, Samuel Armitt 10, Ken Smith 8, Hyrum Shin 8, Malcolm Spellman 8) Auckland 58 (Unique Naboa 25, Samuel Aruwa 13, Elijah Andrews 11)
Q1 15-13
HT 33-26 (18-13)
Q3 56-40 (23-14)
FT 69-58 (13-18)

Officials - Jacob Cromb, Leon Demetriades

Tournament Team - Liam Thornton (Harbour), Michael Gardner (Rotorua), Sam Riley (Canterbury), Kazuki Tsukiji (Canterbury), Kaeleb Tyner-Wenman (Wellington), Issac Letoa (Wellington), Samuel Aruwa (Auckland), Unique Naboa (Auckland), Ken Smith (Waitakere West Premiers), Tai Winyard (Waitakere West Premiers)

MVP - Ken Smith (Waitakere West Premiers)

Girls
Final - Harbour A 94 (Tera Reed 27, Tiarna Clark 19, Georgia Henare 12 ) Porirua 41 (Shalae Salmon 12, Mereana Hodges 10, Marama Elkington 7)
Q1 22–9
HT 50- 19 (28-10)
Q3 78-30 (28-11)
FT 94-41 (16-11)

Officials – Josh Boyd, Brendon Menhennet

Tournament Team - Takiri Raerino (Rotorua), Miranda Hodgson (Thames Valley), Shayla Adamson (New Plymouth), Lyric Dixon (Wellington), Kathleen Nahora (Hawke’s Bay), Sophie Schrader (Canterbury), Shalae Salmon (Porirua), Sarah Talbot (Porirua), Tera Reed (Harbour A), Tiarna Clarke (Harbour A)

MVP - Tera Reed (Harbour A)

NZ U13 Championships
Tauranga

Boys

Final - Harbour 67 Waitakere West Auckland 54

Tournament Team - Zane Neemia (Counties Manukau), Nikau Tangaroa (Palmerston North), Ben Ripley (Nelson), Ryan Laumatia (Auckland), James Moors (Harbour), Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Harbour), Harrison Clarke (Harbour), Kale Lawson (Waitakere West Premiers), Marvin Williams-Dunn (Waitakere West Premiers), Matthew Sokol (Waitakere West Premiers)

MVP – Harrison Clarke (Harbour)

Girls

Final - Waitakere West Auckland 70 Auckland 41

Tournament Team - Priscilla Tuala (Waitakere West Premiers), Teneva Ropati (Waitakere West Premiers), Georgia Leef-Milner (Waitakere West Premiers), Te Ao Leach (Rotorua), Ainsleyana Puleiata (Porirua), Charlise Leger-Walker (Waikato A), Summer-June Motufoua (Auckland), Tyla Tuala (Auckland), Rosalee Dunne (Waitakere West Premiers), Iritana Hohaia (Taranaki Country)

MVP – Rosalee Dunn (Waitakere West Premiers)