Basketball New Zealand

September 29, 2009

Waimea College girls’ coach Tatjana Zizic tried to put the result in perspective – “It’s only a pool game” – but when that swimming hole happens to be a dreaded “pool of death”, the importance of victory should not go understated.

“Suddenly, everyone is talking about us,” chuckled Zizic.

Waimea’s 72-58 win over Jeff Green-coached Fraser High School probably marked the first real showdown of the 2009 Furnware NZ “AA” Secondary School Championships, pitting last year’s fourth placegetters against a team that tried desperately to sneak in under the radar.

That’s pretty hard to achieve when you’re coach wears an ugly Hawaiian shirt and is the most talked about person in the stadium.

“I like coaching against Jeff,” admitted Zizic. “He is a good friend, but you know he will try everything to win … that’s the way he is.”

Fraser fell in a deep hole early against Waimea, eventually falling 20 points behind before rallying to within six in the final quarter. Zizic credited her players, most of whom have returned from last year’s lineup, for staying cool under pressure. Daughter Jelena Vucinic led the effort with 22 points.

“They stepped up as a team and did everything we asked them to do,” said Zizic. “They executed well and played defence well.”

Waimea’s success puts their heads above water in a pool that also includes 2008 runners-up Rangitoto College, and potential party poopers Auckland Girls Grammar and Manurewa High School.

“It is the toughest pool and not just those top three teams.”

With Vucinic ill on Day One, AGGS went within a basket of upsetting Waimea in their opener and then gave Rangitoto all they could handle in the afternoon.

Fraser have a victory over Rangitoto up their sleeves, but must now await the result between them and Waimea to learn their fate. A narrow Rangitoto win would still see Fraser gone, a big win could still see Waimea under threat and a loss could see last year’s beaten finalists out of contention.

“We are still not 100% through, but if we had lost against Fraser, our game against Rangitoto would have been a must-win. This just makes it easier.”

In fact, Waimea would have to lose by 25 points against Rangitoto to let a quarterfinal spot slip from their grasp.
“If we lose by that much, we don’t deserve to be there.”

Meanwhile, one coach happy to be clear of the “pool of death” is Northcote College’s Tony Pompallier, whose charges came back to defeat Sacred Heart of New Plymouth 73-63 and remain unbeaten entering the final day of pool play. A win over Rangi Ruru Girls School in the morning would be enough to earn a quarterfinal spot that seemed unlikely just a week ago.

Northcote was originally drawn in the Waimea-Fraser-Rangitoto group, but escaped when Avondale College were late withdrawals and lower ranked northern zone qualifiers all moved up in the draw. Their gain was AGGS’ loss.

“The team didn’t have a coach 12 weeks ago, and my daughter asked me to come and help,” said Pompallier, who was second chair when NC captured the schoolgirls’ title in 2006.

“We weren’t meant to qualify, but did. Then we raised $6000 in two weeks to get here … I’m so proud of them.”

While Waimea is probably the closest girls team to sealing a playoff spot, three boys’ outfits – Church College and Rangitoto College in Pool B, and Westlake BHS in Pool D – are assured.

2009 Furnware NZ “AA” Secondary School Championships

Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

Wednesday, September 30

Boys
10.45am
St John’s 72 (Johsua Tait 18) Massey 63 (Reagan Laidlaw 16)
Fraser 76 (Utah Parai 19) Cambridge 52 (Ryan Stewart & Matthew Wallace 8)
Mana 72 (Hyrum Hippolite 20) Tauranga 69 (Matt Fullerton 23)
Onehunga 85 (Dwight Leofo 36) Palmerston North 71 (Michael Clarke 20)

12.30pm
Nayland 61 (Zeb Lovell 21) Middleton Grange 58 (Inga Solofuti 23)
Church 89 (Jared Whippy 35) Rangitoto 64 (Isaac Fotu 17)
Otago 80 (Ethan Carruthers 30) Waimea 74 (Chris Duthie 35)
St Patrick’s 67 (Scott Sharp 19) Nelson 53 (Adam Rainbird 21)
Westlake 83 (Rob Loe & Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson 19) Cashmere 50 (Jordyn Kauta 15)
Wellington 86 (Hemi Pairama-Lewington 22) Kelston 67 (Christoph Fahrensohn 21)
Hastings 87 (Stanley Heather 24) Mt Albert 81 (James Ashby 31)

4pm
St John’s 86 (Joshua Tait 19) Cambridge 59 (Shawn Tapusoa & Matthew Wallace 12)
Fraser 88 (Dyson King-Hawea 17) Tauranga 58 (Matt Fullerton 25)
Mana 80 (Ryan Taurima 18) Massey 60 (Regan Laidlaw 20)

5.30pm
New Plymouth 73 (Max Williams 22) St Patrick’s 61 (Scott Sharp 18)
Palmerston North 80 Nelson 78
Onehunga 87 (Stacey Ili 21) Hamilton 79 (Tamaki Courtney 26)

Girls
9am
Marlborough 51 (Sophie van Velthooven 18) Waikato Dio 44 (Laura Schnuriger 16)
New Plymouth 58 (Zoe Kensington 18) Hutt Valley 54 (Kimberly Goodearl 16)
Nelson 63 (Shannon Perrett 24) Cambridge 61 (Anna Cameron 19)
Kristin 59 (Sarah Strom 18) Mana 51 (Brinkley Harris 16)
Fraser 75 (Bailey Ross-Waitai 22) Auckland 49 (Kendall Keung 12)
Rangitoto 88 (Brooke Blair 20) Manurewa 54 (Charlotte Davis 20)
Rangiora 61 (Courtney Hamblin 18) Napier 54 (Shanice Swain 17)
Mt Albert 59 (Adoniah Lewis 14) Christchurch 36 (Courtney Powell 11)

10.45am
Church 113 (Moengaroa Subritzky 16) Sacred Heart 34 (Rosa Antunovic & Bridgette Lawn 10)
Northcote 58 (Shaumee Hiha 22) Rangi Ruru 52 (Emma Perry 17)
Waimea 59 (Jelena Vucinic 13) Freyberg 39 (Freya Newton 12)
Rotorua 45 (P Purdie 15) Hauraki Plains 40 (Kelly O’Hallahan 15)

2.15pm
Mt Albert 68 (Adoniah Lewis 24) Rangiora 52 (Gemma Hazeldine 17)
Christchurch 99 (Courtney Powell 20) Kristin 37 (Habiba Tawfik 9)
Napier 63 (Josie Stockill 18) Mana 47 (Shanice Swain 14)
Nelson 58 (Shannon Perrett 26) Marlborough 54 (Sophie van Velthooven 23)
New Plymouth 57 (Bella McCallum 21) Waikato Dio 50 (Georgia Agnew 28)
Fraser 82 (Veshae Asaua-Wilkinson 16) Manurewa 50 (Charlotte Davis 14)
Hutt Valley 70 (Stella Beck 19) Cambridge 57 (Amelia Palmer 29)

4pm
Church 110 (Shannon Randell 21) Northcote 52 (Aroha Lawrence 15)
Sacred Heart 58 (Philippa Blanks 23) Rotorua 55 (J Bates 14)
Hauraki Plains 53 (Kelly O’Hallahan 23) Rangi Ruru 51 (Georgina Papahadjis & Holly Brown 8)
Waimea 71 (Jelena Vucinic 32) Rangitoto 65 (Milika Nathan 15)
Auckland 54 (Kayla Cullen 19) Freyberg 46 (Freya Newton 14)

Game On, September 30 (232kb)

Tuesday, September 29

Boys
9am
Cashmere HS 80 (Ethan Rusbatch 34) Hastings BHS 74 (Kyne Tobin 25)
Mt Albert Grammar 71 (Jason Goodwin 34) Kelston BHS 63 (Kendall Davey 24)
Westlake BHS 102 (Rob Loe 29) Wellington College 63 (Hemi Pairama-Lewington 27)
Church College 80 (Joshua Whippy 23) Middleton Grange 43 (Inga Sofuli 16)
Rangitoto College 57 (Sam King 15) Waimea College 50 (Chris Duthie 21)
Nayland College 77 (Alex Jordan 18) Otago BHS 66 (Ethan Carruthers 26)

10.45am
New Plymouth BHS 81 (Max Williams 16) Palmerston North BHS 75 (Michael Clarke 27)
Onehunga HS 84 (Lamont Saina 30) Nelson College 65 (Adam Rainbird 20)
St Patricks College 67 (Scott Sharp 21) Hamilton BHS 53 (Kirk Rangiawha 17)

12.30pm
Tauranga Boys College 77 (Matt Fullerton 29) St Johns College 47 (Joshua Tait 18)
Fraser HS 94 (Hemi Joyce-Gay 26) Mana College 66 (Isaac Torea 17)
Massey HS 45 (Adrian Prince 11) Cambridge HS 43 (Kendall MacMillan 31)

2.15pm
Westlake BHS 85 (Rob Loe 24) Hastings BHS 53 (Ravi Mani 13)
Cashmere HS 75 (Ethan Rusbatch 25) Kelston BHS 60 (Cory Tagaloa 20)
Mt Albert Grammar 77 Wellington College 65
Rangitoto College 68 (Sam King 28) Nayland College 39 (Mitchell Ross 12)
Middleton Grange 76 (Inga Solofoti 46) Otago BHS 74 (Ethan Carruthers 22)
Church College 86 (Jared Whippy 27) Waimea College 47 (Chris Duthie 18)

4pm
St Patrick’s College 86 (Matt Sens 34) Onehunga HS 69 (Stacey Ili 21)
Nelson College 83 (Michael Karena 31) New Plymouth BHS 74 (Max Williams 14)
Palmerston North BHS 87 (Michael Clarke 23) Hamilton BHS 67 (Tamaki Courtney & Rore Neho 16)

Girls
9am
Mana College 61 (Bulou Tuisue & Jardene Tipa 15) Christchurch GHS 52 (Phoebe Spoors 11)
Mt Albert Grammar 56 (Ashleigh Kelman-Poto 19) Napier GHS 39 (Shanice Swain 11)

10.45am
Waimea College 72 (Jelena Vucinic 22) Fraser HS 58 (Bailey Ross-Waitai 20)
Rangiora HS 75 (Tegan McNeish 19) Kristin College 40 (Habiba Tawfik 21)
Nelson College 65 (Shannon Perrett 18) Hutt Valley HS 50 (Stella Beck 14)
Waikato Dio 60 (Laura Schnuriger 19) Cambridge HS 38 (Amelia Palmer 13)
New Plymouth GHS 97 (Zoe Kenginston 23) Marlborough College 41 (Sophie van Valethooven 13)

12.30pm
Northcote College 73 (Aroha Lawrence 26) Sacred Heart College 63 (Rosa Antunovic 26)
Rangi Ruru 60 (Emma Perry 21) Rotorua GHS 55 (P Purdie 23)
Rangitoto College 75 (Milika Nathan 14) Freyberg HS 43 (Freya Newton 13)
Manurewa HS 61 (Pearl Lolesi 19) Auckland GGS 54 (Kayla Cullen 14)
Church College 115 (Megan Aben & Moengaroa Subritzky 17) Hauraki Plains College 26 (Frances Nikora 6)

2.15pm
Mt Albert Grammar 69 (Ashleigh Kelman-Poto 22) Mana College 47 (Hawaiki Harris 17)

4pm
Napier GHS 62 (Josis Stockill 16) Kristin School 49 (Habbiba Tawfik 21)
Rangiora HS 62 (Courtney Hamblin 19) Christchurch GHS 55 (Courtney Powell 16)
Marlborough Girls’ College 69 (Sophie van Velthooven 27) Cambridge HS 72 (Amelia Palmer 30)
Waikato Dio 61 (Carissa Te Wharau 17) Hutt Valley HS 42 (Milomilo Nanai 12)
New Plymouth GHS 68 (Zoe Kensington 21) Nelson College for Girls 43 (Sherran Collier 11)

Game On, September 29 (233kb)

Monday, September 28

8.30am
Opening Ceremony

Boys
9.30am
Tauranga 80 (Adam Dunstan 32) Massey 40 (Reagan Laidlaw 12)
Fraser 82 (Daniel Green 19) St John’s 54 (Jesse Manu 19)
Mana 61 (Jordan Ngatai 12) Cambridge 45 (Kendall McMillan 7)

11.15am
Hamilton 82 (Rore Neho 28) New Plymouth 69 (Max Williams 18)
Westlake 77 (Rob Loe 23) Mt Albert 65 (James Ashby 19)
Wellington 91 (Tupou Sopoaga 22) Cashmere 90 (Elliott Noble 39) OT
Hastings 80 (Czebalos Smiler 24) Kelston 68 (Kendall Davey 23)
Church 76 (Joshua Whippy 27) Otago 47 (Ethan Carruthers 20)
Rangitoto 91 (Sam King 21) Middleton Grange 53 (Inga Solofuti 37)
Nayland 70 (Aaron Dempster 21) Waimea 53 (Chris Duthie 15)

2.45pm
Fraser 92 (Hemi Joyce-Gay 18) Massey 54 (Jordon Widodo 16)
Mana 97 (Isaac Torea 22) St John’s 78 (Joshua Tait 23)
St Patrick’s 79 (Victor Groom 21) Palmerston North 64 (Mike Clarke 17)

4.30pm
Tauranga 86 (Adam Dunstan 29) Cambridge 37 (Gareth Davidson-Sawyer 8)
Onehunga 68 (Dwight Leofo 17) New Plymouth 67 (Daniel King 15)
Nelson 75 (Chad Garrett & Adam Rainbird 18) Hamilton 47 (Tamaki Courtney 15)

6.15pm
Westlake 90 (Shaquille Hohepa Wilson 22) Kelston 51 (Cory Tagaloa 15)
Cashmere 81 Mt Albert 65
Hastings 77 Wellington 71
Church 74 (Jared Whippy 26) Nayland 53 (Alex Jordan & Aaron Dempster 11)
Rangitoto 85 (Isaac Fotu 20) Otago 61 (Ethan Carruthers 38)
Middleton Grange 71 (Inga Solofuti 30) Waimea 69 (Tom Ingham 29)

Girls
9.30am
Waimea 51 (Jelena Vucinic 26) Auckland 48 (Kayla Cullen 15)
Manurewa 58 (Bree Jones 10) Freyberg 39 (Bridgette Taiaroa 9)
Church 100 (Moengaroa Subritzky 19) Rotorua 29 (P Purdie 10)
Northcote 66 (Shaunee Hiha 16) Hauraki Plains 56 ( Georgie Prescott & Annabella Assmus 13)
Sacred Heart 61 (Bridgette Lawn 18) Rangi Ruru 48 (Emma Perry 19)

11.15am
Fraser 62 (Bailey Ross-Waitai 20) Rangitoto 59 (Milika Nathan 19)

1pm
New Plymouth 82 (Bella McCallum 35) Cambridge 38 (Amelia Palmer 20)
Hutt Valley 65 (Milomilo Nanai 16) Marlborough 50 (Sophie van Velthooven 20)
Waikato Dio 59 (Carissa Te Wharau 19) Nelson 57 (Shannon Perrett 19) OT
Mt Albert 93 (Ashleigh Kelman-Poto 26) Kristin 42 (Habiba Tawfik 12)
Rangiora 93 (Gemma Hazeldine 20) Mana 53 (Hawaiki Harris 23)
Napier 74 (Brittney Vermunt 19) Christchurch 55 (Sarah Robb 19)

2.45pm
Waimea 73 (Jelena Vucinic 33) Manurewa 64 (Pearl Lolesi & Charlotte Davis 20)
Church 82 (Jasana Salmon 15) Rangi Ruru 30 (Holly Brown 8)
Sacred Heart 76 (Philippa Blanks 23) Hauraki Plains 62 (Kelly OHallahan 29)

4.30pm
Rangitoto 65 (Milika Nathan 26) Auckland 48 (Caitlin Tuala 26)
Fraser HS 80 (Kalania Purcell 22) Freyberg HS 49 (Danielle Pomare-Mackay & Freya Newton 8)
Northcote 81 (Shaumee Hiha 26) Rotorua 73 (P Purdie 26)

Game On, September 28 (261kb)