Our #McDsTT Game of the Week produced two new records
In Marques Whippy’s final game as Coach of the Hillmorton High School Tigers, Captain Ihaia Kendrew was outstanding, exploding for 23 points in the first quarter. He cooled off ever so slightly from the scorching start, but when his Tigers needed him most, Kendrew responded by hitting three consecutive jumpers in the final 140 seconds. This forged a lead after Burnside had trimmed their deficit to only one solitary point (81-80). Kendrew finished the game with a McDonald’s Thomson Trophy record 58 points, with an astounding 33 of them coming from behind the three-point line in the 91-83 win, giving him another record for most three point shots hit in a single game.
Lincoln High School was riding high after last week’s overtime loss, knocking over the previously unbeaten team from Papanui High School 78-75. Once again it was Cody Wareham leading the way with 34 points, with Jeriko Selda’s 16, and James Smith’s 10 points being key in a game that featured fourteen separate ties or lead changes, including 73 apiece late in the fourth. For Papanui, Sam Clark led the way with 22p, with Louis Navarro’s 15p, Jared Neighbours 14p, and Shaquel Piripi’s 11p being welcome wingmen for Clark in the scoring department.
A late night power outage at Hornby High School forced some pretty drastic action, with their game being shifted to Middleton Grange at late notice thanks to the efforts of Faith Harrison. Kaiapoi’s Jay Garrick was especially motivated by the chance to be on Glory League, dropping 45 points, with Ryan Sangster notching 15p of his own for the visitors. Hornby’s Jerome Tuiono (19p), Tame Halloumis (14p) and Rylu Dequita (10p) never gave up, but did fall 87-61.
Shirley Boys’ High continued rolling along, with an 87-80 victory over last year’s beaten finalists from Christ’s College – and only needed one double-figure scorer to do it! Unfortunately for Mark Dickel’s Christ’s team – that double-figure game belonged to Joel Jeffrey. Jeffrey had 38 points, as he kept the Spartan’s noses ever so slightly ahead in the final quarter. Will Degeest knocked down five attempts from behind the arc as part of his 27p, with Mason Whittaker hitting for 19 points himself. Aidan Palmer’s 16p and Nale Fifita’s 15p rounded out the scoring punch for Christ’s.
Middleton Grange’s Sofia Kennedy recorded 23p against Rangi Ruru, and tied the game with a big three at 73-73 in the final quarter, only to have Connie Taylor (10p) answer with her own trey. Alice Sproat’s 14 and Sophia Harrison’s 12 points helped the home team to a tough 63-58 win, guaranteeing them a place in the top four portion of the competition that starts in Term Three.
Week eight sees all our grades back in full action (except for two deferred games). St. Andrew’s will face Cashmere’s Whelan team on Monday, in a game that was rescheduled due to the passing of North Canterbury’s Mark Whittaker. The Cashmere boys’ will have the Dowson Cup up for grabs again – this time against a Burnside team that has been struggling of late, while the Cashmere girls have a chance to lift the Phil Burns Cup from Rangi Ruru.
Our #McDsWT Game of the Week has two 4-2 teams in Christchurch Girls’ and Middleton Grange pitted against each other, while in the #McDsTT #GOTW Rangiora (4-3) has a chance to move into the top four as they face the 5-2 Shirley Boys’ Spartans.
Week Seven Results
Whelan Division II
St. Margaret’s 115-28 Te Pā
Whelan Division I
Rangi Ruru 63-58 Middleton Grange
Christchurch Girls’ 66-52 Kaiapoi
Rangiora 84-62 Ashburton
Thomson Division II
St. Thomas 88-74 Cathedral
Ellesmere 75-50 Rangiora New Life
Ashburton 89-59 Riccarton
Kaiapoi 87-61 Hornby
Lincoln 78-75 Papanui
Thomson Division I
Christchurch Boys’ 80-69 Rangiora
Middleton Grange 88-76 St. Bede’s
Hillmorton 91-83 Burnside
Shirley Boys’ 87-80 Christ’s
Picks last week: Whelan 4/4; Thomson 8/9
Year to date: Whelan 44/52; Thomson 51/68
Upcoming Games – all Tuesday 3 July unless noted. Picks are underlined:
Whelan Division II
5:15pm Avonside @ Ellesmere
5:15pm Burnsde @ Hillmorton
5:15pm Papanui @ Lincoln
5:15pm Marian @ Villa Maria
Whelan Division I
(5:15pm Monday 2 July) St. Andrew’s @ Cashmere
5:15pm Rangi Ruru @ Cashmere (Phil Burns Cup Challenge)
5:15pm Christchurch Girls’ @ Middleton Grange (Game of the Week)
5:15pm Rangiora @ Kaiapoi
5:15pm Ashburton @ St. Andrew’s
Thomson Division II
5:30pm St. Thomas @ Linwood
7:00pm Cathedral @ Kaiapoi
7:00pm Lincoln @ Rangiora New Life (hosted at Rangiora)
7:00pm Hornby @ Riccarton
7:00pm Ashburton @ Ellesmere
Thomson Division I
(defaulted) Burnside @ Cashmere (Dowson Cup Challenge)
5:15pm Rangiora @ Shirley (Game of the Week)
7:00pm Hillmorton @ Middleton Grange
7:00pm Christ’s @ St. Andrew’s
