Club Basketball 2015 by Bruce Martin

 Photo courtesy Graeme Campbell (LU)

Atami with an ounce of luck and play-off know how have advanced to its 14^th Men’s Premier grade Club basketball Championship appearance in 15 seasons after it sneaked home 82-79 in overtime with a luck-of-the-bounce basket to Angus Forbes two seconds before the game was about to go to a second over-time in Cowles Stadium on Saturday. Atami will meet Hoben trophy winner Wolverines which held off a late challenge from a depleted but determined Gators before sneaking home 80-75 on Sunday morning.

 

Atami and Wolverines last meet in the 2009 Grand Final, won by Atami 87-70 and will clash again in this season’s Grand final on Saturday September 19th. Checkers, the double defending champion was put out in last week’s dramatic quarters.

 

Lincoln University was determined to make its first Grand final since it joined the Men’s Premier in 2013 and it almost got past the highly experienced Atami in a close fought encounter which saw the lead change hands 13 times and level on 17 occasions. After trailing 17-22 at the quarter break, the students lifted their efforts in the second to trail Atami 33-35 at the turnaround through the efforts of Ben Bowie (10), James Cawthorn (24) and James Levings, while more consistent teamwork and strong defence kept Atami in touch. Rusty Thompson (21 points, 9 rebounds) led the Atami charge in the third while Lincoln’s Nick Erwood (18, 7R) slotted several long triple pointers to keep the game close. The students sunk a total of nine three pointers having trouble penetrating the tight Atami defence while Atami chose the inside path. Atami's Canterbury Ram and former Otago Boys HS player Josh Petermann (14, 6 rebounds) showed off a range of ball control skills including four pressure cooker free throws as Lincoln levelled the game at 63-63 and 65-65. Cawthorn put Lincoln back in front a minute out but Thompson sunk a pair of free shots to send the game to over-time, tied 70-70.

The ageless Scott Howell (16, 7 rebounds) in his best game for a while stepped up for Atami in the extra time slotting key baskets. Cawthorn’s pair put the students ahead momentarily 78-77, Block replied likewise for Atami  40 seconds to go, Lincoln’s Xavier Shaw missed one of two free throws tieing the game 79-79 with 15 seconds on the clock before Forbes scored the miracle match winning basket for Atami.

 

The second semi held over till Sunday to allow Gators to get the majority of its team back from the Secondary school qualifying which it won on Saturday night beating Burnside 90-76, was another close encounter. Ram Sam Timmins stayed behind in Dunedin to spend time with his new American coach for next year, Ram Marques Whippy could not play on Sunday and Jeremy Kench had work commitments. None-the-less Gators gave Wolverines a strong challenge taking the lead on three occasions. Wolverines lead the first quarter 22-12 while Gators came back to trail 36-37 at the turnaround through the efforts of Sean Hill (11, 7 rebounds) and Zac Lilburne (13). At that stage Wolverines went through a bad patch of discipline and turnovers but recovered composure in the third quarter through telling efforts from former Rams Lionel Hopgood (20, 8 rebounds) and Dean Le Warne (11, 7 rebounds)   as Wolverines went to the final break ahead 62-52. Although exhausted after four hard days of school basketball Sam Lees, Jackson Stent and Barclay Miller stepped up in the final quarter after trailing by 15 points (59-74) five minutes out to close in on Wolverines but they ran out of time as Wolverines defence held firm.

 

2 Cheap Cars upset the 2013 Men’s Division one champion Wolverines Blue on Sunday, coming from behind to win 82-75 and will now meet Gators White in this Sundays Semi-final. Long term champion Placemakers, winners in the grade in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014, thumped High School Old Boys 100-73 to top pool B and will meet Atami in the other semi.

 

In two fast and furious Boys Under 15 semi’s Cashmere High came from behind to edge the defending champion Shirley Spartans 85-76 in the 1v2 Semi. While Cashmere goes directly to the Grand Final on September 19^th Shirley will face a second-life challenge semi from Wharenui Gators after they had edged Burnside Bears 80-72 in another challenging 3 v4 semi-final encounter.

 

Results were:

MEN’S PREMIER Grade Championship Semi-Finals:

Wolverines 80 (Lionel Hopgood 20, 8R, Mike Kinley 17, 11R, 4A, Dean Le Warne 11, 7R, Croydon Thompson 11) Gators 75 (Jackson Stent 18, Zac Lilburne 13, Sean Hill 11, 7R, Sam Lees 10, 7R). QT: 22-12. HT: 37-36. 3QT: 63-52. FT: 80-75. Atami 82 (Rusty Thomson 21, 9R, Scott Howell 16, 7R, Josh Petermann 14, 6R, Ritchie Howell 12, 9R, Riley Block 11) Lincoln University 79 (James Cawthorn 24, Nick Erwoood 18, 7R, Aled Jones 15, 6A) in extra-time. QT: 22-17. HT: 35-33. 3QT: 52-49. FT: 70-70. ET: 82-79.

 

Men’s Division one Top 8: 2 Cheap Cars 82 (Ruel Gantalao 27, Andy Blancia 13, Crisboy Benevice12) Wolverines Blue 75 (Matt Havill 14, Jamie Graham 12, Nic Purcell 12), Placemakers 100 (Fraser Costley 24, Ben Teale 21, Tim Richardson 16) HSOB 73 (Martin Maunsell 16, John O’Leary 12, Adam Lord 12, Craig Wilson 12),  Atami 68 (Marc Rithchie 15, Manuel Nunez 10) Gators Green 38 (Tama Kamene 11, Keith Armstong 10), Gators White 114 Pioneer Yellow 51. Cross-overs: Paragon 63 Pioneer Blue 56, North Canterbury 95 University 87. Semi-finals this Sunday: 2 Cheap Cars plays Gators White, Placemakers plays Atami.

 

Boys Under 15 Semi-finals: 1 v 2 Cashmere HS 85 (Oki Tilaia 28, Louis Oskan 21, Finn Barclay 20) Shirley Spartens 76 (Oscar Toone 25, Jayden Watkinson 17, Tyriece 15, Josh Thomson 14, 3 v4: Wharenui Gators 80 (Alfie Robinson 22, James Williamson 17, Fabian Hoekendijk 16, Ah-Li Fenika 13) Burnside Bears 72 (Jayden Cameron 22, Dafa Sun 17, Sam Fairbrother 17, Tod Cvetanov 13). Second-Life semi this Saturday: Shirley Spartens plays Wharenui Gators

 

Mid-Week Men’s Grand Final: Checkers White 47 (Nigel Buchanan 22) University 46 (Jason Rivet 16, Nigel Gee 11), Cross-over: Atami 116 (Jeremy Phillips 23, Phipip Brough 20, Glen Rouse 18, Leighton Bill 17) Special Olympics 101 (Bradley Garner 40, Laura Montgomery 12, Craig Bennett 12, Bruce Martin 4). Checekers White 6^th title in 7 years.

 

Women’s Division One Quarter’s: University 76 Halswell 36, Royals Dark Horses 46. This Sunday’s semi’s: Royals plays Minties, University plays Royals Dark Horses.

 

Mid-Week Women’s: P/off 4^th: Pioneer 65 Halswell Green 31, P/off 6^th Royals 20 University 0