U19 Nationals - Day 2 Wrap
The Harbour Men’s B team caused a major upset on another day of success for Harbour teams at the Aon U19 National Championships in Dunedin on Sunday.
The ‘B’s’ stunned Waikato A winning a thriller 76-75 with Reimar Cruz scoring the go ahead basket in the closing seconds. Cruz was outstanding landing five threes on his way to a game high 31 points. Harbour found themselves 43-33 down at half-time and despite an improved showing in the third still trailed by nine points at the last break.
Cruz went on to make 10 points in the last quarter and Dallas Clayton 12 of his 16 points in the fourth. Joe Wuthrich chipped in with a couple of baskets down the stretch for a win that took the team to the top of Pool B and an automatic place in the quarter-finals on Monday.
The Harbour A Men also booked a direct passage to the quarter-finals after recording a third straight win. Eight players scored 7 points or more in a comfortable 99-59 win against Manawatu. Harbour won every quarter, the third by 20 points (33-13), to break the game open.
Sam Mennenga top scored with 18 points and there was also major assistance from Taine Murray (16pts), Harry Payne (15pts), Sean Murphy (13pts) and Jayden Boucher (10pts).
Harbour Women met Waitaha Canterbury in the battle of the two unbeaten teams in Pool B and it was Harbour that prevailed 72-58 for a fourth straight win and progression to the semi-finals on Monday. 17 first half points from Rashaan Smith helped the team to a 38-28 advantage at the interval. Canterbury reduced the deficit by one point in the third but but 14 points from Jess Moors and three triples on the bounce from Hannah Wentworth and Jordyn Maddix (10pts) closed out the win.
Earlier in the day the Harbour Women beat local rivals Auckland 68-52. A 33-24 half-time lead was increased to 51-33 at the three-quarter mark as forwards Rikki Fiatau (10pts) and Rashaan Smith (12pts) dominated the boards. Jordyn Maddix top scored with 15 points (4 x 3pts) and fellow guards Emme Shearer and Jess Moors contributed 13 points and 12 points respectively.
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