Hosted by Harbour Basketball the Aon U17 National Championships concluded at Eventfinda Stadium on Saturday with Waikato winning the Girl’s Tournament and Waitakere West claiming the Boy’s title.

The Harbour teams pushed both teams all the way in their semi-finals but ultimately came up short and had to settle for playing in the bronze medal games.

The Girl’s went on to win bronze with a 75-61 win against Otago whilst the Boy’s had to be content with fourth after going down 66-64 to Wellington in one of the games of the tournament.

Congratulations to Zaaliyah Kailahi-Fulu and Florence Dallow who were named to the Girl’s Tournament Team and Jett Thompson who was chosen in the Boy’s Tournament Team.

In the bronze medal game Harbour Girl’s came back from a 34-31 half-time deficit to beat Otago. A 21-9 third quarter with, Mackenzie Chatfield and Dallow scoring four points apiece proved decisive. The inside work of Alex Moore and Kailahi-Fulu proved telling as Dillon Boucher’s charges controlled proceedings in the fourth quarter to claim third place.

Girl’s 3^rd/4^thPlay-off 

Harbour 75 – F Dallow 16, A Moore 12, Z Kailahi-Fulu 10, M Chatfield 9, M Boucher 7

Otago 61 – L Briggs 23, A Ring 21

The previous day Kailahi-Fulu put Harbour ahead 59-57 with three minutes to play against Waikato in the semi-final and it looked as if the hosts might progress to the championship game.

However they were outscored 9-2 down the stretch eventually losing 66-61.

Harbour led 33-29 at half-time on the back of 9 points from Alex Moore but Waikato had the best of the third to lead 45-43 ahead at three-quarter time.

It was basket for basket early in the fourth before Waikato made their move in the last three minutes to seal victory.

Waikato 66 – J Waihi 21/9r, A Paewai 12, L Hemi-Ta’Ala 12, R Anderson 11

Harbour 61 – Q Stephano 12, Z Kailahi-Fulu 11/10r, F Dallow 10, A Moore 9, S Barnard 7

The Boy’s third place game was a classic with Boston Caldwell’s corner three in the dying seconds appearing to take the game into overtime. However one of the players of the tournament  - Wellington’s Tafara Gapare - scored the final basket of the game on the buzzer to seal a 66-64 win for the boys from the capital.

The game was close throughout with Harbour ahead by three at quarter time, behind by three at half-time and ahead by two at the three-quarter mark. Zach Riley and Jett Thompson led the Harbour effort but Gapare scored Wellington’s last six points to steal the win.

Boy’s 3^rd/4^thPlay-off

Harbour 64 – Z Riley 21, J Thompson 18, B Caldwell 8, P Winitana Jnr 6

Wellington 66 – T Gapare 23, B Gold 12

In the semi-final Harbour conceded a 49-31 half-time advantage to Waitakere West and were always struggling thereafter.

Harbour started well in the third period trimming the deficit to 11 points but another 9-0 Waitakere run stalled their revival. Five points each in the period from Thompson, Paorah Winitana Jnr and Riley kept Harbour afloat as they trailed 68-54 at three-quarter time.

Josh Davis’ boys closed to 79-68 with two minutes to play but that first half deficit proved too big a hurdle to overcome.

Waitakere West 85 – E Skelton 16/6a, L Payne 16/9r, Russo-Nance 14

Harbour 68 – J Thompson 23, P Winitana 13, Z Riley 12/11r/7a, P Maxwell-Topia 6, E Priest 6