With one game to go for six of the Premier teams, the top four have been confirmed.
They are Turanga FM YMP (1), Whangara Old Girls (1), Waikohu (1) and Horouta Koura.
Girls’ High, Ngatapa and Character Roofing YMP (2) will contest the playoffs for fifth to seventh.
A vocal crowd enjoyed the skills displayed by Waikohu and Girls’ High in a close, competitive Wednesday game.
Both linked impressively on attack and in defence, moved the ball speedily through the court and finished confidently.
Impressive intercepts were enjoyed by supporters of both.
Girls High led 29-22s at halftime but that advantage was short-lived as Waikohu came out firing in the first quarter to score the first four goals.
They intensified their team pressure on the ball carrier, forcing errors from the students, and by halfway through the quarter it was
32-all.
It went goal for goal from then until Waikohu sneaked a couple late in the stanza to take a narrow lead into the last 15 minutes..
They added to their lead in a pressure-filled fourth quarter and the students had to be content with a bonus point for their close loss.
Both teams’ goal circle defenders — Arahia Tuhua, Alex Sinclair and Karen Matiaha for Waikohu; Joaquina Kaa and Piper Glass-Donaldson for Girls’ High — hunted the ball, created turnovers and collected intercepts, tips and rebounds.
The spectators loved it, responding with “oohs” and “aahs”.
Girls’ High attackers Natasha Porter and Te Arai Waihape-Matthews worked together well. They drove to the top of the goal circle and delivered quality ball to their shooters, especially to Kassie Owen in the first half as she scooted along the baseline.
Page Brown shot well, particularly from distance, and these goals helped the students win the second quarter 17-11.
Waikohu made changes at each break and their attackers — Ashleigh Brown, Gabby Wainohu, Aarika Ruru and Jess Ruru — worked the ball confidently into their shooters,
Marcia Beale and Princess Tomoana shot well, especially in the third quarter in which Waikohu outscored Girls’ High 16-7.
Horouta were always in control against Ngatapa in the second game of the night.
They worked in unison throughout the court to increase their lead through each quarter.
The changes they made were seamless, with all players moving the ball at pace through the court and helping each other in defence.
Defenders Lucretia Taitapanui, Skye Huhu, Charlize Ngarimu and Skye Swann built a wall and were able to secure many tips and intercepts as Ngatapa struggled to get the ball into their shooting circle.
Shooters Lexi Rutene, O’Shae Rangihaeata and Shinae Terekia combined well by opening up the goal circle to give their attackers good options.
Such strong defence made it tough for Ngatapa but they gutsed it out and produced some good passages of play.
The Premier Grade points rounds end with three games at the YMCA tomorrow.
Second-from-bottom Ngatapa play bottom-placed YMP (2) at 9am in a game in which pride will definitely be on the line for the two teams who were promoted from Premier Reserve this season.
YMP (1) will look to make it 12 wins from 12 games when they meet Waikohu at 10.30am. YMP won by 14 the last time they met, so Waikohu will need to bring their top game to have a chance of ending YMP’s streak.
Whangara Old Girls meet Horouta Koura at 12 noon. Whangara have won both games between these two this year. The first half went goal-for-goal the last time they met before Whangara upped the defensive pressure and pulled ahead to win by 13.
Other senior grades will complete Round 3 at the Victoria Domain courts from 9am.
