Basketball: Collegiate hunting finals spot in inaugural Central tournament

Havelock North's Geordie Godfrey tries to find a way through the Campion College defence at Springvale Stadium on Thursday.

The Whanganui Collegiate senior boys basketball team have been looking strong at the inaugural Schick Central Secondary Schools Cup tournament at Springvale Stadium this week.

Starting Wednesday and concluding with the finals this afternoon, the tournament has consisted of eight boys teams from schools around the Central regions, and five girls teams.
Games would start at 9am in Springvale and continue well into the evening.

Collegiate, under coach Ross Cronshaw, one of the driving forces to set up the tournament, had qualified for last night's semifinal after topping Boys Pool A.

The home team defeated Waiopehu College 73-60, Lindisfarne College 63-54, and then Wellington High School 72-69 with a three pointer in the dying seconds.

In the Wellington match on Thursday morning, Zachary Hill hit a phenomenal 50 points.
Pool B's strongest looking team is Palmerston North Boys High, who at press time had picked up big wins over Havelock North High and Campion College.

The girls final will be at 4pm today, with the boys starting at 5.45pm.

The teams are:

Boys – Pool A: Wanganui Collegiate, Wellington High School, Lindisfarne College, Waiopehu College; Pool B: Havelock North High School, Hato Paora College, Campion College, Palmerston North Boys High School.

Girls: Havelock North High School, Flaxmere College, Hawera High School, Waiopehu College, Tararua College.

DJ Nui-Hinga takes off in a girls pool game.