The Basketball New Zealand Schick Premierships have tipped off today around the country, as secondary school teams compete for qualification at the ‘AA’ and ‘A’ Schick Championships, to be held 1-6 October at the Central Energy Trusts Arena.
The ‘A’ tournament is for schools that have a roll of less than 600 pupils for co-ed schools or less than 300 for single sex schools. The ‘AA’ tournament is for schools with school roles over those figures.
College Sport Auckland schools are competing in the Zone 1 ‘AA’ qualifying tournament at North Shore Events Centre.
Zone 1 Boys:
It would be a brave man that would bet against Rosmini College, the reigning Schick National Champions, making it through the Premierships along with Mt Albert Grammar School.
Auckland Grammar are another strong contender, as are perennial powerhouse Westlake Boys the match up between the two in Pool D will be a cracker.
There are a number of other teams that will vie for the seven qualifying places available including Rangitoto College the 2015 and 2016 Schick National Champions and Senior A high flyers Macleans College.
Whangarei Boys High will be flying the flag for Northland.
Zone 1 Girls:
Auckland Girls Grammar School, having only lost two games in the College Sport Auckland competition in the past two seasons, are probably favourites to win a second straight Zone 1 Premiership.
However Mt Albert Grammar, who recently beat AGGS in the Auckland Premier Final, along with regular season runners-up Westlake Girls will be looking to undermine that favoritism tag.
Rangitoto College will be buoyed by their strong showing in their College Sport Auckland Premier semi-final loss to AGGS recently. Massey High shape as another likely qualifier, while Epsom Girls Grammar looks the most likely team to challenge from outside of the College Sport Auckland Premier division.