At the Breakers stadium on Sunday Harbour Breeze kept their top six Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC) aspirations on track with a 77-49 victory against Auckland Lady Rangers.

 

The first quarter had been shaded by Harbour 19-15 with Zara Jillings, playing her first game of the season, scoring seven points for the home team.

 

Stevee Theyers landed a three early in the second period but at the mid point of the quarter Auckland trailed 25-18.

 

Katie Diakhaby pushed the Harbour lead into double figures – her inside combination with Deena Franklin troubling the Rangers defence.

 

Jillings led all scorers at the interval with twelve points – Harbour ahead 38-22.

 

A couple of Ella Fotu baskets stretched the Harbour lead to twenty points before Milomilo Nanai replied for Auckland.

 

Sarah Kinred made a couple of inside baskets for Auckland although seven straight points from Georgia Agnew stretched the Harbour advantage further.

 

Nanai and Theyers ended the third quarter scoring but Harbour held all the aces with a 58-39 lead.

 

Back to back threes from Anna Lacey and Georgia Perrott-Hunt opened Harbour’s account in the fourth. Another trey from Jillings and the advantage was 72-45 with six minutes to play.

 

Olivia Bell demonstrated some deft inside touches as Harbour cruised to a fourth consecutive win.

 

Score: Harbour Breeze 77 – Jillings 17, Diakhaby 13, Agnew 12, Franklin 10

Auckland Lady Rangers 49 – Nanai 13, Povey 8, Theyers 6, Wieczorek 6

 

Next weekend the Breeze have a double header road trip against Rotorua Vols and the high flying Waikato Wizards.

 

WBC Standings:

8-1 Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats

8-1 Waikato Wizards

8-2 Waikato Country Cannons

6-2 Site Weld Otago Goldrush

5-4 Taranaki Thunder

5-4 Capital Swish

4-4 Harbour Breeze

2-7 Auckland Lady Rangers

2-7 Tauranga City Coasters

1-8 Rotorua Lady Vols

0-9 Te Tai Tokerau Phoenix