NZSS Basketball Nationals profile: St Peter’s School, Cambridge

St Peter's School with the regional trophy.

The NZSS Basketball Nationals tip off in Palmerston North on Monday, and feature 268 games, 69 teams and over 800 players.
 
In one of the most hotly contested events on the sporting calendar, St Peters School, Cambridge have contested the last three finals, winning in 2015 and 2016.
 
They are in Pool B along with Wellington winners Hutt Valley High School and Canterbury champions St Andrews College, as well as Otago Girls’ High School, Tauranga Girls’ College and Wellington Girls’ College.
 
With a talented roster and a recent trip to Australia under their engine, St Peter’s will be raring to go.
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Some more about their team below:

School: St Peter’s School, Cambridge

NZSS tournament squad:

Emma Baker, Ella Bradley, Megan Bradley, Waiata Jennings, Toha Kemp, Owahini Kingi, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Grace McGirr, Alana Paewai, Kirsten Rawson, Jayze Waihi, Ahi Williams
 
Number of NZSS  tournaments attended and best finishes:
 
This will be our eighth tournament after finishing about 20th in 2011. In 2013 we were ninth, in 2014 fourth, in 2015 and 2016 winners and in 2017 runners-up.
 
Krystal Leger-Walker was the MVP in 2015 and Charlisse Leger-Walker was the MVP in 2016 and 2017. 

Alana Paewai in action for St Peter's School.

Current representative players:
 
Charlisse Leger-Walker – Tall Fern 2018 (comm games bronze medallist), JTF’s 2018, 2017 (second in Oceania qualifier – now to asia qualifiers in 2018), 2016, 2015?
U17’s NZ – world champs first time qualifiers – 2018, finished 12th,  2017 team finished 4th at Fiba oceania qualifiers – qualified for world champs
2016 U16’s NZ, 2015, 2014 Koru tour member
Waikato WBC 2014, 2017, 2018, Waikato Age group rep – u11 – u13, u15, u17, u19, u23  (MVP – over many of those grades)
 
Ella Bradley  NZ U16, NZ U17, NZ U18.
Waikato WBC 2017, 2018
Waikato U13, 15, 17, 19 23
 
Jayze Waihi
NZ U16, U14
Waikato U13, 15, 17,
Waikato WBC 2018
 
Waiata Jennings
NZ U16 2017
Rotorua Age group rep
 
Alana Paewai
NZ u14 2018
Waikato U13, 15,
 
Emma Baker
Waikato u17, Waikato u19
 
Ahi Williams
Waikato u17
 
Dominique Stephens (currently injured)
NZ u15,
Waikato u13, u15, u17

​Kirsten Rawson
Waikato u17, u19

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Charlisse Leger-Walker shooting a basket.

What is the age make-up of your team?
There is only one year 13 player in the team. There are four year 12s, two year 11s, four year 10s and one year nine.
 
What is it going to take for your school to do well at the National tournament? 
Sticking with the game plan.  Being disciplined.  Working hard, have a never give up attitude. 
Key players are all 12 on the roster.  Approach is play to our strengths, play up tempo, play to enjoy.
 
What is your 2018 record?
Winners Zone 2 premiership tournament, beating Hamilton Girls’ High School by 30 points. Runners up Waikato secondary schools league
 
What has been a season highlight so far?
The team Headed to the Gold coast recently, hosted by Pero Cameron, who organised some games against Hillcrest Christian College, which is the team he coaches.  

Gold coast U16 and U18’s ran a skills session with us and organised other activities with GC families (especially those who toured to Belarus, with Ella and Charlisse in NZ U17 team at world champs.) including the Paniora and Manamaulega families. It was a great experience for the girls to work alongside Pero, stay with him and his family over the weekend, listen to his advice and shared stories.  Not too many chances to stay with a FIBA Hall of Famer!  The girls were stoked.
 
Does your team have a motto or saying that it comes together under?
Coaches saying: Make adjustments, not excuses.

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