The Auckland Tuatara will meet defending champions the Canterbury Rams in the 2024 Sal’s NBL Grand Final after recording an exciting 78-75 come from behind victory over near-neighbours Franklin Bulls in the second semi-final at Eventfinda Stadium on Wednesday.
The result means the championship game will be a repeat of last year’s final when the Rams prevailed – it will also be a third straight grand final for the Tuatara as they look to claim a first ever championship.
On the back of a virtuoso performance from centre Sam Timmins – 30 points on 14 from 17 shooting – the Bulls were in command at three-quarter time with a 62-52 lead.
The Tuatara needed some inspiration at that stage and they found it through Webster and Loe in particular.
The pair combined for 11 points to fire the home side into the lead with a 15-4 run.
Loe gave the Tuatara a six point lead (76-70) with under three minutes to play, but Timmins, having the game of his life, made back to back scores including a deep triple to pull the Bulls within a single point (76-75) with 1:24 on the clock.
However it was Webster, the player who inflicted so much pain on the Tuatara in last season’s grand-final, that had the final say – his short range jumper with 35 seconds to play breaking the Bulls resistance.
Loe and Webster tallied a combined 19 points in the final ten minutes as the Bulls were outscored 26-13 in that time.
Webster finished with 25 points, 6 assists and 3 steals with Loe tallied 20 points and 7 rebounds. Rueben Te Rangi had 17 and Tom Vodanovich produced 8 points and 7 rebounds.
Timmins was immense with a game high 30 points to accompany 8 rebounds, Ethan Rusbatch scored 13 and Josh Scott 9 points but Luther Muhammad, the NBL’s leading scorer, was held to just 10 points on a 5 from 18 shooting night but did add 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
The battle of the O9 began with a brace of baskets apiece from Te Rangi and Timmins although a Webster inside make concluded a 7-0 Tuatara run and the Bulls trailing 18-12 needed a timeout.
Te Rangi extended the lead to 11 points before Muhammad broke a four-minute Bulls scoring drought – Tuatara ahead 23-16 at quarter time.
A couple of trips to the foul line helped the Bulls reduce the deficit and when Muhammad scored in transition Franklin were within a single point (24-23).
A pair of Webster threes stretched the advantage back to ten points before Timmins almost single handedly extinguished that before Rusbatch hit a fade away jumper for the Bulls to hit the front.
An absorbing first half concluded with a Skinner make and with Timmins leading all scorers - 17 points on 8 from 10 shooting - the Bulls headed to the break with a narrow 41-39 lead.
Timmins continued his almost flawless shooting performance as the Bulls opened the second half with an 11-2 run and the Tuatara needed a timeout.
Loe gave the home fans something to cheer but a Rusbatch triple kept the Bulls a dozen ahead (55-43).
Webster and Te Rangi briefly cut the deficit but Josh Scott acrobatics ensured the Bulls lead was in double figures (62-52) at the three-quarter mark.
The anxiety amongst the home supporters turned to glee in the final period as the hosts turned up the defensive intensity and found some offensive fluidity they had struggled to discover in the earlier exchanges.
The Tuatara have come up short in the last two Grand Finals but travel south on Sunday with the comfort of knowing that the last time the two teams met at Cowles Stadium it was the Aucklander’s that prevailed.
Will it be third time lucky for the Auckland franchise?
The Grand Final will see the Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams entertain Auckland Tuatara at Cowles Stadium, Christchurch on Sunday July 28, tip-off 2.30pm.
Result: Auckland Tuatara (78) defeated Franklin Bulls (75)
Leading Players:
Tuatara 78: Webster 25pts, Loe 20pts, Te Rangi 17pts, Vodanovich 8pts
Bulls 75: Timmins 30pts, Rusbatch 13pts, Muhammad 10pts, Scott 9pts, Skinner 8pts.
