Southland Sharks (4-5, 9th) v NBS Nelson Giants (0-7, 11th)
The Southland Sharks found form on the road and thrust themselves into the tail end of the finals chase with two big wins but need to bring that form back to Southland to keep pace with the pack. The Giants woes continue but the impending arrival of key members of the roster may finally get them the first win of the season.
When: Friday 25th April, Rapid League 5:30pm, Sal's NBL 6:30pm
Where: ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 4 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube | TikTok: @skysportnz
Box score here
Last Time Out:
The Sharks were looking for a third win in 4 games as they visited a Bulls squad who had a chance to claim equal wins with the ladder leaders, After a tight first quarter the home team held a slender 1-point lead, but then then the Sharks found their form from deep and shot their way into a 92-48 run over the final three quarters as Josiah Allick (27pts, 13rbs, 4as) and Keylan Boone (26pts, 10rbs) combined to lead an offense where 7 Southlanders hit 2 threes or more to complete a 114-71 victory over the Bulls.
The Giants crossed the strait to take on the Saints down a big and an import but hopeful that a spirited effort could conjure up some rivalry magic, and an Alex Robinson (14pts, 11rbs, 5ast) inspired half had them 6 points down at the half. Their hopes would be dashed after 64-28 Saints half as the Saints shot 61% on 2pfg, won the rebound battle by 10 while scoring 62 points in the paint to claim a 105-65 win. Nick Marshall (28pts, 12rbs) leading all scorers while Hyrum Harris (15pts, 12rbs) added a double double while Callum Dalton found (14pts, 9rbs, 7ast) found form in the loss.
What to Look For:
The Sharks have found a new level of confidence after two huge road wins after hitting 19 3-point shots while shooting at 49% in their last game out. That level of shooting won't happen everyday so a more promising sign might have been the win against the Whai where they hit a season low 6 triples where they were able to grind out a win on the defense and on the glass Josiah Allick (22.5ppg, 10.4rpg) will have his hands full with a new arrival in the Giants post but he and Keylan Boone (22ppg, 8.1rpg) will need to continue to carry that load offensively to keep the winning streak going. Caleb Asberry (13.4ppg, 7.4apg) has been providing late game offense but his protection of the ball is more vital than his scoring.
The Giants still don't have a win but they should have a centre as Callum McRae has touched down with rumours that more talent might be on the roster by game time. The size was needed and his soft tough should blend well with the facilitation game of Alex Robinson(14ppg, 7.5rpg, 6apg with Giants). However, the size infusion won't lift the 3-point rate or the free throw percentage, two stats that will need to lift if the Giants are going to pull out a victory in a close game.
Matchup to Watch: Josiah Allick v Cal McRae- Allick has been on a tear and his work rate is equaled by few players in the competition but the sheer mass of McRae will have as much of an impact as Allick's hustle.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Sharks | Giants |
| Scoring Offense | 89.78ppg (8th) | 79.57ppg (11th) |
| Scoring Defense | 91.44ppg (6th) | 93.86ppg (9th) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 56% (1st) | 49% (10th) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 45% (7th) | 49% (10th) |
| Free Throw Rate | 24% (10th) | 26% (7th) |
| Free Throw % | 76% (2nd) | 64% (last) |
| Three Point Rate | 46% (1st) | 39% (8th) |
| Three Point % | 38% (1st) | 31% (10th) |
| Turnover Rate | 16% (last) | 14% (5th) |
| Assist Rate | 65% 1st) | 62% (3rd) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 24% (9th) | 27% (6th) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 73% (8th) | 75% (4th) |
| Block Rate | 8% (5th) | 5% (10th) |
| Steal Rate | 9% (6th) | 8% (11th) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
