The Week that Was
If we head into the way back machine we'll find that the week, after a slightly delayed start to the round tipped off with the Night 'n Day Otago Nuggets squad, who desperately needed a win to keep sight of the top 6, lined up for the first game in their 09 double header against a Rob Loe-less Jadcup AucklandTuatara squad that had dropped 2 straight themselves to drop out of the top 6. The Nugs pounced on the home squad in the first quarter, jumping to an early lead behind aggressive play from Jaylen Sebree (17pts, 4rbs) and tough defense that slowed the Tuatara offense. Charles Pride (24pts, 11rbs, 4ast) would find form in the 2nd quarter to push the home squad back in front at the half. Otago would push back into the lead in the 3rd quarter as Don Carey Jr (24pts, 6rbs, 8ast) found his range from deep to give his squad a 6 point lead early in the 4th. But Will Hickey (25pts, 9rbs, 5ast) would respond down the stretch and take the game home in the 4th as he powered the home team to 31 4th quarter points that would see the Tuatara take a 10 point win.
The Logik Franklin Bulls would look to grab equal wins with the ladder leaders as they welcomed the Nuggets for their second game of the round in the big smoke. The Bulls finding good efficiency offensively throughout but kept within touch distance of the road team due a lack of care with the ball, coughing up 20 turnovers that led to 28 points for the Nugs, who were led by Jose Perez (20pts, 6rbs). But staying in touch was all Otago could muster, cutting the lead under 5 points just once in the second half, as Tae Hardy (35pts, 7rbs, 10ast) showed his class as he chased a triple double while getting support from Till Gloger (21pts, 5rb) and Marcel Jones (17pts, 9rb, 3ast), stretching the lead to 15 before eventually securing a comfortable 95-87 win.
The Mills Albert Wellington Saints visited the Steelformers Taranaki Airs as the road team looked to avenge their opening round double overtime loss in the squads first meeting way back in week 1. The Saints jumped out to an early lead as the backcourt of Shea Ili (20pts, 4rbs, 3ast, 3stls, 1blk) and Izayah Le'afa (22pts, 5ast, 1blk, 1stl) looked to impose their will on the bigger Airs squad. But Taranaki would rally as Owen Foxwell (16pts, 4rbs, 4ast) pushed the squad to a 1 point quarter time deficit as the Airs size controlled the paint paced by Jack Andrew (23pts, 14rbs, 2blks). But the balance would shift back to the Saints as they stiffened on the interior down the stretch to dominate the 4th quarter 18-6 to grab the 12 point victory to grab their 8th win, equal with the ladder leaders.
The big score of the week was pulled by the Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams as they traveled to Southland to take on a team that had surged back into the finals chat with 3-wins on the trot. But the surprisingly fresh Rams are looked at a different level from the second quarter onwards, wining those quarters by 47 points(!!) in the eventual 128-79 win. The Sharks struggling with efficiency on offense but unable to compete on the interior and the glass where the Rams pulled a 19 rebound advantage that led to 22 second chance points while finding 50 points in the paint as Walter Brown (25pts), C.J. Penha (25pts), Kaia Isaac (24pts) and Sam Macdonald (21pts) all topping the twenty point mark in the win which gives them their 8th win to sit atop the ladder.
They weren't the only team to hit triple digits in the round as the Property Brokers Manawatū Jets and NBS Nelson Giants both found offensive flow when they matched up in Palmerston North while cracking the century mark. The Giants a vastly different squad with a remixed lineup came out firing as Jeremy Combs (33pts, 7rbs, 4ast) and Callum McRae (10pts, 12rbs, 2stls) carved out space on the interior to build a 5 point quarter time lead. The Jets offense responded in the second as the partnership of Corey Webster (24pts, 8ast) and Isaac Miller-Jose (25pts, 13rbs, 1blk) sliced through the Giants D to claim the halftime lead. In the third Alex Robinson (23pts, 6rbs, 7ast) and Liam Judd (19pts, 4rbs) joined the party as the Giants powered to a 32 point quarter as it eyed it's second win of the year. But a Miles Gibson (23pts, 5rbs) exploded down the stretch to help the Jets fly back into the game with a overtime forcing triple with 11 seconds left, allowing the home team to claim a 112-104 victory to reach fourth on the ladder.
As good as that finish was it couldn't quite match the action provided in Hawke's Bay as the Big Barrel Hawks and Northern Group Tauranga Whai as a back and forth contest saw young stars Jackson Ball (33pts, 3rbs, 40 minutes played) and Carter Hopoi (24pts, 5rbs, 1blk) leading their teams to an even score entering the fourth quarter. The even affair seemed to tilt in favour of the Whai as they built the lead to 6 points on a Jayden Bezzant (21pts, 4ast, 3rbs) three with 5:24 remaining. The Hawks kept fighting but when a Chris Jones (17pts) layup made the lead 5 with 1:24 the game looked out of reach. But then, a Dan Grida (20pts, 9rbs) triple was followed by an unbelievable 4-point play by Kobe Kara (6pts, 10rbs) giving the Hawks a 1-point lead with 16 seconds to play. Bezzant answered as he has so many times before with a three, grabbing a 2-point lead with 3 seconds on the clock when Luca Yates (10pts, 17rbs) released a three point prayer (shooting under 20%3pfg coming in) was answered at the buzzer, thrusting the hawks nest into a frenzy with the 88-87 win.
Worth Mentioning
Happy Trails - The international break was a natural time for teams (and players) to reassess, best of luck to Jose Perez, Chris Jones and Tanna Zalib (formerly of the Nuggets and Whai) and to Will 'Davo' Hickey. The pleasure was ours, maybe not for the Leagues officials who may not give as cordial a farewell...
Trades and New Look squads - The Trade/ International window was followed by a flurry of signings (some yet to be revealed..ssshhh) strengthening squads to varying degrees as we head down the stretch and maybe giving fan bases a bit of added hope for a title run, or at least a few more wins.
Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns! - First a shout out to the Tall Ferns who, with 8 debutants, were twice down just two possessions in the fourth quarter against the second ranked team in the world. And to finish how about those TB's!! Congrats to Jud for beating Australia and at one point going up 30 points and looking to secure just the second ever 20 point win over their Boomer rivals ***. The Boomers came back as expected but the 106-97 victory still tasted pretty sweet. Yeah, that's worth a mention.
*note: the first was 2009 in the Oceania Champs 100-78, thanks Tony O'Connor for the info
**sidenote: I was on that team
***sidenote to the sidenote: I barely played (if at all) but I'm still claiming it!!
