The Northern Group Tauranga Whai (5-7, 9th) v Franklin Bulls (9-3, 2nd)
The Whai have reloaded offensively and continue to bring elite defense as they chase a second straight win to stay within reach of a finals spot. The Bulls remain in the top six, but a three-game losing streak has made their position more precarious. Can the Bulls sweep the season series and climb into fifth, or will the Whai move a step closer to their first-ever postseason appearance?
When: Friday 23rd May, Rapid League 6pm, Sal's NBL 7pm
Where: Globox Arena, Hamilton
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 2 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube |
Last Time Out:
The Whai snapped a five-game skid with a gritty 82–78 home win over the red-hot Saints, who had won seven of their last eight. Despite the late absence of Shea Ili, the Saints started strong, led by Nick Muszynski’s dominance inside (22 pts, 18 rebs, 5 blks), holding the Whai to just 23 points through the opening 15 minutes. But Mojave King (29 pts) sparked a turnaround, lifting the Whai to an eight-point halftime lead that stretched to 15 in the third. Izayah Le’afa (17 pts, 11 asts) led a furious Saints rally with five threes in the fourth, closing the gap to three, but Sean Murphy’s clutch triple secured the win for the home side.
The Bulls arrived in Palmerston North hoping to halt a two-game skid and started strong, with Tae Hardy scoring nine of his 25 points in a sharp first quarter to establish a five-point lead. But the Jets flipped the game with a 16–0 run in the second quarter, sparked by a Kenny Goins three. Despite reclaiming the lead briefly in the fourth on an Ethan Rusbatch jumper, the Bulls couldn’t close it out. Turnovers and missed chances proved costly down the stretch as the Jets pulled away, handing Franklin a third straight loss as the playoff race heats up.
What to Expect:
The Whai look far more balanced with Mojave King now in the fold as a primary scorer, while their defense remains a consistent strength. Kruz Perrott-Hunt and Jayden Bezzant will need to handle Franklin’s pressure on the ball, but that has been a strength for the Whai all season. Anzac Rissetto is finally bringing some thunder to the lightning of Carter Hopoi up front, but both must play physically without fouling against a Bulls frontline that rotates fresh bodies constantly. The Whai have had bursts of dominance at home, but scoring has been an issue — they’ve topped 80 points just once in their last four home games. The shift to Hamilton might give them a boost.
Franklin’s three-game skid has been defined by poor finishes to quarters. They have a minus-34 point differential in the final minute of first quarters, minus-30 in the third, and minus-27 in the final minute of games. Tauranga ranks last in defensive rebounding, and the Bulls have the personnel — Till Gloger, David Okwera, and Jordan Hunt — to punish them on the glass. Tae Hardy is the engine of the offense, and his paint penetration raises the Bulls' ceiling. That ceiling climbs even higher if Tobias Cameron and Ethan Rusbatch are hitting from deep. This could be the final round without Flynn Cameron, but there’s still enough firepower for the Bulls to stop the slide.
Matchup to Watch: Mojave King v Tobias Cameron - King burst into the Whai offense with 29 points in debut and if he finds that level of freedom again the Whai chances rise. But Cameron is unlikely to let that occur as his defensive skills will impede King with frequency, how frequent and to what level may determine the outcome.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Bulls | Whai |
| Scoring Offense | 86.08 (9th) | 80.42 (last) |
| Scoring Defense | 86.92 (4th) | 82.25 (best) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 53% (6th) | 47% (last) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 44% (3rd) | 45% (5th) |
| Free Throw Rate | 24% (8th) | 27% (7th) |
| Free Throw % | 73% (4th) | 73% (5th) |
| Three Point Rate | 37% (8th) | 43% (4th) |
| Three Point % | 32% (7th) | 29% (last) |
| Turnover Rate | 17% (last) | 12% (3rd) |
| Assist Rate | 56% (6th) | 54% (9th) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 29% (3rd) | 28% (5th) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 74% (5th) | 70% (last) |
| Block Rate | 10% (3rd) | 7% (7th) |
| Steal Rate | 10% (4th) | 11% (2nd) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
