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R8 Talking Points

Supercity Rangers 82 lost to Southland Sharks 105

Rangers - Quaterman 32pts, Jois 22pts & 14rbs, Green 11pts.

Sharks - Pledger 22pts & 11rbs, Nelson 23pts, 7rbs & 9ast, Blanchfield 14pts & 7ast, Kelman-Poto 14pts & 11rbs.

Stats That Matter - better shooting (58% to 35%) was a big advantage for the Sharks, as was a 58-33 rebounding advantage.

TAB MVP Votes - Alex Pledger (Sharks) 9, Roberto Nelson (Sharks) 8, Tim Quarterman (Rangers) 7, Venky Jois (Rangers) 4, Todd Blanchfield (Sharks) 1, Dom Kelman-Poyo (Sharks) 1.

Talking Points

1. There was some pressure on import Roberto Nelson coming into the game following some performances, but the American was thrust into the starting line-up for the Sharks and delivered a quality game. While his 23pts were great to see, his slick passing and 9 dimes were just as good.
2. When it came time for someone to step up and kill the game off it was none other than The Chief - Alex Pledger. The Sharks dominated the boards and when it most matter Pledger literally said "give me the ball and get out of my way!"
3. The Rangers just don't have enough depth, simple as that. Quarterman and Jois continue to do all they can every time they step out to play, but they need a few more helpers.

 

 

Taranaki Mountainairs 90 lost to Southern Huskies 114

Airs - Alonzo Burton 27pts, Mitch Dance 18pts, Dane Brooks 15pts.

Huskies - Jalen Billups 28pts, Marcel Jones 25pts & 15rbs, Tre Nichols 21pts & 8ast, Lochlan Cummings 17pts.

Stats That Matter - the Huskies scored a whopping 32pts off turnovers, punishing the Airs for their 18 errors.

TAB MVP Votes - Jalen Billups (Huskies) 9, Tre Nichols (Huskies) 7, Marcel Jones (Huskies) 7, Alonzo Burton (Airs) 5, Dane Brooks (Airs) 2.

Talking Points 

1. The Huskies are settling in and mean business. The Tasmanians learnt plenty from their trip to NZ in R2 and they look a lot more relaxed this time around. Their 114pts in this game was the highest score since joining the Sal's NBL, topping their 100pts in their very first game against the Jets. Uf they can get the job done against the Rangers on Sunday they will return home with a 6-4 record and will have moved into the top four.
2. The Airs came in off the back of two successive wins, but they just didn't have the size to match the Huskies. While Burton and Brooks did what they could, especially given the absence of Raukawa, the inability of the Airs to stop the likes of Billups and Jones was telling.
3. Jalen Billups continues to be a beast for the Huskies. In this game he threw down a thunderous dunk that will be extremely hard to beat as the best of the season. If Billups keeps up his current form the Huskies are going to go close to wrapping up a spot at the Final 4.

 

 

Nelson Giants 71 lost to Wellington Saints 82

Giants - Dan Grida 17pts, Jordair Jett 15pts, Rhys Vague 11pts,

Saints - Rob Loe 21pts & 10rbs, Nick Kay 19pts & 10rbs, Reuben Te Rangi 15pts.

Stats That Matter - a defensive tussle, both teams struggled with their shot (Giants 40% / Saints 43%), while collectively both teams struggled from the arc going at 11/48.

TAB MVP Votes - Rob Loe (Saints) 9, Nick Kay (Saints) 9, Sunday Dech (Saints) 5, Dan Grida (Giants) 3, Rhys Vague (Giants) 3, Jordair Jett (Giants) 1.

Talking Points

1. Yet again the Giants looked sharp early in a hot start, similar to what we have seen a number of times this season, however from very late in the second quarter to the final buzzer the Saints went on a 55-37 run and that was the ball game.
2. The Giants need to look after the ball better. A run of ball handling errors in the second half proved very costly. For some reason the home team dribbled into defenders too often and they came off second best more often than not.
3. The Saints will take a long, hard look at the tape of this game. Despite being 10-0 and leading the league, this wasn't one of their better performances. Thankfully Nick Kay and Rob Loe finished around the basket, while Sunday Dech provided valuable energy off the bench, all of which proved enough to get them across the line in a tough battle.

 

 

Hawke's Bay Hawks 101 def Taranaki Mountainairs 75

Hawks - Brandon Bowman 27pts, EJ Singler 21pts, Everard Bartlett 14pts, Ethan Rusbatch 14pts.

Airs - Alonzo Burton 17pts, Justin Cousin 15pts.

Stats That Matter - the Airs just couldn't finish around the basket. The Hawks shot at 73.1% inside the paint (38pts) compared with the Airs at 54.5% (24pts). Foul shooting was also a problem for the Airs with a poor return of 7/15 t 46.7%.

TAB MVP Votes - Brandon Bowman (Hawks) 10, EJ Singler (Hawks) 8, Alonzo Burton (Airs) 5, Dion Prewster (Hawks) 3, Everard Bartlett (Hawks) 2, Dane Brooks (Airs) 2.

Talking Points

1. Brandon Bowman's third quarter was crazy! Do yourself a favour and watch Bowman's 15pts in the third, you'll love every minute of what he delivered at both ends of the floor.
2. The Airs simply ran out of numbers and energy in this one. At half-time the Hawks led 50-46 and with just eight players and a number of key personnel out of the game, the Airs played superbly. However, no doubt feeling heavy in the legs after playing Friday night, coupled with an increased work-rate by the Hawks, the third quarter went the way of the home team 36-7. Game over!
3. As the game blew out we got to see some good young talent for both teams. Oscar Robertson (Airs) enjoyed 26min of action and played really well, while James Levings was just one Hawks reserve player who showed plenty of intensity in the minuets he picked up.

 

 

Manawatu Jets 83 lost to Canterbury Rams 88

Jets - Kuran Iverson 27pts, Daishon Knight 17pts, Wally Ellenson 12pts & 12rbs.

Rams - Cam Gliddon 23pts, Emmett Naar 17pts, Isaiah Wilkins 14pts.

Stats That Matter - the Jets had the game, but Emmett Naar was super-cool down the stretch and nailed four big shots from the charity stripe that proved to be the difference in the end.

TAB MVP Votes - Kuran Iverson (Jets) 9, Cam Gliddon (Rams) 9, Daishon Knight (Jets) 4, Emmett Naar (Rams) 4, Isaiah Wilkins (Rams) 3, Shane Temara (Jets) 1

Talking Points

1. The Jets came within a whisker of ceasing every conversation about the Tassie Curse. In a close contest the experience of Cam Gliddon and Emmett Naar proved pivotal for the Rams.
2. After beating the Jets last week by 41pts at home, the Rams struggled for most of this contest in Palmerston North. You can be assured that Coach Mick Downer will study the tape of this game long and hard.
3. The Jets once again lose a game against a higher opponent in the dying seconds. Let's not forget it wasn't that long ago the Jets lost to the Saints by 2pts. They will miss the Final 4 by a long way, however the Jets will be super impressed by their efforts against some of the very best teams this season. 

 

 

Supercity Rangers 104 lost to Southern Huskies 108

Rangers - Nnanna Egwu 25pts, Lesae Coe 22pts, Tim Quarterman 19pts & 15ast, Venky Jois 18pts in 12min.

Huskies - Marcel Jones 27pts & 17rbs, Jalen Billups 23pts, Craig Moller 21pts & 11rbs.

Stats That Matter - size counts! In a game so close you can only think that the Huskies 50-28 rebound count and 60-38 points in the paint got them the narrow win.

TAB MVP Votes - Marcel Jones (Huskies) 10, Nnanna Egwu (Rangers) 7, Craig Moller (Huskies) 7, Jalen Billups (Huskies) 3, Lesae Coe (Rangers) 3.

Talking Points

1. Nnanna Egwu delivered his best game of the season, and his timing was spot-on given the hand injury to Venky Jois, who exited the game after only 12min with 18pts beside his name.
2. Make no mistake, the Huskies dodged a big bullet here. Locked in a battle with the Sharks for what seems the only place in the top four available (4th), the Huskies found a way to scrape through. They probably owe a bit of thanks to Marcel Jones for that with his 27pts and 17rbs both game highs.
3. Where to for the Rangers? If Jois is forced to miss game, or even worse the rest of the season, the numbers are running thin at Supercity and Coach Green will need to be very creative. Having said that, the Rangers were up by as much as 24pts in this game with the likes of Lesae Coe (22pts) stepping up and creating some havoc. Also worth noting that Quarterman (19pts) showed his passing ability in this game with a season-high 15 assists.