When: Thursday May 20
Where: Trafalgar Centre
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 9
Tickets: click HERE
Mike Fitchett (Giants)
A huge week for us in the context of the context of the season. We have dug ourselves a little hole and we are lucky enough to have 3 opportunities to climb our way out this week. Protecting home court is hugely important to the club and our fans, so all of our focus is on the Rams game on Thursday night. The Rams have a lot of size up front, and the team that wins the rebounding battle will likely take the game.
Mick Downer (Rams)
Records mean nothing when the Rams and Giants take the court and this game is another chapter to add to the rich history between the two clubs. Both teams will be desperate for a favourable outcome and it should be a hard fought contest for the full 40 minutes. We will have to be on point guarding the Giants import duo Hale and Ingram, with both players showcasing their individual skills in the early rounds particularly in transition and isolation situations. However it’s the hard-nosed NZ’ers, Dempster and Beri, shooters Ingham and Trathen and youngsters Rissetto and McNaught that bring good energy and cohesion. We’re excited for the contest and looking forward to continuing to improve as a team in the early stages of the season and building on our recent improvements.
When: Thursday May 20
Where: TSB Stadium
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 8
Tickets: click HERE
Trent Adam (Airs)
Two home games has seen two great crowds in, and we are hoping that continues for the Hawks visit on Thursday. With our full roster available for the first time against the Nuggets last week, we felt that we put together our best performance of the season. The challenge for us now, is to continue to make improvements, and build off of that performance. The Hawks present a different challenge for us this season, with the high scoring guard duo of Derone and Devondrick. Kaine is doing a great job leading the team, and putting his players in positions to succeed, Hawks posting the second best offensive rating in the league. With both teams coming off the short turnaround, getting game plans in place on limited preparation time, will be a challenge, but I’m sure something both teams are looking forward to.
Kaine Hokianga (Hawks)
On the back of a successful start to the season in front of our home crowd, we are looking forward to the challenge of our first away game and our first double header. The Taranaki Mountainairs will be wanting to build momentum after a solid home win, so the first leg of this double will be a tough one. Taranaki are a youthful side balanced out with great experience on court with Aunty and Marcel, and off court with Coach Trent. The Taylor Hawks are ready to take flight and are definitely looking forward to the East Coast/West Coast battle.
When: Thursday May 20
Where: TSB Bank Arena
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 3 / delayed coverage on Prime
Tickets: click HERE
Zico Coronel (Saints)
Can the Saints of today outperform the Saints of yesterday? Every practice or game we
strive to improve upon our previous collective performance. This Thursday's game versus the quick paced Franklin Bulls is sure to aid us in our pursuit of ongoing improvement. They are well coached, with many great shooters, and will present us with a real challenge. We look forward to meeting the challenge posed, the associated learning we will make, and putting on a spectacle for our Saints Family at TSB Arena in Wellington.
Jamie Reddish (Bulls)
Saints will be our biggest challenge to date. A well organised, brilliantly coached team with plenty of talent. Looking like a traditional Saints team and favourites to win the championship, we will have to be playing our best brand of basketball to have a shot at success. Our first road double will be one to test our culture and to have two great teams to face while doing it is something we will embrace. Containing the saints shooters and inside presence will be key for us.
When: Friday May 21
Where: Eventfinda Stadium
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 3
Tickets: click HERE
Aaron Young (Huskies)
This Friday we take on a quality Hawks team who look like they are going to be a force to be reckoned with this season. It's a great matchup for us, considering we have come off back to back losses and in search of some consistency. The challenge of taking down an unbeaten team is exciting, we are looking forward to getting back to EventFinda and feeding off our home crowds energy.
Kaine Hokianga (Hawks)
The Huskies proved in the early rounds they are a dangerous team filled with young talent. The recent addition of Chris Johnson and loss of Jeremy Kendall has meant they have had to work a few things out. After two losses, there is no doubt they would have put in a solid week of training. The Huskies on the back end of a double provides us with a great challenge, but it is one the Taylor Hawks are looking forward to and are very willing and able to meet.
When: Saturday May 22
Where: Cowles Stadium
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 9
Tickets: click HERE
Mick Downer (Rams)
We welcome the Bulls to the Cauldron with both teams playing their second games of the week and what should be a hotly contested match. Our opposition will feature an import duo in Selby and Waterman who average 50pts+ a game between them. They also play at one of the fastest speeds in the competition and attempt the highest percentage of from the land of plenty so controlling the tempo of the game, guarding their imports as a team and forcing poor shooting from outside are all challenges for our team. We’ll look to dictate teams on our home court and with the support of an amazing crowd.
Jamie Reddish (Bulls)
We are looking forward to playing the Rams, they have some great local talent who are very familiar with each other and adding some great imports and kiwis to the mix is a formula for success. Our work will be cut out for us and we will be trying to back up a performance from Thursday. We look forward to the challenge and dealing with the new surrounding.
When: Saturday May 22
Where: Edgar Centre
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport 3
Tickets: click HERE
Brent Matehaere (Nuggets)
Saturday night in Dunedin will be a big one with the Go Media Nuggets hosting an improving Nelson Giants. They took the highly touted Hawks to the very last possession almost snatching a much coveted away win. The Giants pose multiple perimeter threats especially the in-form former Nugget Tom Ingham. After a trip to the North we look forward to being at home in the More FM arena. The Magic Basketball club will be there in force to cheer the team on! We look forward to hearing some noise from the bleachers.
Mike Fitchett (Giants)
A huge week for us in the context of the context of the season. We have dug ourselves a little hole and we are lucky enough to have 3 opportunities to climb our way out this week. Protecting home court is hugely important to the club and our fans, so all of our focus is on the Rams game on Thursday night. The Rams have a lot of size up front, and the team that wins the rebounding battle will likely take the game.
When: Sunday May 23
Where: The Ballroom
Time: 3:00pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport Next, Stuff.co.nz, NZNBL Website, Tribe Sports App
Tickets: click HERE
Tim McTamney (Jets)
No comment provided.
Trent Adam (Airs)
After a nice 3 game home stand, Sunday see’s us on the road again, as we travel down to take on a very hungry Jets Team. As always Tim has recruited well, with the very high scoring back court of Jayden and Daishon, these two combining for 48% of the teams scoring output. With their uptempo style of play the Jets team has put together very good patches through out the season, and with a whole week of preparation, they will be looking to put together their best performance of the season so far. Hopefully the learnings we have taken from our games and trainings will see us accept the challenge and live up to our standards.
When: Sunday May 23
Where: ILT Stadium Southland
Time: 7:30pm
Broadcast: Sky Sport Pop-Up 2
Tickets: click HERE
Rob Beveridge (Sharks)
It certainly will be nice to finally get back to Invercargill to play a home game after playing our first 5 out of 6 games on the road! We again played some inconsistent basketball last weekend but glad we came away with a good win against Auckland Huskies. In particular, we were very pleased to have 6 players score in double figures by playing unselfish team basketball. We slowly but surely are showing that we are starting to play well as a team and look forward to continuing to get better every game. This week we come up against a very much improved Nelson Giants team who have been playing some very good basketball of late and although we get them on the back end of a 3 game road trip, we have to be at our best to ensure that we get a home win and stay in the Top 4 of the league.
Mike Fitchett (Giants)
A huge week for us in the context of the context of the season. We have dug ourselves a little hole and we are lucky enough to have 3 opportunities to climb our way out this week. Protecting home court is hugely important to the club and our fans, so all of our focus is on the Rams game on Thursday night. The Rams have a lot of size up front, and the team that wins the rebounding battle will likely take the game.
