Property Brokers Manawatū Jets (8-7, 4th) v Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams (14-2, 1st)
The Jets get their leading scorer back and have their eyes on a top-three seed as the regular season winds down. The Rams come to town with a top-two spot secured but still need to keep winning, despite missing key personnel, to lock in the No. 1 seed. Can the Jets return to winning form, or will the Rams make it 11 straight victories?
When: Sunday 22nd June, Rapid League 5:30pm, Sal's NBL 6:30pm
Where: Fly Palmy Arena, Palmerston North
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 4 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube |
Last Time Out:
The Jets hosted the Tuatara and set the tone early, racing to a 25–18 first-quarter lead behind high energy and solid execution. Quinton Rose (23pts, 7rbs, 3ast) and Dontae Russo-Nance (20pts, 8rbs, 5ast) led the way, keeping the scoreboard ticking and the home crowd engaged. The Jets struggled to maintain their defensive intensity in the second half and lost the rebounding battle as Auckland found another gear. Foul trouble for Kenny Goins disrupted the frontcourt rotation, and the Tuatara capitalised, outscoring the Jets 28–15 in the second and controlling the tempo from there. Luther Muhammad (21pts, 7rbs, 8ast) was a handful on both ends, with support from Dylan Wilkie (17pts) and Rob Loe (14pts, 8rbs). Despite staying within reach through three quarters, the Jets couldn’t reel the visitors back in down the stretch as they took a 89-77 win.
The Rams played their first game of the week in Dunedin and jumped on the Nuggets early, keeping their foot down for all 40 minutes. The Nuggets had no answers for the Rams offense, that scored at least 27 points in every quarter. Sean MacDonald (27pts) led the way as six Rams hit double figures. The Rams D as impressive as the offense, holding Otago to 32% shooting while forcing 26 turnovers that led to 31 points. The Nuggets working hard as Janssen and Carey Jr found double figures, but they were outmatched on the day, eventually falling to the 113-59 loss, as the Rams won their 10th straight game.
What to Expect:
Corey Webster is back! The Jets’ leading scorer hasn’t played since May 4, and while the team went 2-3 without him, their top gear isn’t reachable without the veteran guard. The challenge now is balancing the offensive firepower of Webster, Russo-Nance, Rose, and Miles Gibson, all capable perimeter threats. It’s a good problem to have, and with Leon Henry joining Kenny Goins and Isaac Miller-Jose in the frontcourt, the Jets will look to better match the Rams’ size and physicality then their last matchup.
The Jets take great care of the ball, but they’ll need to be even sharper against a Rams defense that thrives on pressure. Controlling the pace will be crucial, if the game gets played at the Rams’ tempo, their depth could prove overwhelming.
The Rams, winners of ten straight, will be without captain Taylor Britt (concussion) and Tama Isaac (national team duty), leaving them thin at point guard. Expect Sean MacDonald and Kaia Isaac to handle more of the backcourt load, with MacDonald likely looking to stay aggressive. Kyle Bowen and Tohi Smith-Milner will have a size edge inside, supported by a deep bench that includes Max Darling and CJ Penha. Walter Brown may also see an expanded role, with more playmaking duties.
Even short-handed, the Rams remain a tough out-balanced, deep, and hungry to lock down the top seed.
Matchup to Watch: Corey Webster v Sean MacDonald - Webster is back and how quickly he gets up to speed could determine the Jets chances, but MacDonald has been on a tear and with a larger role on tap could be looking his most aggressive yet.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Jets | Rams |
| Scoring Offense | 93.40 (4th) | 100.56 (1st) |
| Scoring Defense | 95.47 (10th) | 83.25 (2nd) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 51% (9th) | 55% (1st) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 48% (10th) | 44% (2nd) |
| Free Throw Rate | 25% (10th) | 25% (9th) |
| Free Throw % | 69% (9th) | 70% (6th) |
| Three Point Rate | 36% (10th) | 42% (3rd) |
| Three Point % | 33% (4th) | 35% (2nd) |
| Turnover Rate | 11% (2nd) | 10% (1st) |
| Assist Rate | 54% (10th) | 59% (4th) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 25% (7th) | 31% (2nd) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 72% (6th) | 76% (4th) |
| Block Rate | 8% (6th) | 9% (4th) |
| Steal Rate | 12% (1st) | 11% (3rd) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
