Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams (8-2, 1st) v Jadcup Auckland Tuatara (6-5, 7th)
The Rams have taken eight wins from their last nine games and have won their last two games by 102 points!! But that won't strike fear into the Tuatara who would still feel the pain from losing in the title game to the Rams the last two seasons. Will the Cantabrian machine roll on or will the Dino's come down South and take down the ladder leaders?
When: Saturday 17th May, Rapid League 3pm, Sal's NBL 4pm
Where: Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 5 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube
Box score here
Last Time Out:
The Tuatara welcomed a desperate Nuggets squad to the Sanctuary, but without Rob Loe were wary of a team that had struggled for wins. Those fears were realised as 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, in what would be his last game, to 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 Rams traveled to the deep South to take on a resurgent Sharks squad. But a fresh Rams squad found a level that the Sharks were unable to meet as they dominated in a
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.
What to Expect:
The Rams are the most powerful team in the competition at the moment, but they have had a few games where they didn't look quite as insurmountable as the current incarnation. Taylor Britt (16.5ppg, 6.8apg) is coming off a tremendous Tall Blacks campaign, where he spearheaded a victory against Australia in game three, and has an excellent control over the Rams offense. His partnership with Sean McDonald (22.7ppg, 50% 3pfg) is still in it's infancy (3 games) but they seem to be an excellent pairing and with Kaia (12.0ppg) and Tama Isaac (13.1ppg) coming off the bench in relief the depth is there as well. The frontcourt is filled with international talent as CJ Penha (19.0ppg, 7rpg), Kyle Bowen (12.0ppg, 7.9rpg), Tohi Smith-Milner (13.9ppg, 8.8rpg) and Max Darling (9.2ppg, 4.7rpg) split time and responsibilities, making for an ever-present level of activity in the frontcourt that also offers a varied skillset. The top offense in the league pairs with the third best defense. About the only thing they don't do well is shoot free throws, which may prove to be an Achilles heel.
The Tuatara will have a vastly different feel, as Davo Hickey has departed for other opportunities, but the loss of the triple double machine has opened the door for Auckland's two newest recruits to hit the court. Zach Riley (former NBL Youth Player of the Year) is slotted into the starting lineup as he warms the spot for last season's leading regular season scorer Luther Muhammad (as he awaits clearance), a coup to fill the spot of an MVP calibre player with another player of that level. If Muhammad isn't yet cleared for today's contest it won't all be bad news as Rob Loe (16.3ppg, 6.7rpg, 3.3apg) returns from injury to bolster a frontcourt attack with Tom Vodanovich (12.2ppg, 4.7rpg), who has yet to truly fire. Buay Tuach (18.6ppg, 5rpg) will be the main weapon in transition now, and his scoring spurts will be key to keep things close. Charles Pride (12.8ppg, 6.1rpg) has taken over games for stretches, but to secure a much needed win on the road he will need to see that form last for a full game in the Paddock.
Matchup to Watch: Taylor Britt v Tuatara Backcourt - Britt is showing great control of his game at the moment, displaying an excellent balance between playmaking and calling his own number. It will be up to Zach Riley (and Luther Muhammad if cleared) to slow him, and the Rams offense, down to a more manageable level.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Rams | Tuatara |
| Scoring Offense | 101.90 (1st) | 89.82 (7th) |
| Scoring Defense | 84.70 (3rd) | 91.09 (6th) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 56% (1st) | 52% (7th) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 44% (4th) | 46% (9th) |
| Free Throw Rate | 23% (last) | 32% (2nd) |
| Free Throw % | 68% (9th) | 71% (7th) |
| Three Point Rate | 42% (5th) | 44% (3rd) |
| Three Point % | 36% (2nd) | 33% (7th) |
| Turnover Rate | 10% (2nd) | 15% (5th) |
| Assist Rate | 59% (5th) | 56% (8th) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 33% (1st) | 23% (10th) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 76% (4th) | 77% (2nd) |
| Block Rate | 9% (4th) | 5% (11th) |
| Steal Rate | 10% (3rd) | 8% (last) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
