The Cigna Saints have taken advantage of a shorthanded Augusta Mountainairs with a 106-65 win.
LJ Peak scored 20 for the Saints who had all starters reach double-digit points, and 35 points from the bench as they claimed win number 14.
It was always going to be a tough ask for the Airs who were without their leading scorer, Javonte Douglas, for the second straight game and also being without their starting point guard Houston O’Riley.
Alonzo Burton scored a team high 19 points, Roger Woods added 17, and Xavier Smith was the next best with 16 for the Airs who drop to 3-12.
The Saints piled on the points in the last three quarters with 91, but it was an a slow start in the opening quarter for both teams as the Saints only held a 14-11 advantage, the home side shooting 26% while the Airs were at 22%.
Wellington would quickly find their groove in the second quarter hitting three straight 3’s which would begin a run that put them up by as much as 18. Taranaki would never recover as they would see themselves trailing by as many 43 points in the second half.
Wellington will now finish their regular season with a two game series against the Mike Pero Nelson Giants (11-3) who are in the race to claim the regular season title. The Giants will be paying tomorrow on the road against the 2 Cheap Cars Supercity Rangers (2-12).
Tomorrow will also feature the second placed SIT Zerofees Sharks who continue their push for the regular season title when they play the Go Media Jets (2-12) in Palmerston.
Week 12: Saturday, July 14
At TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Cigna Saints 106 (LJ Peak 20, Leon Henry 14, Majok Majok 14)
Augusta Mountainairs 65 (Alonzo Burton 20, Roger Woods 17, Xavier Smith 16)
Live Stats
Photo: www.photosport.nz
