The SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks may have ended any hope the Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams had of making the Sal's NBL Final 4 with a gripping 92-81 win.
With a spot at the Final 4 the target for both the Rams (7-7) and the Sharks (10-4), another sold out Cowles Stadium crowd was treated to a game with a finals atmosphere, but they also left empty-handed after the visitors grabbed the chocolates.
Played at a high tempo, an even first half featured plenty of highlights, especially from EJ Singler and Alonzo Burton, who at one stage traded baskets as both teams tried to grab the ascendency.
Just one point separated the teams at the half with the Sharks facing the bigger concerns given premier big man Dom Kelman-Poto had committed three fouls.
The second half started at speed, the Rams nailing some early baskets before Courtney Belger and Josh Cunningham pushed the Sharks out to an 11-point advantage.
With Belger and Burton taking a break the door was left ajar for the Rams and they knocked it down with a blitzing run that saw them claw their way back into the game, and not long after take a 70-67 lead with just over seven minutes to play.
From that point on the Sharks went on a 25-11 run to win the game. Belger was sublime and constantly took control of the situation in a telling performance. Every time the Sharks needed to steady, Belger delivered.
The victory puts the Sharks within one win of locking down a Final 4 berth, while the Rams would need a lot of outside factors to fall their way to be any chance of progressing past round 12.
Canterbury Rams (81) lost to Southland Sharks (92) - BOXSCORE
Rams: EJ Singler (26pts, 14rbs), Deshon Taylor (20pts), Jack Salt (16pts, 14rbs)
Sharks: Courtney Belger (23pts), Josh Cunningham (22pts), Alonzo Burton (19pts)
Game Highlights
Stuff MVP Votes
Courtney Belger (Sharks) 9
Alonzo Burton (Sharks) 9
EJ SIngler (Rams) 5
Josh Cunningham (Sharks) 4
Jack Salt (Rams) 3
(Photo Credit: PhotosportNZ)
