2009 - Who Will It Be?
Tagged in: NBL
2007 Nelson Giants, 2008 Waikato Pistons … 2009??? It all begins Tonight when the defending champions Waikato Pistons travel down to arguably the toughest venue in the country the Trafalgar Centre to play the ecogise Nelson Giants.
The series could possibly go to three games with both teams splitting their regular season games, each team winning on the road.
One player who will know the Trafalgar Centre well is former Giant Michael Fitchett who played seven seasons for the Giants and was a member of the Giants team that won the championship in 2007. Now a member of the Pistons Fitchett ironically was the man who played a hand in eliminating the Pistons side in the 2007 semi finals scoring 34 points in the 109-103 overtime victory in Te`Awamutu.
The Pistons held off a valiant Cougars side last Friday winning 96-89 having to shoot and amazing 65.4% from the field, also having three players score in the twenties. Fitchett again stepped up in a playoff game scoring 24 points (5/10 3pt). For his first NBL playoff game rookie swingman Thomas Abercrombie didn’t show his nerves with the stat line of 23 points (8/10 FG), 9 rebounds 2 blocks and 3 steals. Justin Bailey also scored in his twenties with 21 and also grabbing 5 steals.
The night before the Giants pulled off an improbable win when Tony Rampton made a putback on the buzzer from a missed free throw winning the game 83-82. Rampton who played on a broken thumb was a monster on the boards grabbing 20 rebounds, 11 of the 20 were offensive. Nelson Giants legend Phil Jones led his team in scoring with 22 which included a long bomb from the outside to get his Giants within two.
Pistons will need to find a way to contain livewire point guard Jarryd Loyd who in the two games he has played against the Pistons he is averaging 24.5 points per game. Giants will equally need to contain Justin Bailey who is averaging 25 points per game against them.
One player who is struggled in the match up against the Giants is import Adam Ballinger who has shot a combined 7/29 (24%) in the two games. But Ballinger is a proven winner, averaging 11 points in the 2001 Michigan State Spartans team that made the NCAA Final Four.
Arguably the key to the matchup is Pero Cameron who did not play when the Pistons loss to the Giants back in round four and then scored 17 points in the Pistons win over the Giants in Round 12. Cameron is a proven winner winning going for his ninth NBL Championship.
Expect the series to be a physical contest in the inside with the likes of Rampton and Chris Reay banging bodies with Cameron, Ballinger and Mike Homik, but also expect a high amount of scoring coming from the outside where the Giants (39.4%) and Pistons (38.4%) are first and second in the league respectively in three point field goal percentages.
NBL Finals
Game One
Tuesday, June 23
At Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
ecogise Nelson Giants v Waikato Pistons, 7.00pm
Live on Sky Sport 3
Referees - Tim Brown, Dallas Pickering, Andy Thackray
Game Two
Thursday, June 25
At Te Awamutu Event Centre, Te Awamutu
Waikato Pistons v ecogise Nelson Giants, 7.00pm
Live on Sky Sport 3
Referees - Dallas Pickering, Andy Thackray, Melony Wealleans
Game Three (If Required)
Friday, June 26
At Te Awamutu Event Centre, Te Awamutu
Waikato Pistons v ecogise Nelson Giants, 7.00pm
Live on Sky Sport 3
Referees - Dallas Pickering, Melony Wealleans, Andy Thackray
