Basketball New Zealand

Conference Basketball League Finals

Half the semifinal line-up is set after a near upset-free day one of the Conference Basketball League (CBL) Finals in Wellington on Thursday.

Upstarts Auckland caused the day’s only upset in a game touched by late seconds drama and controversy, making a final second game-tying three, then making their free throws in overtime to hold off the North Otago Penguins, 96-90.

The three-time defending champion Actrix Networks Waikato Titans and hometown team Wellington were impressive in going 2-0 on Thursday to book their places in Friday night’s semifinals at Southwest Stadium.

North Otago could, and should, have been the last piece of the Final Four puzzle.

Up 90-89 with 6.6 seconds remaining, Penguins American point guard Dalun Smith missed a pair of free-throws but after corralling the rebound, Auckland could not control the ball up-court. Smith ended up with the ball but completed the lay-up rather than dribble out the clock, leaving 0.3 seconds on the clock and Auckland a chance.

Perhaps aided by a late start of the game clock, former Tall Black and NBL winner Simon Mesritz rattled in a game-tying triple from the corner, sending the game to an extra period as North Otago were left to argue the shot’s plausibility.

North Otago protested the result but the challenge was quickly dismissed.

Now the Penguins, back in the CBL Finals for the first time since the last of their three championship seasons in 2000, will need a win over the Wellington Saints in their final section B game and an Auckland loss to the winless Foot Mechanics Western Bay Suns on Friday to guarantee themselves a semifinal berth.

Saints, also 2-0 after wins over Auckland and the Suns, can confirm a Final Four spot with either an Auckland loss or a win over North Otago.

Young forward Nikola Lakatus had 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting and Auckland Stars guard Josh Clark 23 points and four steals for Auckland, who trailed for much of the second half but never let North Otago put them away.

The Penguins, who got a game-high 32 points six rebounds, seven assists and three steals from Smith, led by 11 points late in the third period but allowed Auckland back-to-back threes from Brent Raven and Clark to close the gap to four points.

Auckland, who only made the CBL Finals field after a team withdrawal, never led in the fourth quarter and even trailed with under two minutes remaining in overtime but somehow escaped with the W.

There was no escaping with wins for the three guaranteed semifinalists, but they all were pushed for three quarters.

Earl Smith posted his second double-double in as many games with 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Titans overcame a strong second half challenge from the under-manned Harbour Heat Reserves, winning 107-94.

Waikato were cruising at halftime up 61-40 but were outscored by the Heat Reserves, who lost their leading scorer Dan Ryan two weeks ago and chief rebounder Valance McCarthy in the tournament’s first game, 33-21 in the third and saw them get within eight points early in the final period.

Eight-time NBL champion Prem Krishna had 22 points and five assists for the Titans, while Lydon Aoake led Harbour with 21 points, also getting offensive contributions from Michael Dawson, Kael Tarawa and Karl Noyer.

Troy McLean posted 26 points, including 6-of-7 three-point makes, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals for Wellington as they pulled away from the Turanga Health Rising Suns in the third period, winning 86-69.

Reg Namana scored 19 points and pulled down eight boards for the wildcard Rising Suns, who led after the first quarter and were not fully put away until the fourth.

Forward Arthur Trousdell went for 22 points and nine rebounds, and guard Matt Te Huna 20 points as the Saints stayed perfect with a 90-74 win over the Suns of Tauranga.

Trailing by four points at halftime, the Saints finally went ahead with a 12-4 run in the closing minutes of the third. Behind the play of Ike Smith (21 points) and Whare Bidois (19 points), Western Bay closed within two points with 7:18 remaining, but were outscored 17-3 the rest of the way.

CBL Finals

Southwest Stadium, Wellington

Section A

Actrix Networks Waikato Titans 107 (Earl Smith 29, Prem Krishna 22, Danny Williams 13, Kurtis Elliot 13, Kazlo Evans 11) Harbour Heat Reserves 94 (Lydon Aoake 21, Kael Tarawa 19, Michael Dawson 18, Karl Noyer 17)
Titans vs Heat Reserves Box Score (20KB html)

Wellington 86 (Troy McLean 26, Corey Vessey 13) Turanga Health Rising Suns 69 (Reg Namana 19, Rob Tuilave 11, Leityn Swann 10)
Wellington vs Rising Suns Box Score (21KB html)

Team Records
Actrix Networks Waikato Titans 2-0
Wellington 2-0
Turanga Health Rising Suns 0-2
Harbour Heat Reserves 0-2

Section B

Wellington Saints 90 (Arthur Trousdell 22, Matt Te Huna 20, Tim Gillan 17, Hugh Quinlivan 11) Foot Mechanics Western Bay Suns 74 (Ike Smith 21, Whare Bidois 19, Eru Wills 10)
Saints vs Suns Box Score (20KB html)

Auckland 96 (Nikola Lakatus 28, Josh Clark 23, Mike Townsend 12, Simon Mesritz 12) North Otago Penguins 90 (Dalun Smith 32, Matt Gillan 17, Ian Cathcart 15, Calum MacLeod 10)
Auckland vs Penguins Box Score (20KB html)

Team Records
Wellington Saints 2-0
North Otago Penguins 1-1
Auckland 1-1
Foot Mechanics Western Bay Suns 0-2