Basketball New Zealand

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From Day One, when they were the last two remaining unbeaten teams, Porirua and Hutt Valley loomed as Conference Basketball League contenders … so it shall be.

As the top two teams after round robin play, both on 4-1 records, they qualified directly into the semifinals and underlined their dominance of the tournament by accounting for their opponents at the last knockout stage.

Hutt Valley, led by 28 points from former Tall Black Brendon Polyblank, put a decisive break on the Junior Tall Blacks in the third quarter and held on for a 78-70 win to reach the title game.

The home team also drew away after halftime in their match-up with Nelson Suns. Forward Arthur Trousdell led all scorers with 24 points in Porirua’s 95-79 victory.

The JTBs will meet Nelson for third/fourth, while Southland accounted for Actrix Waikato Titans Fraser 80-65 in the playoff for fifth/sixth.

2010 Conference Basketball League Tournament

Porirua
Thursday, July 29
2pm
Fifth/sixth playoff
Southland 80 (James Paringatai 24, Gareth Dawson 17, Dan Peck 15) Actrix Waikato Titans Fraser 65 (Chris Daniel 22, Duane Bailey 17)
Q1 31-12
HT 49-34 (18-22)
Q3 63-49 (14-15)
FT 80-65 (17-16)

4pm
Semifinal 2
Hutt Valley 78 (Brendon Polyblank 28, Cory Vessey 19, Stu Carruthers 11, Leon Henry 10) Junior Tall Blacks 70 (Brad Anderson 15, Ethan Rusbatch 14, Tia Temata Frost 11, Nick Barrow 10)
Q1 19-16
HT 36-32 (17-16)
Q3 60-51 (24-19)
FT 78-70 (18-19)

6pm
Semifinal 1
Porirua 95 (Arthur Trousdell 24, Brook Ruscoe 18, Jordan Mills 18, Ross Taurima 13, Randall Bishop 10) Nelson Suns 79 (Sam To’omata 29, Bronson Beri 20, Sam Dempster 11)
Q1 30-32
HT 49-48 (19-16)
Q3 69-60 (20-12)
FT 95-79 (26-19)

Friday, July 30
11am
Third/fourth playoff
Nelson Suns v Junior Tall Blacks

1pm
Final
Porirua v Hutt Valley