Basketball New Zealand

Tall Black Craig Bradshaw (Photosport)

Tall Blacks Mika Vukona and Craig Bradshaw have helped Gold Coast Blaze to the top of the Australian NBL table with an 88-84 home win over previous leaders Wollongong Hawks.

The Blaze had a five-game winning streak snapped midweek by Adelaide, but held on to edge their guests four days later and improve to 10-7 for the season.

Vukona had five points (2/4 FG, 1/2 FT), five rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes, while Bradshaw, in his second game since signing with the club last week, had three points (1/3 FG, 1/4 FT), five rebounds and an assist in 17 minutes.

Wollongong’s Queensland road trip had already gotten off to a rocky start with a 70-71 loss to Cairns Taipans, thanks in no small part to 16 points from Kiwi Phill Jones.

The veteran shooter slotted 6/12 FG, 3/4 3pt, 1/1 FT, adding six rebounds and an assist in 26 minutes. Centre Tony Rampton had three points and three rebounds in seven minutes as the Snakes improved to 10-8 with their second straight victory.

In the Australian WNBL, Tall Ferns point guard Angela Marino’s double-double guided Adelaide Lightning to a 96-74 home win over Perth Lynx.

Marino compiled 25 points (9/13 FG, 5/6 3pt, 2/4 FT), 10 assists, two rebounds and a steal to lead all scorers. The Lightning are currently 9-6.

Former NZ captain Aneka Davis and her Townsville Fire struck an important blow for their championship hopes, defeating Sydney University Flames 89-80 at home.

With Opals forward Rohanee Cox back from the knee injury suffered in the FIBA Oceania Championship in August, the Fire should now build on their bright start to the season. This result gave Townsville the same number of losses (10-4) as second-placed Sydney with a game in hand.

Davis had a relatively subdued game, gathering 14 points (6/14 FG, 2/2 FT) and five rebounds, but the Fire had six players scoring in double figures.

Sydney bounced back in the second leg of their Queensland road trip, edging Logan Thunder 75-73. Kiwi forward Natalie Purcell had five points, two rebounds and two assists before fouling out for Logan, while Suzie Bates was held scoreless for 14 minutes.

Ferns forward Toni Edmondson had 14 points (6/8 FG, 1/1 3pt, 1/2 FT), three rebounds, two assists and a block in 21 minutes as Dandenong Rangers overwhelmed Australian Institute of Sport 102-51 and improved to 5-9 for the season.

In Europe, Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic guided Kalev/Cramo of Estonia to their fifth win of their Baltic Basketball League season, 88-79 over Leipaja Lauvas of Latvia. Nigerian Josh-Emmanuel Akognon had 27 points (including 6/11 3pt), while Estonian Rait Keerles had 19 points/10 rebounds.

In Turkey, former Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin watched his Kepez Bld fall to their fourth straight loss, 77-80 to Aliaga, in the TBL. Kepez are now 3-7.

In Switzerland, Kiwi Brendon Polyblank and his Fribourg club (13-1) are still top of the LNA after a 90-80 win over Monthey. Last week, Polyblank had 11 points (4/8 FG, 1/2 3pt), fiver beounds and two assists in a 67-62 win over Lausanne.

In Germany, Tall Black forward BJ Anthony had 17 points (6/14 FG, 5/8 FT), five rebounds and an assist as Herzoege Wolfenbuettel lost 81-87 to Ehingen in the ProB league.

In Italy, Tall Ferns forward Jillian Harmon continued to impress for Pool Comense, compiling 15 points (7/10 FG, 1/2 FT), four rebounds, a steal and a block as her team overcame ACP Livorno 81-69. They are now 4-6 in the Lega A.

In US college play, Tall Ferns guard Micaela Cocks continued her scoring and shooting streaks, but it wasn’t enough to guide University of Oregon to victory on the road against #25 Georgia Tech.

The Ducks fell 69-87, but trailed by just seven points with 1m 11s remaining, before they began fouling for possession.

Cocks led UO with 19 points (7/19 FG, 3/9 3pt, 2/2 FT), four assists, three rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes before fouling out. She is still the only Oregon player to score in double figures in every game this season and has now slotted a trey in 26 consecutive games for the Ducks, who fell to 8-2.

Tall Ferns forward Rebecca Dew had eight points (4/6 FG) and six rebounds in 14 minutes as University of Hawaii defeated Kansas State 71-61 as part of the Duel in the Desert tournament in Las Vegas. The Rainbow Wahine are now 4-5.

Ferns centre Kim Barnes went perfect (8-8) from the free throw line as UC Irvine beat Eastern Washington 87-73 and improved to 3-7 for the season.

Barnes had 12 points (2/9 FG), four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 20 minutes before fouling out. Her performance helped the Anteaters to a school-record 45-55 return from the stripe.