Basketball New Zealand

The Waikato Pistons have drawn first blood in the best of three NZCT National Basketball League final series beating the ecogise Nelson Giants 81-69 in Nelson tonight. The Giants hopes for for the rest of the final series were dealt a massive blow with big man Tony Rampton now suspended for game two after being ejected late in the fourth quarter.

With the Pistons basically dominating the game from start to finish the major talking point of the game came in the fourth quarter when Mike Homik and Tony Rampton tangled off the ball ending with both players wrestling on the ground. Both players were ejected from the game which carries an automatic one game suspension that will see both players miss the second game of the finals on Thursday night in Te Awamutu.

As if it was not a tough enough assignment for the Giants to have to go to the Waikato one game down in a best of three series, to do it without Tony Rampton, who has been huge for the Giants this season, will make it extremely difficult.

The Pistons came out the stronger team in the first quarter to take it 20-12. The Giants upped their game in the second quarter to narrowly edge it 22-20 and leave the Pistons wih a six point, 40-34 lead at half time.

The Pistons dominated the third quarter to win it by eleven points 25-14 to take what would become an unassailable 17 point lead into the fourth quarter. The Giants came out and threw everything they had at the Pistons in the fourth but despite winning it 21-16 they simply could not claw back enough ground on a Pistons team who now has one hand firmly on the NZCT National Basketball League trophy.

Michael Fitchett had a strong game for the Pistons shooting 7/10 from the three point line in his 21 points. Adam Ballinger was effective from inside and out in collecting a game high 22 points. Justin Bailey had another energetic performance taking 16 points.

For the Giants Phil Jones top scored with 21 while John Barber (18) and Jarryd Loyd (12) were the best of the rest.

NBL Finals

Game One

Tuesday, June 23
At Trafalgar Centre, Nelson

ecogise Nelson Giants 69 (Phil Jones 21, John Barber 18, Jarryd Lloyd 12) v Waikato Pistons 81 (Adam Ballinger 22, Michael Fitchett 21, Justin Bailey 16), FT

Live on Sky Sport 3
Referees – Tim Brown, Dallas Pickering, Andy Thackray
1Q: 12-20
HT: 34-40 (22-20)
3Q: 48-65 (14-25)
FT: 69-81 (21-16)

Giants v Pistons Boxscore (html 22KB)