Basketball New Zealand

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Stars forward Casey Frank (Photosport)

Casey Frank produced a 27-point and nine-rebound performance as the Youthtown Auckland Stars defeated the Manawatu OzJets 93-73 in round three of the Dominion Finance NBL on Friday night.

Frank – the round two Player of the Week – was dominant for the Stars, abusing the Manawatu defence early and often at Arena Manawatu in Palmerston North, adding five assists to his stat-line.

The Tall Black forward had 20 points by halftime, making his first eight shots from the field, including two three-pointers, and finishing the game 12-of-19.

Adrian Majstrovich, with 14 points and seven boards, Dillon Boucher, 10 points and six rebounds, and guard Tyrone Davey, with 10 points, were others to score in double-figures for the Stars, who cruised in the fourth quarter and improved to 2-1 with the win.

Just like the Easy LPG Bay Hawks last night – the other team with byes in rounds one and two – the Jets struggled for cohesion against a Stars line-up starting to find confidence.

Auckland coach Kenny Stone got one-up on his former assistant from the 2004 championship season, Jets coach Tim McTamney.

American point guard Kantrail Horton, who played for the Waikato Titans in 2005, scored a game-high 28 points a week after arriving in Palmy, while fellow import Keith Davis was the home side’s only other double-figures scorer with 13 and six rebounds.

The Stars now travel to Christchurch for their Sunday afternoon meeting with the Marley Canterbury Rams, while the OzJets will look to rebound tomorrow night against the Hawks, reeling from a 27-point loss to the Appliance Shed Harbour Heat on Thursday night.

At Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
Youthtown Auckland Stars 93 (Casey Frank 27, Adrian Majstrovich 14, Dillon Boucher 10, Tyrone Davey 10) Manawatu OzJets 73 (Kantrail Horton 28, Keith Davis 13). HT: 48-32
OzJets vs Stars Box Score (21KB html)