Basketball New Zealand

Conference Basketball League (CBL)

The top-five has been confirmed, now just the order has to be settled.

The Western Bay Suns, defending Conference Basketball League (CBL) champion Waikato Titans, Harbour Heat Reserves and Northside confirmed top-five finishes and invitations to the CBL Nationals with wins in round 14 of Northern Conference play.

With back-to-back wins last weekend, the Suns (2nd, 16-6) and Heat Reserves (4th, 18-3) improved their regular season title hopes, while the Titans and Northside enjoyed bonus point wins over competition strugglers.

Western Bay regained second from the Titans with a pair of home wins on their Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre floor – 91-83 over West Ballaz Massey on Saturday and a 101-58 rout of Counties/Te Wananga.

Guard Whare Bidois poured in 30 points, while forward Sam Walker had 11 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns piled on Massey early, then maintained their advantage in the second half, overcoming Kevin Smith’s 39 points and 11 rebounds contribution for Massey.

Three players had double-doubles – Canadian centre Mike King with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Ike Smith with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Sasho Tasevski with 11 points and 10 boards – as Western Bay opened up an early lead against Counties, then piled on the points in the second and third periods.

Bidois also had 21 points to go with seven assists and five steals, while Tasevski added five assists and five steals. Joe Jackson hit six threes on nine attempts for Counties in his game-high 27 points.

Harbour guard Dan Ryan continued his unstoppable form in the Heat Reserves’ wins, dropping a round-high 41 points in a 99-75 win over the Taupo Volcanoes in Taupo on Saturday, then following it with 32 points in a 100-96 result over AUT University on Sunday.

Ryan also added 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals against Taupo and eight rebounds and six assists against AUT, who forced the Heat Reserves into 38 turnovers and scored 41 points off those turnovers.

The idle Junior Tall Blacks/Breakers side still holds the competition’s top spot but it is very much a leader-in-the-clubhouse situation. Having completed their regular season two weeks ago, the JTB/Breakers could yet finish as low as fifth.

Jeff Green’s Titans have the inside running on the regular season title, with four games remaining against teams outside the top-five. If the Titans slip up, the Suns or Heat Reserves would be next in line to steal first.

Ray Cameron scored a season-high 31 points and added five rebounds, five steals and four assists as the Titans won their 11th straight, making light work of winless Tai Tokerau 110-70 in Hamilton.

Caleb Johns scored 31 points and Tall Black Corey Webster had 20 points and four steals as Northside picked up a bonus point 105-72 against Eastern Bays, who got 29 points from Daniel Apulu.

Auckland posted two wins in round 14 to maintain their edge over AUT for sixth position, which could reap a place at the CBL Nationals should one of the current top-five choose not to take up the invitation.

Canterbury Rams centre Mike Townsend had 26 points and Auckland Stars guard Josh Clark 24 points as Auckland defeated West Ballaz Massey 87-75 in a spiteful encounter on Friday, then shared the points around and picked up a bonus point against the Volcanoes, 85-49, with Townsend ending with 18 points and nine rebounds.

In the Central Conference, NBL veteran Brendon Pongia torched the Turanga Health Rising Suns for 42 points in game one as the Wellington Saints split their round seven road double-header in Gisborne.

The Saints prevailed 122-102 in a shootout on Saturday, with Pongia hitting nine triples, as six Saints scored in double-figures, while Bay Hawks import Kareem Johnson had 27 points for the Suns and Robbie Wilson hit five threes for his 15 points.

Johnson and the Rising Suns got their revenge on Sunday, the big American going off for 39 points and 10 rebounds in a 102-97 win that gave them sole possession of first over Wellington with two rounds remaining.

Willie Banks, who missed Saturday’s game, had 22 points for the Rising Suns, while Leighton Swann contributed 19 points and six assists. Arthur Trousdell top-scored for the Saints with 27 points and 12 rebounds and Matt Te Huna added 20 points.

CBL Northern Conference - Round 14

Friday, August 1
Auckland 87 (Mike Townsend 26) West Ballaz Massey 75 (Kevin Smith 31)
Saturday, August 2
AUT University 125 (Houston O’Riley 21) Eastern Bays 59 (Daniel Apulu 23)
Western Bay Suns 91 (Whare Bidois 30) West Ballaz Massey 83 (Kevin Smith 37)
Harbour Heat Reserves 99 (Dan Ryan 41) Taupo Volcanoes 75 (Michael Wells 26)
Waikato Titans 110 (Ray Cameron 31) Tai Tokerau 70 (Kelly Wheto 18)
Sunday, August 3
Waikato Pistons Development 96 (Jamie Barnett 26) Tai Tokerau 63 (Travis McIlroy 15)
Auckland 85 (Mike Townsend 18) Taupo Volcanoes 49 (James Carr 11)
Harbour Heat Reserves 100 (Dan Ryan 32) AUT University 96 (Joshua Tuaiti 27)
Northside 105 (Caleb Johns 31) Eastern Bays 72 (Daniel Apulu 29)
Western Bay Suns 101 (Mike King 24) Counties/Te Wananga 58 (Joe Jackson 27)

Bye: JTB/Breakers

CBL Central Conference - Round Seven

Saturday, August 2
Wellington Saints 122 (Brendon Pongia 42) Turanga Health Rising Suns 102 (Kareem Johnson 27)

Sunday, August 3
Turanga Health Rising Suns 102 (Kareem Johnson 39) Wellington Saints 97 (Arthur Trousdell 27)

CBL Northern Conference Results
CBL Central Conference Results