Marks Gets Playoffs PT
Tagged in: Kiwis Abroad
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New Zealand’s sole NBAer Sean Marks finally tasted NBA Playoffs action on Monday.
Marks, the first Kiwi to play in the NBA in 1998, became the first to get court-time in a playoff game as his Phoenix Suns avoided a four-game sweep against his former club, the San Antonio Spurs, in a 105-86 game four win in Phoenix on Monday.
Marks, in his eighth season in the NBA, entered the game for starting centre Amare Stoudemire with 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Suns up 104-82. He did not put up a shot and only five points were scored by both teams in his time on court.
The Suns look to stave off elimination again in game five at San Antonio, who Marks won a championship ring with in 2005, on Wednesday (NZ Time).
In Turkey, Tall Black Craig Bradshaw played only four minutes in Efes Pilsen Spor Kubulu’s 92-76 loss to Galatasaray Café Crown in the final regular season round in the Turkish Basketball League.
Kubulu had already secured the second spot behind Beziktas and will meet Karsiyaka in the best-of-five first round playoff series, starting this weekend.
Mark Dickel’s Mutlu Aku Selcuk University team will not be in the playoffs after finishing 13th after a 122-66 blow-out loss to Fenerbahce Ulker in the final round, Dickel having a rebound and steal in 12 minutes.
In Romania, former Tall Black coach Tab Baldwin’s U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca club advanced to the semifinals of the Romanian Basketball League win a 91-82 win over Gaz Metan Medias in game three last week. Cluj-Napoca, the third seeds, now meet second ranked CSU Sibiu in the final four series, starting Saturday.
Cluj put up a 12-point lead after the first quarter and were able to hold it the rest of the game.
Across the ditch in Australia Basketball Association (ABA) leagues, Shannon Proffit had 16 points (6/8 FG, 2/2 3pt, 2/2 FT), six rebounds, four steals and a block in 27 minutes in Maroochydore Clippers 93-53 win over Northside Wizards in the second round of the women’s Queensland Basketball League (QABL).
Kiwi-born Zeke Meehl had six points (2/7 FG, 1/4 3pt, 1/3 FT), two rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in 22 minutes in the Maroochydore men’s 86-113 loss to the Wizards.
Kiwi Gemma Kerr had nine points (3/13 FG, 1/5 3pt, 2/2 FT), two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 26 minutes in her Kilsyth Lady Cobras 86-80 loss to the league-leading Launceston Tornadoes in round nine of the South East Australia Basketball League (SEABL), dropping Kilsyth out of the top four.
Former Tall Fern Julie Ofsoski continues to rack up the numbers but his Frankston Lady Blues continue to lose, falling 71-52 to the NW Tasmania Thunder in round nine, their ninth loss in 10 games.
Ofsoski scored a team-high 16 points (7/14 FG, 2/4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes.
Former Tall Black Jess Spinner had six points in the Wanneroo Wolves 61-55 loss to the Stirling Senators in week five of the State Basketball League (SBL) of Western Australia on Friday, dropping the Wolves back to 2-3.
