Basketball New Zealand

Jeremy Kench (Photosport)

Geoff Longley, The Press
All the Christchurch Cougars can do now is wait and see if they make the National Basketball League playoffs after their comfortable 101-80 dispatching of the OceanaGold Nuggets at Cowles Stadium last night.

The Cougars lifted their season record to nine wins and nine losses, but whether that will be good enough to earn them the sixth spot in the quarterfinal playoffs will not be known for another week.

While the Cougars have finished their regular season and have a bye next weekend, all other teams in playoff contention still have games to play, which will affect the outcome.

“We have done all we can; now we just wait,” said assistant coach Craig Hickford. He said the team would remain together and train intently next week as if they were heading to the playoffs.

The Cougars’ fortunes largely hinge around whether Southland (7-7) can win two of their final four matches over the next two weekends, all away from home. Games against Taranaki and Manawatu loom as the key.

Harbour (9-7) are also in danger unless they can win one of their last two regular-season games. Canterbury have a better record on countback than Harbour, which they have beaten twice, but an inferior one to Southland if the teams are tied. If they don’t qualify, they will look back on a sluggish first part of the season when they lost twice to Southland and dropped a game unexpectedly to Taranaki.

However, they stormed home, winning six from seven and have placed plenty of pressure on other teams. The win against Otago was rarely in doubt after the Cougars got over a first-quarter hiccup when Otago levelled at 15-all after trailing 10-2. The Cougars burst clear 34-18 in the second quarter as Otago stalled and had the game under control, Otago making 18 turnovers to the home side’s 11.

The Cougars looked good on the break and also shot impressively from outside the three-point arc, with guards Dan Peck and Jeremy Kench both splashing three from four attempts. Kench also produced some of his trademark daredevil drives to the hoop and collected a game high 29 points.

His sharpness was a heartening feature as he seeks next month to regain a Tall Blacks spot in the side for the world championships in Turkey. Trent Wurtz gave his usual workmanlike display, recording a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Peck put down 13, while the diminutive Aidan Daly enjoyed some extra freedom to also net 10, along with Lionel Hopgood. Paora Winitana gave the side some steady shooting from outside, while Tim Behrendorff, while quiet, was still effective.

Former Cougar Sam To’omata was a thorn in his old team’s side from the three-point line, adding some shooting sting, while American import Tyler Amaya finally flourished in the final quarter to net 27 and inflate his previously sagging shooting percentage.

Thursday, June 10

At Cowles Stadium, Christchurch

Chrischurch Cougars 101 (Jeremy Kench 29, Dan Peck 13, Trent Wurtz 12) OceanaGold Nuggets 80 (Tyler Amaya 27, Sam To’omata 18, John Barber 14), Final

Referees – Raewyn Willocks, Gavin Zimmerman, Raelene Forde
1Q: 21-18
HT: 46-30 (25-12)
3Q: 69-52 (23-22)
FT: 101-81 (32-29)
Cougars v Nuggets Boxscore (24 KB html)