NZCT NBL Preview: Round 14
Tagged in: NBL
The final round of the regular season will begin on Thursday when the Waikato Pistons look to clinch the top spot when they host the Youthtown Auckland Stars.
If the Pistons win then they will be the outright winners of the regular season, but if the Stars spoil the party and beat them then the ecogise Nelson Giants will win the regular season if they beat the Appliance Shed Harbour Heat.
The regular season winner which will be either the Pistons or Giants will play their semi final on Friday June the 19th against the winner of the game between the fourth placed and fifth placed match up. The team that finishes second place will host their semifinal on Thursday the 18th of June against the winner of the 3rd placed versus 6th place match up.
Stars finally got rid of their seven game losing streak last round, but the victory was against the struggling Dynamos. They now have travel to Te Awamutu to play the Pistons who sought redemption by suffocating the Century City Saints holding them to 63 points which is nearly 30 points below their average in win number thirteen of the season. If the Stars hope to win this game then they will need to get some offense from players other than the Big Three of Hayden Allen, Blagoj Janev and Casey Frank who average 58 over the Stars 80 points.
On Friday night the Stars travel down south to play the Bartercard Christchurch Cougars who were upset by the Hawks at home last week 86-81. If the Cougars win this game and the Saints lose to the Heat then the Cougars will finish third place.
The Harbour Heat will finish 5th no matter what their results are this week, but if they want to prove that they are a contender then two wins will certify that. Heat will play the tough double of the Giants on Friday and then the Saints on Saturday.
Giants finally lost at home last week against the Waikato Pistons 76-73, which also means they will probably finish second place with the chances of the Stars upsetting the Pistons very slim.
Expect a high scoring game when the Century City Saints host the Heat at TSB Bank Arena. The two teams are the only teams to average over 90 points per game, Saints averaging 92.6 points and the Heat at 90.9 points.
If the Saints win then they will play their quarter final at home on Tuesday June 16th against the 0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks, but if they lose and the Cougars win then they will play the Harbour Heat at home again on Wednesday the 17th of June.
Devon Dynamos Taranaki have two games and two chances to finally get off the duck, but it will have to be on the road travelling to Pettigrew Green Arena first to play the Hawks and then go down to Palmy to play the McDonalds Manawatu Jets. If the Dynamos lose both games then they will be the second team in the history of the NBL to go through a season winless. Northland Suns went 0-20 in the 1998 season.
Thursday, June 11
At Te Awamutu Event Centre
Waikato Pistons v Youthtown Auckland Stars, 7.30pm
Referees - Dallas Pickering, Tim Brown, Kelly McLeod
Friday, June 12
At Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
ecogise Nelson Giantsv Appliance Shed Harbour Heat, 7pm
Referees - Melony Wealleans, James Campion, Brendan Hodgson
At Pettigrew Green Arena, Taradale
0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks v Devon Dynamos Taranaki, 7pm
Referees - Gavin Whiu, Shane Nikora, Wayne Start
At Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Bartercard Christchurch Cougars v Youthtown Auckland Stars, 7pm
Referees - Raewyn Willocks, Gavin Zimmerman, Hayden Pipe
Saturday, June 13
At TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Century City Saints v Appliance Shed Harbour Heat, 5pm
Referees - Alan Godden, Donna Brown, Yalla Edwards
At Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
McDonalds Manawatu Jets v Devon Dynamos Taranaki, 5pm
Referees - Andy Thackray, Sean Cronin, Gareth Teahan
Playoff Rundown
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, June 16
Game One - 3rd v 6th (Saints/Cougars v Hawks)
Wednesday, June 17
Game Two – 4th v 5th (Cougars/Saints v Heat)
Semifinals
Thursday, June 18
Winner of Game One v Second Place (Giants/Pistons)
Friday, June 19
Winner of Game Two v First Place (Pistons/Giants)
