Basketball New Zealand

Pistons point guard Jason Crowe (Photosport)

Just in time for the playoffs, the Waikato Pistons found their winning swerve against the Youthtown Auckland Stars on Thursday night.

Behind a combined 56 points from their American backcourt of Brian Wethers and Jason Crowe, the Pistons rebounded from three straight losses and booked a home semifinal with a 94-79 win at ASB Stadium.

Wethers, recently struggling with a back injury, scored a game-high 30 points and added eight rebounds and four steals to his stat-line, while Crowe danced his way to 26 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

The turning point in the game came when Stars forward and leading scorer Casey Frank fouled out with 3:35 remaining in the third period, with the Pistons leading by three points.

Not realising Frank had been whistled for a technical foul along with his third personal foul, giving him four fouls, earlier in the third, Stars coach Kenny Stone sent him back into the game. Frank immediately picked up his fifth and disqualifying foul seconds later as Pistons captain Pero Cameron, who finished with nine points, seven rebounds and seven assists, took it straight at him.

Auckland were able to keep Waikato within three points until early in the final quarter, when the lead quickly blew out to double-digits and the Pistons fast-breaked their way to an easy win in the closing minutes.

With two late threes Stars back-up point guard Tyrone Davey finished with 16 points, shared with three-point bomber Dylan Perfect-Tait, who had 13 of his 16 points in the first half, while Dillon Boucher added 10 points and nine boards.

Both teams came out firing from all corners, combining for eight three-pointers in the first 5:10 as the Stars led by as many as six points in the opening period.

With his American back-court buddy Wethers still struggling with a back injury, Crowe dominated the first half, with 19 points, and sparking a 13-5 run to start the second as Waikato were up by five points at one stage.

Wethers hit back-to-back-to-back triples mid-way through the third period as the Pistons took control of the game even before Frank fouled out.

Dominion Finance NBL Round 15

At ASB Stadium, Auckland
Waikato Pistons 94 (Brian Wethers 30, Jason Crowe 24, Puke Lenden 11) Youthtown Auckland Stars 79 (Tyrone Davey 16, Dylan Perfect-Tait 16, Dillon Boucher 10)
1Q: 23-27
HT: 42-47 (19-20)
3Q: 65-64 (23-17)
FT: 94-79 (29-15)
Stars vs Pistons Box Score (22KB html)

Round 15 games, scores and standings