Pistons Fall Again, Heat Cool Off
Tagged in: Competitions, NBL
Just when the Waikato Pistons looked to have the Dominion Finance NBL regular season title secured, back-to-back losses happened.
Following on from their 102-97 loss to the Marley Canterbury Rams at home on Saturday night, the still-League leaders fell 99-95 in overtime to Devon Dynamos Taranaki in New Plymouth in round 12 on Sunday.
American shooting guard Keith Salscheider had 29 points, while Link Abrams and Tony Rampton posted double-doubles as the Pistons lost consecutive games for the second time this season and Taranaki moved level with the Youthtown Auckland Stars for the final place in the six-team NBL Playoffs.
The Dynamos led 68-59 after three quarters, following a 24-15 third period sparked by Abrams and Salscheider, but gave away the lead and almost the game in the closing seconds.
With a two-point lead forward Aaron Nowell had a shot blocked, Waikato took the ball the other way, and a basket from American two guard Brian Wethers, who finished with 18 points, sent the game to overtime.
Abrams had 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while Rampton contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds in double-double performance. Damon Rampton had 14 points, Nowell 11 points and eight rebounds, and Ben Jeffrey eight assists.
Pistons point guard Jason Crowe fell two rebounds shy of his fourth triple-double of the year, going for a team-high 23 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists, while Wethers and Mike Homik collected 18 points.
The twin losses, following their 18-point beat-down of the Property Brokers Manawatu Jets on Wednesday night, dropped Waikato to 12-4, with their margin at the top over the Century City Wellington Saints reduced to one game.
The Saints own the tiebreaker against the Pistons and if they win their remaining four games, would claim the regular season title.
In Sunday’s other game, the lower-table teams continued to put a bite on top-six sides as the Jets took a rare road win away from The Furnace, beating the under-manned Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 91-80 and keeping their dental floss-thin playoff hopes alive.
American point guard Kantrail Horton came up one rebound short of his first triple-double in the NBL, finishing with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Fellow import Keith Davis had 23 points and veteran Stacey Lambert, who moved past 3000 points for his career this week, added 15 points.
With forwards Oscar Forman and Daryl Cartwright out injured, Mika Vukona stepped up, leading the Heat with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Australian centre Tim Behrendorff posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Hayden Allen had 17 points and five assists, Dan Ryan 16 points and Jarrod Kenny seven assists.
Manawatu shot a strong 49 percent from the field and 40 percent on three-point attempts, while Harbour shot 18 percent (3-of-16) from the perimeter and were on the wrong side of a 22-14 turnover count.
The Heat remain third in the standings at 9-6, while the Jets at 4-10 moved back into eighth and need to win out in their final four games to have any hopes of the playoffs.
With three rounds remaining, the Stars and Dynamos remain tied for the sixth and final playoff spot, with the Stars sitting sixth courtesy over their two-point overtime win over Taranaki in round six.
The Cartridge World Otago Nuggets became the first team eliminated from the playoff equation, their 86-78 home loss to the Easy LPG Bay Hawks dropping them to 2-13 and favourites for another last-place finish.
Dominion Finance NBL Round 12
At TSB Stadium, New Plymouth
Devon Dynamos Taranaki 99 (Keith Salscheider 29, Link Abrams 21, Tony Rampton 15, Damon Rampton 14, Aaron Nowell 11) Waikato Pistons 95 (Jason Crowe 23, Brian Wethers 18, Mike Homik 18) in OT
1Q: 21-26
HT: 44-44 (23-18)
3Q: 68-59 (24-15)
FT: 86-86 (18-27)
OT: 99-95 (13-9)
Dynamos vs Pistons Box Score (21KB html)
At The Furnace, North Shore
Property Brokers Manawatu Jets 91 (Kantrail Horton 24, Keith Davis 23, Stacey Lambert 15) Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 80 (Mika Vukona 20, Hayden Allen 17, Tim Behrendorff 17, Dan Ryan 16)
1Q: 20-16
HT: 46-44 (26-28)
3Q: 70-58 (24-14)
FT: 91-80 (21-22)
Heat vs Jets Box Score (19KB html)
