Saints, Heat Get Ws
Tagged in: NBL
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Behind 23 points from departing import Nick Horvath, the Century City Wellington Saints sprung a 90-89 upset over the CPS Nelson Giants at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson on Thursday night.
Horvath added 14 rebounds and fellow American import Marquis Webb had 21 points as the Saints overcome an eight-point halftime deficit to shock the Giants in their Dominion Finance NBL home-opener.
The Saints surged back into the game with a 10-0 run later in the third period, which gave them a 62-59 lead with 1:32 remaining in the quarter after trailing 45-37 at halftime.
Horvath’s jump-hook was lethal during that stretch, scoring three straight baskets, while Troy McLean also dropped two big threes to snap out of his shooting funk.
The teams exchanged the lead early in the fourth and were tied 76-76 with under four minutes to play. McLean made his third three and Luke Martin followed with fast-break lay-up to give the Saints a five-point lead with 3:12 to play.
Despite the efforts of Giants centre Michael Harrison, who finished with a team-high 23 points along with Phill Jones, the Giants could not pull in the margin.
Horvath will leave the Saints camp for five weeks while he gets married, hoping to obtain his New Zealand citizenship during the break and return to the Saints later in the season as an unrestricted player.
The Appliance Shed Harbour Heat enjoyed a contrasting win at the North Shore Events Centre, routing the rusty Easy LPG Bay Hawks 93-66.
Australian Oscar Forman scored a game-high 20 points, while Hayden Allen had 16 points and five assists as the Heat cruised against the NBL favourite Hawks, playing their first game after byes in rounds one and two. Kareem Johnson had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Hawks.
The Heat cruised from the outset, leading by 10 points after the first quarter and 19 at the half.
Shooting percentages told the story, the Hawks shot just 36 percent from the field and 15 percent beyond the arc, while the Heat converted a scorching 55 percent from the field and 46 percent on threes.
Century City Wellington Saints 90 (Nick Horvath 23, Marquis Webb 21, Luke Martin 16) CPS Nelson Giants 89 (Phill Jones 23, Michael Harrison 23, Chris Daniel 15). HT: 45-37
Giants vs Saints Box Score (20KB html)
Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 93 (Oscar Forman 20, Hayden Allen 16, Mika Vukona 12, Tim Behrendorff 10) Easy LPG Bay Hawks 66 (Kareem Johnson 13, Callum Baynes 12, Kevin Smith 12, Paora Winitana 12). HT: 51-32
Heat vs Hawks Box Score (21KB html)
