Saints Join Logjam, Pistons 4-0
Tagged in: NBL
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The Century City Wellington Saints joined the pile atop of the Dominion Finance NBL standings on Sunday afternoon.
Behind 22 points from shooting guard Troy McLean and 20 each from Arthur Trousdell and American swingman Marquis Webb, the Saints ensured the Cartridge World Otago Nuggets remained winless with a 90-67 rout at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington.
The Saints became the fifth side to post four wins and eight points in the standings, currently led by the undefeated Waikato Pistons.
Wellington, who improved to 4-3 with the win, were always in control against the 0-6 Nuggets, staking a double-digit lead on a Marquis Webb three in the closing seconds of the first quarter, and never allowing the lead to dip below nine.
Trousdell had his best offensive game of the season, 20 points to go with an NBL-best 18 rebounds, and his defence on Otago’s import Jay Anderson, holding him to 10 points and seven rebounds, was just as big.
American centre Kevin Owens had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Wellington despite beind double-teamed whenever he touched the ball, and point guard Luke Martin dropped a franchise-record (since 2000) 14 assists.
The Nuggets, who battled all game and shot 34 percent from the floor and 21 percent from three-point distance, pulled within 12 points early in the fourth period but back-to-back threes from McLean, Brendon Pongia and McLean again ended any comeback dreams.
American Lemar Gayle led the Nuggets with a game-high 26 points and 15 rebounds, while Brent Charleton had 12 points and six boards and Nat Connell 10 points.
Saints coach Doug Marty said winning convincingly against the struggling Nuggets after Thursday night’s embarrassing 98-72 loss at the hands of the Easy LPG Bay Hawks on national television, was critical to his team’s confidence and development.
“If we use tonight’s victory as a reason to relax a bit and enjoy the fruits of our labour, then we don’t get it, we just don’t get it. There’s no relaxing until the end of June,” Marty said.
“It’s very important because out of that logjam some of those teams will improve. It’s a dogfight at the moment. It’s so tight, it’s so competitive. There’s not much between the teams at the moment.”
Leading that logjam is the Pistons, who passed their first major challenge away to the Appliance Shed Harbour Heat on Saturday, cruising out to a 20-point lead at three-quarter time before holding on to win by nine points, 89-82.
Waikato remain the only undefeated side at 4-0 and take over the number one spot.
American guard pairing of Brian Wethers and Jason Crowe were again their key contributors, Crowe finishing with 26 points, eight assists and seven steals and Wethers keeping pace with his season average with 32 points and 11 rebounds.
The Nelson Giants survived a fourth-quarter collapse at home to beat the Youthtown Auckland Stars 93-91 in overtime, American forward Michael Harrison hitting the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining.
Harrison led the Giants with 27 points, while Casey Frank had a game-high 28 and American point guard Larry Bratcher 23 for the Stars.
With back-to-back wins on their Southern road trip, Devon Dynamos Taranaki joined the group on eight points, improving to 4-3. Forward Link Abrams averaged 21 points over the weekend as Taranaki beat the Nuggets 84-73 on Friday and the Marley Canterbury Rams 100-75 the following night.
At TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Century City Wellington Saints 90 (Troy McLean 22, Arthur Trousdell 20, Marquis Webb 20, Kevin Owens 10) Cartridge World Otago Nuggets 67 (Lemar Gayle 26, Brent Charleton 12, Jay Anderson 10, Nat Connell 10). HT: 51-35
Saints vs Nuggets Box Score (21KB html)
