Stars, Rams Get First Wins
Tagged in: NBL
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Casey Frank and Adrian Majstrovich combined for 60 points as the Youthtown Auckland Stars defeated cross-harbour rivals Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 91-86 at ASB Stadium on Saturday night.
Frank stuffed the stats sheet with 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals as the Stars got their first win of the Dominion Finance NBL.
Majstrovich, the Stars key off-season acquisition, was not far behind, with 29 points on 9-of-19 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line, seven rebounds and three assists in the win.
The Stars, who pulled down 17 offensive rebounds – including seven from retired Tall Black Dillon Boucher – and scored 13 second chance points, led from the outset.
Sparked by Boucher and the outside shooting of Dylan Perfect-Tait, who finished with 10 points, the Stars out-scored Harbour 28-18 in the second period to take a 50-39 lead into the changing rooms.
The Heat closed within four points with a quarter to play but Auckland were able to hold them off.
Tim Behrendorff was the best for Harbour, with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, while Daryl Cartwright had 19 points and Hayden Allen 12 after missing round one.
In Dunedin, point guard Jeremy Kench scored 25 points and American swingman Joey Harrell added 20 points as the Marley Canterbury Rams escaped with an 86-81 overtime win over the Cartridge World Otago Nuggets.
Otago’s Nat Connell, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, drained a three with three seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime at 74-74.
The Rams dominated the extra period, outscoring the Nuggets 12-7 for their first win. Harrell added nine rebounds to his points haul, while Luke Ruscoe pulled down six boards despite being out-rebounded as a team.
Nuggets American import Jay Anderson scored 19 points and had nine rebounds, while Shaun Tilby recorded five assists and eight boards to go with his six points.
In a see-sawing game, the Rams led 27-21 at quarter-time before a 12-21 second period saw them down three at the half, then re-establishing a six-point lead after three quarters.
Youthtown Auckland Stars 91 (Casey Frank 31, Adrian Majstrovich 29, Larry Bratcher 11, Dylan Perfect-Tait 10) Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 86 (Tim Behrendorff 21, Daryl Cartwright 19, Hayden Allen 12, Oscar Forman 11, BJ Anthony 11). 1Q: 22-21, HT: 50-39, 3Q: 68-64
Stars vs Heat Box Score (21KB html)
Marley Canterbury Rams 86 (Jeremy Kench 25, Joey Harrell 20, Gerard Bowden 12, Dave Langrell 10) Cartridge World Otago Nuggets 81 (Jay Anderson 19, Nat Connell 18, Brent Charleton 14) OT. 1Q: 27-21, HT: 39-42, 3Q: 59-53, FT: 74-74
Nuggets vs Rams Box Score (21KB html)
