Basketball New Zealand

Western Bay Suns

It took eight rounds, 56 days and 12 games but the Harbour Heat Reserves undefeated start is now history.

The 2008 NBL Rookie of the Year Charlie Piho scored a game-high 22 points while Sasha Tasevski posted a double-double as the Western Bay Suns handed the Heat Reserves their first loss of the season, 82-58 at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre in Tauranga in round nine of the Conference Basketball League (CBL).

The Suns, who improved to 12-3 with the win and maintained their lead at the top of the Northern Conference standings, controlled the game from the opening tip, scoring the game’s first eight points and quickly taking a 17-5 lead after five minutes.

Heat Reserves, led by 17 points from Dan Ryan, got within double digits only once from there, trailing by 17 points, 31-14, after the first quarter, which stretched to 19 at halftime and 22 points in the third period.

Piho hit 9-of-18 and added nine rebounds, while Tasevski hit 5-of-7 threes in his 19 points, adding 16 rebounds and three assists, and Johnathon Dishroon had 14 points and Sam Walker 11 rebounds and six assists.

Michael Dawson was the only other Harbour player to score in double figures with 12 points, while Connor Kerlin had nine points and eight rebounds.

The Suns defence held the Reserves to a season-low 58 points and held their shooting percentages to 28 percent from the floor and 27 percent on three-point attempts, while converting 45 percent and 46 percent.

Western Bay sit atop the Northern Conference courtesy of seven bonus points from wins by 20-plus points, while Harbour, despite having the fewest losses at 12-1, sit fourth behind the Suns, Northside and Junior Tall Blacks/Breakers.

The JTB/Breakers have been the big movers in rounds eight and nine, posting a 5-1 record during a stretch of six games in 10 days.

Wins came over West Ballaz Massey, Tai Tokerau, Auckland, Waikato Pistons Development and AUT University, while their sole loss came against West Ballaz Massey last Friday at St Dominic’s College, 77-75.

Bay Hawks American import Kevin Smith had a round-high 45 points of Massey’s 77 points and 12 rebounds, as they took over with a 22-10 third quarter and held on down the stretch. Adam Rainbird had 20 points and centre Rob Loe 14 points and 14 points for the JTBs.

Rainbird top-scored again with 20 points in the JTBs 79-63 win over the Pistons on Saturday, while Rob Loe posted a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, then Tall Blacks triallist Tom Abercrombie put up 28 points (10/12 FG, 4/5 3pt) and 10 rebounds in their 89-78 win over AUT, improving them to 11-3.

After a slow start, the defending champion Waikato Titans have also gone on a tear the last two rounds, winning three straight, including a 96-87 home win over second-place Northside in round nine.

Two members of the Waikato Pistons NBL championship team produced for the Titans, NBL Finals MVP Puke Lenden with 32 points and nine rebounds and Ray Cameron with 19 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and six steals, negating big nights from Northside’s two NBL players Tyrone Davey (35 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals) and BJ Anthony (28 points and 10 rebounds).

With the loss, Northside missed a chance to usurp the Suns for the conference lead, following a 84-66 win over Auckland on Friday night, getting 23 points from David Clarke and 20 points from Warrick Siddall.

CBL Northern Conference – Round Nine

Friday, June 27
Northside 84 (David Clarke 23) Auckland 66 (Duncan Smith 12)
West Ballaz Massey 77 (Kevin Smith 45) JTB/Breakers 75 (Adam Rainbird 19)

Saturday, June 28
Counties/Te Wananga 125 (Dylan Perfect-Tait 26) Eastern Bays 73 (Edward Gallagher 23)
JTB/Breakers 79 (Adam Rainbird 20) Pistons Development 63 (Jamie Barnett 19)
Western Bay Suns 82 (Charlie Piho 22) Harbour Heat Reserves 58 (Dan Ryan 17)
AUT University 80 (Houston O’Riley 18) Taupo Volcanoes 63 (James Carr 16)
Waikato Titans 96 (Puke Lenden 32) Northside 87 (Tyrone Davey 35)

Sunday, June 29
Auckland 64 (Simon Mesritz 16) Taupo Volcanoes 59 (Kereti Rautangata 16)
JTB/Breakers 89 (Tom Abercrombie 28) AUT University 78 (Houston O’Riley 21)
Counties/Te Wananga 124 (Joe Jackson 24) Tai Tokerau 64 (Travis McIlroy 29)
Pistons Development 104 (Carl Whittred 21) Eastern Bays 76 (Trent Ngaronoa 23)

CBL Northern Conference Standings (Round 9) (17KB pdf)