NBL Heat-ing Up
Tagged in: NBL
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With the Dominion Finance NBL’s playoff push underway, the heat has started to rise.
Literally.
The Appliance Shed Harbour Heat were the big movers in round nine, avoiding possible stumbling blocks in Christchurch and Dunedin to complete a perfect South Island road double-header to takeover from the CPS Nelson Giants in sole possession of third.
Harbour stole a 90-84 win from the Marley Canterbury Rams on Friday night, needing free throws from a technical foul in the final minute to secure the win, before rolling to a 90-76 win over the Cartridge World Otago Nuggets on Saturday.
With back-to-back wins – making them the second-hottest team in the League with a 4-1 record in their last five games, behind only the Century City Wellington Saints – the North Shore Boys have cemented their top-six position and set themselves up as serious contenders.
After starting the season 3-1, before back-to-back losses to the Waikato Pistons and Saints, the Heat have won four of five, including three on the road.
And sharing big performances around their starting line-up, which includes four with Australian NBL experience, has been a key reason.
Australian forward Oscar Forman has three 20-point games in the last five, including a game-high against the Rams and 21 against the Nuggets, Kiwi guard Hayden Allen scored 27 against his former Otago team and has averaged 5.2 assists in their last five.
Australian centre Tim Behrendorff had two 20-point games to kick-start the current run, which started after rallying from 10 points down with three minutes to play for a one-point win over the Giants in round six, while Tall Black Mika Vukona has also upped his production on offence in recent rounds.
The Heat have a chance to avenge one their three losses in round 10, hosting the re-tooled Youthtown Auckland Stars at The Furnace in the second leg of the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ on Thursday night.
The Stars, without forward Casey Frank for the second consecutive game, succumbed to a three-point barrage from Tall Black Paora Winitana in a 91-78 home loss to the Easy LPG Bay Hawks on Saturday night, their third straight.
Winitana made 8-of-15 treys in a game-high 28 points as the visiting Hawks made 14 three-pointers in total and overcame a double-digit third quarter deficit to move into the top-six for the first time this season.
Behind a round-high 31 points from point guard Kantrail Horton, the Property Brokers Manawatu Jets stunned the Giants faithful at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson, 80-75, and revived their rapidly disappearing playoff hopes in the process.
Still sitting eighth with a 3-6 record and a 1 ½ games out of the top-six, the Jets, who also lost to the Saints on the road by five on Tuesday night in round nine, now know they can compete with and beat top-six teams ahead of a tough stretch that will see them play five games in an 11-day span.
The Pistons and Saints exchanged the League lead during the week.
The Saints, who welcomed former American import Nick Horvath back to the starting line-up as a newly minted New Zealand citizen, lacked immediate chemistry and were troubled by the Jets defensive pressure, holding on for a 94-89 home win.
American import Ernest Scott quietly scored a game-high 29 points as the Saints withstood a late Jets fightback to become the first team to eight wins.
The Pistons matched the Saints two nights later, surviving in overtime with an 81-76 win over the Hawks in Te Awamutu, to re-take the top spot with a better win percentage.
Dominion Finance NBL Round Nine
Tuesday, April 22
At TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Century City Wellington Saints 94 (Ernest Scott 29, Nick Horvath 21, Troy McLean 13, Arthur Trousdell 12) Property Brokers Manawatu Jets 89 (Kantrail Horton 23, Keith Davis 21, Kaine Hokianga 16, Miles Pearce 15). HT: 50-50
Thursday, April 24
At Te Awamutu Events Centre, Te Awamutu
Waikato Pistons 81 (Brian Wethers 23, Jason Crowe 14, Ben Hill 10, Puke Lenden 10, Mike Homik 10) Easy LPG Bay Hawks 76 (Paora Winitana 19, Paul Henare 17, Everard Bartlett 16) OT. HT: 45-31
Friday, April 25
At Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 90 (Oscar Forman 25, Mika Vukona 19, Hayden Allen 16, Daryl Cartwright 10) Marley Canterbury Rams 84 (Joey Harrell 22, Gerard Bowden 18, John Whorton 16, Jeremy Kench 15). HT: 51-55
Saturday, April 26
At Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Property Brokers Manawatu Jets 80 (Kantrail Horton 31, Keith Davis 20, James Paringatai 10) CPS Nelson Giants 75 (Phill Jones 22, Michael Harrison 19, Michael Fitchett 12, Jamil Terrell 12). HT: 39-29
At ASB Stadium, Auckland
Easy LPG Bay Hawks 91 (Paora Winitana 28, Kevin Smith 16, Paul Henare 11, Aidan Daly 10) Youthtown Auckland Stars 78 (Adrian Majstrovich 16, Valance McCarthy 16, George Baker 14). HT: 38-39
At Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Appliance Shed Harbour Heat 90 (Hayden Allen 27, Oscar Forman 21, Mika Vukona 13) Cartridge World Otago Nuggets 76 (Lemar Gayle 25, Antoine Tisby 22, Brent Charleton 11). HT: 48-36
