HBS Bank Hawks go down to Taranaki
American’s Jack Leasure and Kenny Gabriel combine for 52 points for The Good Home Taranaki Mountain Airs as they defeat the HBS Bank Hawks for the first time since 2008.
Taranaki have been competitive in their first three losses of the season, but their fourth quarter’s have let them down.
This time it was different, as they would outscore the Hawks 38-25, securing their first win of the season.
Leasure had a game high 27 points, getting most of them from the charity stripe (12/12 FT) and also added seven assists, as the home side outscored the visitors 63-43 in the second half.
Gabriel made a strong case for the player of the week for his double-double of 25 points and 16 rebounds.
It was the third loss of the season for the Hawks, as they were still without guard Everard Bartlett.
Captain Paora Winitana was the Hawks leading scorer at 21, while Serbian forward Darko Cohadarevic added 20 points and nine rebounds.
Hawks leading scorer Brian Greene did not have his best outing, shooting 4/21 and fouling out.
Three Hawks players would foul out, as they were on the wrong side of a 28-17 foul count, allowing Taranaki to shoot 24 more free throws.
Taranaki now will travel up North to play the James Blond Super City Rangers on Sunday, while the Hawks will look to get their season back on track when they host the Rangers next Saturday.
Saturday, May 4
At Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
Telecom Business Hub Jets 77 (Nick Horvath 25, Chris Hagan 21, Marcel Jones 13) Wellington Saints 107 (Corey Webster 27, Lindsay Tait 22, Bryant Markson 22), Final
Referees – Dallas Pickering, Yalla Edwards, Shane Nikora
1Q: 24-25
HT: 47-49 (23-24)
3Q: 61-80 (14-31)
FT: 77-107 (16-27)
Live Stats
Jets v Saints Box Score (PDF)
At The Velodrome, Invercargill
Zerofees Southland Sharks 89 (Kevin Braswell 20, Leon Henry 18, Reuben Te Rangi 16) Fico Finance Nelson Giants 82 (Josh Pace 19, Luke Ruscoe 17, Erron Maxey 16), Final
Referees – Gavin Zimmerman, Raewyn Willocks, Matt Bathurst
1Q: 20-22
HT: 50-38 (30-16)
3Q: 61-56 (11-18)
FT: 89-82 (28-26)
Live Stats
Sharks v Giants Box Score (PDF)
At TSB Stadium, New Plymouth
The Good Home Taranaki Mountain Airs 101 (Jack Leasure 27, Kenny Gabriel 25, Brad Anderson 12) HBS Bank Hawks 86 (Paora Winitana 21, Darko Cohadarevic 20, Dion Prewster 16), Final
Referees – Melony Wealleans, Sean Cronin, Kieran Udy
1Q: 17-23
HT: 38-43 (21-20)
3Q: 63-61 (25-18)
FT: 101-86 (38-25)
Live Stats
Airs v Hawks Box Score (PDF)
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