Hawks move to the top.
The IMS Payroll Hawks continued their strong start to the season with a 72-61 win over the Advice First Pistons in Hamilton.
It was another low scoring affair at Hamilton Boys High School, but the Hawks saved their best quarter for last, outscoring the
homeside 27-16.
Forward Dustin Scott was the best player on the floor, posting 27 points and 16 rebounds. Scott did it both on the inside and outside, converting on 4/5 from the three point line.
Waikato were in the contest for the majority of the game, but they committed 21 turnovers compared to the Hawks 12.
The Piston’s size kept them in the game, and they got a valuable contribution off the bench from Jack Salt, who had 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
Akeem Wright and Casey Frank each posted double-doubles, and Corin Henry had 10 assists and five steals, but shot 2/10 for six points.
Waikato led after the first half and by as many as five in third, but an 11-5 run by the Hawks tied the scores at the end of the fourth.
Four straight points from Salt gave the Pistons a one point early part in the fourth, but Scott would hit two straight three’s to give back the lead to the Hawks, who would hold the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Hawks move to 7-2 ahead of the Fico Finance Nelson Giants (6-2) and the Pacific Jewellers Saints (6-2).
Pistons (3-3) will host the Breakers Manawatu Jets (2-4) next Sunday.
Sunday, May 4
At Hamilton Boys High School, Hamilton
Advice First Waikato Pistons 61 (Jack Salt 14, Zac Carter 12, Akeem Wright 12) IMS Payroll Hawks 72 (Dustin Scott 27, Everard Bartlett 14, Jarrod Kenny 10, Marco Alexander 10), Final
Referees – Tim Brown, Dallas Pickering, Miguel Gallardo
1Q: 16-15
HT: 33-31 (17-16)
3Q: 45-45 (12-14)
FT: 61-72 (16-27)
Live Stats
Live Stream via sportwebcasts.com
Vs Canterbury Friday
DID THAT ball go into the hoop or did the referees get it right in the basketball match in Napier last night?
You see, that's the thing about basketball - you can never say never until every fraction of a second has drained from the electronic scoreboard.
With 0:8 juice left on the clock, the IMS Payroll Hawks came back from the dead to register a heart-tearing 91-89 victory in Napier.
If the Hawks' joyous stampede on to the Pettigrew-Green Arena court and the parochial erupting into wild celebrations were anything to go by then it's fair to say the hapless Canterbury Rams had little to chance of changing history.
The Bartercard National Basketball League (NBL) match wasn't without controversy as the Rams disputed a disallowed point.
The irate visitors, who promptly left the court for the locker rooms, smashed the locked door open and also left a calling card (gash) in one of the shower-block walls.
Alexander said the game was a testimony to the Hawks' character.
"We never gave up. We had one bad third quarter when we dug ourselves a hole but we dug even deeper just to get this win," said the apprentice point guard who had an equalling game-high 28 points with Rogers although three shy of his career best last season for Advice First Waikato Pistons against the OceanaGold Nuggets.
Alexander said they were down by 13 at the start of the final quarter but the Hawks played for each other.
"We got three scores and said let's take it from there so it was a huge team win."
He lauded coach Tab Baldwin for putting them through relentless sessions to simulate such scenarios.
"Being down one, two and three is what we practise so tonight it paid off."
He cited the Waitakere Rangers' upset win over the Wellington Saints to champion the never-say-die attitude that even the Cantabrians brought to the court.
"You can never take any team lightly so we've got to respect teams more and not get carried away."
Claiming a victory over the Pistons tomorrow in Hamilton, he felt, would put the Paora Winitana-captained Hawks in a good place.
"We've still got a lot of things to improve on because every game has been a different challenge for us."
Still disputing with match officials and scorers after the game alongside coach Dave Harrison, ex-Hawk Kench said it was an "interesting end to the game".
"The referees obviously saw it a little different to what we did.
"The ball obviously went through the hoop so I'm not sure what they called there but they made a call and the Hawks made a shot with 0.8 to go.
"The ball was clearly touched but it still went through hoop but I don't know how the basket didn't count," the point guard lamented.
However, he didn't bag the whistle blowers, feeling the calls against teams went both ways.
"We were a little lax in the second quarter and gave away too many points but we made our run in the third quarter so I don't think it should have been as close as it was at the end," Kench said, adding the Rams had only themselves to blame for that.
He agreed the Hawks were more intense in the first half and Canterbury were guilty of poor defence.
"I just don't know what to say after that final quarter, mate," he said, unhappy they have lost a couple of close ones.
The Rams looked dead and buried in the first half, trailing 46-36 but the revival began in a romping 37-24 third spell as they threatened to do the unthinkable.
The visitors shortly after overtook the Hawks for the first time in the game, 58-53, before finishing the spell 73-60.
Whatever Baldwin said, the Hawks came out firing in the final quarter to close the gap to 73-68 before showing patience to gnaw their way back from the dead.
In many respects, the Rams were their own worst enemies, failing to put their hands up in D in the first half and losing structure.
The Hawks bench also made them pay, winning 34-11 in that tussle.
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