Hawks Go Down in Extra Time
In Dunedin the Nuggets have knocked the Hawks off second place an extra time win at home 97 to 91.
Veteran forward Brendon Polyblank continued his strong start to the season with a game high 25 points, and double-doubles from Troy Payne (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Warren Carter (21 points, 12 rebounds) have helped the Nuggets move to 4-1.
After missing the loss to Wellington last week, Mark Dickel returned to the lineup and tallied 11 points, 12 assists and six rebounds.
Last week’s player of the week Dustin Scott had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Jarrod Kenny scored 17 and Everard Bartlett added 16.
The Hawks trailed by as many as seven in the second period, but off the bench guard Marco Alexander was the catalyst for their run, scoring 13 points in the period, as the visitors took a one point lead at the break.
Alexander ended the game with a team high 20 points in only 20 minutes.
The visitors kept their lead intact for nearly all of the second half until Carter made a bucket with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter which gave the Nuggets 79-78 lead.
Nuggets would hold a slim 80-79 lead, but a turnover from Polyblank and then a fifth foul from Dickel on former Nugget Darryl Jones, gave the Hawks a chance to to tie or potentially win the game from the free throw line.
Jones would miss the first but slot the second as the game would go to an extra period.
The visitors started the overtime well, holding a three point lead, but from there on it was all the home team who outscored the Hawks 17-8 to seal the victory.
It is the second straight time the two teams have had to battle it out in an extra period at the Edgar Centre, the Nuggets also prevailing 90-85.
Hawks will have a stern test tomorrow when they travel to Invercargill to play the Zerofees Southland Sharks.
Friday, April 25 (ANZAC Day)
At Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
OceanaGold Nuggets 97 (Brendon Polyblank 25, Warren Carter 21, Troy Payne 16) IMS Payroll Hawks 91 (Marco Alexander 20, Dustin Scott 18, Jarrod Kenny 17), Final
Canterbury Rams 101 (Glen Dandridge 37, Matthew Rogers 24, Richie Edwards 18) Breakers Manawatu Jets 92 (Paul Jones 28, Arthur Trousdell 20, Matt Te Huna 13), Final OT
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