The Canterbury Rams continued what has been a week of blowouts in the National Basketball League (NBL).
The Rams powered away in the third quarter, then kept their distance in a free-scoring fourth period in a 104-84 victory over the Bay Hawks at Napier's Rodney Green Arenas on Saturday night.
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Australian centre Lachlan Olbrich dominated inside, finishing with a game-high 35 points (12/18 FG, 2/4 3pt, 9/10 FT), seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks, and American forward James Walker Jr put up 26 points (7/19 FG, 3/11 3pt, 9/10 FT), eight assists and three steals.
3x3 Tall Blacks guard Aidan Tonge had 12 points (6/6 FG) and six boards, while there was valuable contributions from Kenyon Buffin Jr (nine points and six rebounds), Taylor Britt (seven points, five assists and four steals), and Kaia Isaac (seven points, six boards and two steals).
American guard Isaiah Moore led the Hawks with 23 points (9/21 FG, 3/7 3pt), nine assists and three steals, and Tall Blacks forward Jordan Ngatai produced 20 points (6/15 FG, 6/10 3pt) and six boards.
Lucas Sutherland managed 14 points (5/13 FG, 2/5 3pt), eight boards, four assists and two steals, Keanu Rasmussen 13 points (4/16 FG, 2/8 3pt), and Josh Roberts 10 points (5/11 FG), 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Canterbury scored the game's first 10 points as Olbrich and Buffin Jr had five points each. They led by as many as 15 points in the first period, with the Hawks cutting the gap to 12 points by quarter-time.
The Hawks closed to within six points in the second quarter, the closest they would get the rest of the way, but the Rams countered with six straight points.
The home side continued to hang around until an 11-0 run from the Rams late in the third period made it a 20-point game. Both teams combined for 66 points in the final quarter but the Hawks only got as close as 14 points.
The Rams (2-2) travel to Dunedin to face the Otago Nuggets (3-1) on Anzac Day (tip-off 2pm), while the Hawks (2-2) are at the Wellington Saints (3-1) later in the day (tip-off 7.30pm).
Canterbury Rams 104 (Lachlan Olbrich 35, James Walker Jr 26, Aidan Tonge 12) Bay Hawks 84 (Isaiah Moore 23, Jordan Ngatai 20, Lucas Sutherland 14, Keanu Rasmussen 13, Josh Roberts 10). 1Q: 30-18, HT: 45-37, 3Q: 71-51