Giants win second in a row; Sharks strike gold
- NZ Sports Wire
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Nelson Giants have won back-to-back National Basketball League (NBL) games for the first time in almost a year.
The Giants completed a perfect road trip in Week 9, backing up their win over the Hawke's Bay Hawks with a 91-80 victory over the Franklin Bulls at The Stockyard in Pukekohe on Sunday.
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American forward Jeremy Combs again led the way for Nelson, with 18 points (5/7 FG, 8/13 FT), eight rebounds and four assists, while fellow new import Andrew Jones had 19 points (6/12 FG, 2/7 3pt, 5/6 FT), six boards and four assists.
Kiwi forward Liam Judd also put up 18 points (6/11 FG, 5/9 3pt) and four boards, with Junior Tall Black Hayden Jones managed 13 points (5/9 FG) off the bench and import guard Alex Robinson Jr 11 points (4/13 FG, 3/4 FT), three assists and four steals.
German centre Till Gloger top-scored for the Bulls with a game-high 20 points (9/13 FG), four rebounds, two steals and a block, while fellow import Tae Hardy filled it up with 13 points (6/14 FG), four boards, six assists and two steals.
David Okwera accumulated 12 points (5/10 FG, 2/6 3pt), five rebounds, four assists and three blocks, Marcel Jones 12 points (5/9 FG) and Tobias Cameron 11 points (4/7 FG), seven assists and two steals.
The Giants trailed for all but 61 seconds of the first half, and were still behind by seven late in the third period. Eight straight points put them up one entering the fourth, before a 17-5 run gave them an 84-71 lead with 2:37 remaining.
Nelson last won two straight last June, beating the Hawks and Manawatu Jets, also both on the road. The Giants have not won three consecutive games since taking four in a row in July 2022.
The Southland Sharks have continued their push towards the NBL top-six with a 90-81 win over the Otago Nuggets in Invercargill on Sunday.
A 32-point fourth quarter, including a late 12-0 stretch, saw the Sharks come from six points down to surge past the Nuggets, improving to 6-6 and within a half-game of the final playoffs berth.
American forward Keylan Boone came off the bench to post a game-high 31 points (11/22 FG, 7/15 3pt) and six rebounds, with fellow import Caleb Asberry racking up 26 points (11/20 FG, 3/4 FT), four boards, six assists and two steals.
Captain Alonzo Burton finished with 13 points (4/10 FG, 2/7 3pt, 3/3 FT), five rebounds and six assists, the Sharks third import Josiah Allick 12 points (4/11 FG, 4/4 FT) and a season-high 19 rebounds.
Kiwi big Sam Timmins was held to just three points, but did manage six boards, five assists, two steals and four blocks.
For the Nuggets, American guard Donald Carey Jr amassed 26 points (10/18 FG, 5/12 3pt), nine rebounds and two steals, and one-game Tall Black Jono Janssen 21 points (8/26 FG, 2/10 3pt, 3/4 FT), 10 boards and three assists.
Patrick Freeman added 12 points (4/6 FG, 3/4 FT) and five boards, while import forward Jaylen Sebree had just five points, to go with five rebounds, seven assists and four steals.