Hawks go to 3-1; Jets, Airs win big in NBL
- NZ Sports Wire
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
The Hawke's Bay Hawks have gone back to the top-two of the National Basketball League (NBL) standings but had to battle to get there.
The Big Barrel Hawks trailed by eight points entering the fourth quarter before rallying to defeat the Franklin Bulls 87-85 at The Stockyard in Pukekohe to start a Sal's NBL triple-header across Auckland on Sunday.
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In other games, the Manawatu Jets put up 62 points in the second half to rout the Indian Panthers 122-77 at South Auckland's Pulman Arena, while the Taranaki Airs finished strong for a 102-79 win over the Auckland Tuatara on the North Shore.
Teen star Jackson Ball again top-scored for the Hawks, 19 points (5/16 FG, 3/11 3pt, 6/8 FT), four assists and two steals, while American forward Darnell Cowart put up 17 points (7/14 FG), seven boards, eight assists, three steals and a block.
Import guard Tae Hardy led the Bulls, who committed 21 turnovers, with 20 points (9/19 FG), five assists and two steals, while Marcel Jones put up his first double-double of the season, with 15 points (5/9 FG, 2/6 3pt) and 10 rebounds.
The Hawks trailed by 15 points late in the third period but a 10-0 run either side of the three-quarter break closed the gap, before another 10-point burst - coinciding with the Bulls going scoreless for more than four minutes - put them up three with 3:41 remaining.
The Hawks (3-1) travel to New Plymouth to face the Airs (2-1) on Saturday (tip-off 4pm), while the Bulls (3-1) are away to the Nelson Giants (0-2) on Friday (tip-off 7.30pm).
In the earlier Sky Broadband Rapid League game, the Hawks soared to a 39-30 win behind Jacob Murphy's 14 points and Maz Taylor's 11 points.
American forward Miles Gibson compiled a monster double-double in Manawatu's 45-point victory, with a game-high 32 points (11/21 FG, 3/6 3pt, 7/8 FT), 17 rebounds and four assists.
Tall Blacks veteran Corey Webster almost had a triple-double, with 28 points (11/20 FG, 4/8 3pt), nine boards and eight assists, while import guard Eric Williams Jr added 18 points (6/9 FG, 6/6 FT), four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
American point guard Alex Robinson Jr and Kiwi guard Jaylen Gerrand again carried the makeshift Panthers, who will wait another week for their India national team players. Robinson had 23 points (10/22 FG), eight boards and 10 assists, and Gerrand 15 points (4/19 FG, 6/6 FT).
Manawatu led by 13 points at halftime and stretched it with a 25-9 third quarter, before piling on 37 points in the fourth period.
The Jets (2-1) are back in action on Thursday (tip-off 7pm) in Dunedin against the Otago Nuggets (1-2), while the Panthers (0-3) welcome the Tauranga Whai (2-1) to Takanini on Friday (tip-off 7.30pm).
The Panthers prevented a sweep earlier, with a 31-30 victory in the Rapid League contest, led by Zack Te Puni's nine points and 10 rebounds.
NZ Breakers development player Carlin Davison put on a show at Eventfinda Stadium to put away the Tuatara, finishing with 25 points (10/14 FG, 4/7 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Australians Harry Froling and Owen Foxwell both recorded double-doubles, centre Froling with 23 points (8/15 FG, 6/7 FT) and 11 boards, and guard Foxwell 20 points (5/10 FG, 8/12 FT), 10 assists and three steals.
Buay Tuach scored a team-high 27 points (10/19 FG, 3/7 3pt) for the Tuatara, while Tall Blacks forward Tom Vodanovich contributed 22 points (7/18 FG, 6/15 3pt)
Auckland were sniffing a road win when they went up 75-74 with 8:52 to play but they scored just four points on 1-of-17 shooting the rest of the way. Davison and Froling combined for 17 points in the 30-point quarter for Taranaki.
Next up, the Airs (2-1) host the Hawks (3-1), while the Tuatara (0-2) travel to Mount Maunganui to play the Whai (2-1) on Tuesday (tip-off 7pm).
In a high-scoring Rapid League game, the Airs prevailed 45-36, with Quintin Bailey going for 13 points and five boards, and Riley Tuuta 11 points. Krisnan-Cole Ioane had 13 points for the Tuatara.
Hawke's Bay Hawks 87 (Jackson Ball 19, Darnell Cowart 17, Campbell Scott 13, Clifton Bush II 13, Jacob Murphy 13, Kobe Kara 10) Franklin Bulls 85 (Tae Hardy 20, Marcel Jones 15, Reuben Te Rangi 11, Tobias Cameron 11, Till Gloger 11, Wena Okwera 10). 1Q: 25-24, HT: 39-49, 3Q: 64-72
Manawatu Jets 122 (Miles Gibson 32, Corey Webster 28, Eric Williams Jr 18, Dontae Russo-Nance 14, Kenny Goins 10) Indian Panthers 77 (Alex Robinson Jr 23, Jaylen Gerrand 15). 1Q: 29-26, HT: 60-47, 3Q: 85-56
Taranaki Airs 102 (Carlin Davison 25, Harry Froling 23, Owen Foxwell 20, Jack Andrew 15, Armon Fletcher 10) Auckland Tuatara 79 (Buay Tuach 27, Tom Vodanovich 22). 1Q: 26-31, HT: 52-46, 3Q: 72-70
