Tuatara, Rams rout Giants, Saints in NBL
- NZ Sports Wire
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
The Auckland Tuatara and Canterbury Rams have led from opening tip to final buzzer to collect National Basketball League (NBL) wins.
The Jadcup Tuatara scored their first win of the 2025 Sal's NBL with an 81-72 victory over the NBS Nelson Giants on the North Shore, while Wheeler Motor Company Rams topped the Mills Albert Wellington Saints 99-81 in Christchurch on Sunday.
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Young guard Josh Wyllie was the Tuatara’s best player, with a team-high 16 points (6/8 FG, 2/2 3pt) to go with four rebounds and five assists.
Tall Blacks centre Rob Loe, fresh off appearing for Melbourne United in the Australian NBL Finals, finished with 14 points (6/11 FG), five boards and four assists.
Import Buay Tuach had 13 points (4/13 FG, 4/4 FT), five rebounds and five assists, while Tom Vodanovich and Dylan Wilkie were also in double-digits.
American forward Brice Johnson was Nelson’s best, with 21 points (10/18 FG) and two steals, with Kiwi Liam Judd adding 20 points (7/11 FG, 4/5 3pt).
The Tuatara (1-3) take on the Deep South Double-Header next weekend, starting with the Southland Sharks (1-3) in Invercargill on Friday (tip-off 7.30pm), while the Giants (0-4) will look for their first win of the season at home against the Taranaki Airs (3-1) on Saturday (tip-off 4pm).
Kaleb Chamberlain starred in the Sky Broadband Rapid League contest, scoring 12 points off the bench as the Nelson Giants soared to a 40-24 victory over the Tuatara, who got 12 points from Wilkie.
Auckland Tuatara 81 (Josh Wyllie 16, Rob Loe 14, Buay Tuach 13, Tom Vodanovich 10, Dylan Wilkie 10) Nelson Giants 72 (Brice Johnson 21, Liam Judd 20, Callum Dalton 11). 1Q: 21-18, HT: 45-36, 3Q: 65-52
Tall Blacks guards Taylor Britt and Tama Isaac guided the two-time defending champion Rams to a big win at Cowles Stadium.
Britt scored a game-high 26 points (11/20 FG, 2/5 3pt), adding four rebounds and six assists, with Isaac going for 21 points (8/13 FG, 3/6 3pt).
NZ Breakers squad member Max Darling scored 20 points (8/10 FG, 4/6 3pt) and two steals off the bench, while Australian big Kyle Bowen had 17 points (7/15 FG), eight boards, four assist, two steals and two blocks in his first appearance.
Australian Nick Marshall led all five Saints starters in double figures, with 20 points (8/14 FG), six rebounds and two steals. Izayah Le’afa managed 18 points (6/16 FG, 4/9 3pt) and four assists.
The Rams (3-1) are quickly back on court, travelling to New Plymouth to face the Airs on Wednesday (tip-off 7pm), while the Saints (2-2) will look to bounce back when they host the Franklin Bulls (4-1) in the Capital on Thursday (tip-off 7.30pm).
In the earlier Rapid League game, Arthur Pilcher, Lukah Richards and Kazlo Evans led the Saints to a 29-25 win over the Rams.
Canterbury Rams 99 (Taylor Britt 26, Tama Isaac 21, Max Darling 20, Kyle Bowen 17)
Wellington Saints 81 (Nick Marshall 20, Izayah Le'afa 18, Hyrum Harris 14, Nick Muszynski 14, Shaun Bruce 11). 1Q: 33-19, HT: 58-42, 3Q: 76-61
