Trent Wurtz scored a season high 30 points (10/15 FG, 4/5 3pt) and Jeremy Kench (picture) had 28 keeping the Cougars playoff hopes alive with their second straight win.

As a team the Cougars shot over fifty percent from the field and beyond the arc compared to the Heat who shoot only 41% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc.

Heat now slump to their third loss in the last four games and will be looking forward to returning home after having to play six in a row on the road. Corey Webster top scored for the Heat with 22, but was held to four points in the second half.

Rick Rickert had a double double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, but his fellow front court partner Beny Anthony struggled to get a lot of court time fouling out in under 12 minutes with only 2 points. Kavossy Franklin had 19.

Cougars took advantage of a Heat team that played in the high scoring game in Wellington last night scoring thirty points in the opening quarter, 15 of them scored by Wurtz. Again perimeter defence was a problem for the Heat, Cougars shooting 4/5 from beyond the arc in the first.

In the second quarter the Heat went on an 8-0 run cutting the Cougars lead to four with under five minutes remaining in the half, Webster scoring 12 in the quarter. But the Cougars managed to put the lead back to eight to end of the half.

Cougars would lead by as many as 15 in the third, holding a 13 point lead at the end of the third which would prove too difficult for the Heat to comeback from.

The Heat would get within four points, but Kench would score 9 of the Cougars 15 fourth quarter points also finishing the game making five of six free throws.

Friday, April 30

At Cowles Stadium, Christchurch

Christchurch Cougars 91 (Trent Wurtz 30, Jeremy Kench 28, Mark Morrison 10) Harbour Heat 82 (Corey Webster 22, Rick Rickert 20, Kavossy Franklin 19), Final

Referees - Gavin Zimmerman, Hayden Pipe, Raelene Forde
1Q: 30-20
HT: 54-46 (24-26)
3Q: 76-63 (22-17)
FT: 91-82 (15-19)
Cougars v Heat Boxscore (24 KB html)