HBS Bank Hawks Clinch a home quarter final
The Hawks showed a lot of fight winning this game with out their leading scorer Josh Pace, who may have a suspected broken cheek bone.
Paora Winitana stepped up big with a double-double of twenty four points and thirteen rebounds. Winitana will be relieved the Hawks won after he missed two free throws with eleven seconds left with them only up two.
But the Giants could not secure the rebound, as Galen Young grabbed the offensive rebound which was relayed back to Winitana who was fouled again.
This time Winitana made the first, but missed the second, which was again rebounded by a Hawks player.
Phill Jones was the top scorer for the Giants with twenty three, Mika Vukona with another double-double of twenty points and ten rebounds.
Leading by twelve with under five minutes left, the Hawks looked like they were going to be away with the game, but the visitors clawed their way back into the contest, via the free throw line where they shot 8/11 in the last three in a bit minutes.
Hawks will be pleased the game did not go an extra period with Jarrod Kenny and Arthur Trousdell fouling out, while three others were on four fouls.
Nelson trailed by as many as nine in the early stages of the game, but they managed to come back finishing the first quarter on a 7-0 run and then winning the second period 26-18, to take six point lead going into the break.
Hawks bounced back in the third, winning the period 31-21, Winitana scoring seven quick points in the later stages to put the Hawks in front by nine.
A three by Jones and a two by Josh Bloxham, cut the Hawks lead to four at the end of the third. But in the end the Giants could not overcome the double digit lead in the fourth quarter, finally ending their five game winning streak.
HBS Bank Hawks 86 (Paora Winintana 24, Jarrod Kenny 14, Arthur Trousdell 13) Fico Finance Nelson Giants 83 (Phill Jones 23, Mika Vukona 20, Darryl Dora 19), Final
Referees – Tim Brown, Apai Apai, Shane Nikora
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Hawks v Giants Box Score
2011 NBL Standings
| Team | P | W | L | Win % | GB | Pts | H | A | PF | PA | L5 | Strk | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| z-Exodus Saints | 14 | 12 | 2 | 86 | 0 | 24 | 5-2 | 7-0 | 1364 | 1220 | 4-1 | W3 | 144 |
| z-Waikato Pistons | 15 | 12 | 3 | 80 | 0.5 | 24 | 5-2 | 7-1 | 1360 | 1145 | 5-0 | W10 | 215 |
| y-HBS Bank Hawks | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73 | 2.5 | 22 | 4-3 | 7-1 | 1256 | 1162 | 2-3 | W1 | 94 |
| Fico Finance Nelson Giants | 14 | 7 | 7 | 50 | 5 | 14 | 3-3 | 4-4 | 1154 | 1156 | 3-2 | L2 | -2 |
| Zerofees Southland Sharks | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46 | 5.5 | 12 | 4-4 | 2-3 | 1049 | 1073 | 2-3 | W1 | -24 |
| McDonalds Manawatu Jets | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43 | 6 | 12 | 3-4 | 3-4 | 1207 | 1243 | 2-3 | W1 | -36 |
| Auckland Pirates | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31 | 7.5 | 8 | 2-4 | 2-5 | 1062 | 1149 | 2-3 | W1 | -87 |
| Taranaki Mountain Airs | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 2-4 | 0-6 | 1029 | 1133 | 1-4 | L4 | -104 |
| e-OceanaGold Nuggets | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 2-6 | 0-6 | 1064 | 1264 | 0-5 | L5 | -200 |
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