Giants overcome tough Senators
THE Goldfields Giants overcame a determined Stirling outfit to record a workmanlike 93-85 State Basketball League victory at Kalgoorlie’s Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium on Saturday.
American imports Alonzo Hird (24 points, 10 rebounds) and Michael Haney (21 points, eight rebounds) led the way for the home team on a night the lead changed hands 15 times.
Forward Todd Earle was also influential with two vital last quarter three-pointers which gave the Giants a handy buffer.
Goldfields began the match in blazing fashion, streaking to an 8-0 lead inside four minutes.
However, a brilliant slam dunk by Senators import Edward Morris Jnr, who soared over Haney to make it 18-10, signalled a change in momentum. Stirling came storming back to take a 23-22 lead into quarter-time.
Haney and Hird injected some spice into the contest in the second period, with the former NCAA team-mates getting under the skin of Stirling duo Carmie Olowoyo and Morris Jnr.
In one passage of play, Hird emphatically blocked Olowoyo’s shot and let him know about it. Clearly annoyed, Olowoyo gave up a technical foul on the Giants’ next offensive run, with the ill-discipline costing Stirling the lead and initiative as Goldfields took a 41-36 half-time lead.
Stirling, who have just three wins in Kalgoorlie in 23 attempts, held sway throughout the third period to trail by just one point at the final change.
At that stage, the Giants had shot just 42 per cent from the field – a credit to Stirling’s close checking in defence.
However, Goldfields broke the shackles in the fourth quarter, shooting 12 of 18 from the field, or 67 per cent, to set up their 14th win from 18 games.
The Giants were particularly merciless on turnovers, scoring 12 points to two from Stirling errors. Goldfields are now two wins clear of fourth-placed Wanneroo.
With only eight regular season games remaining, the Giants will get their chance to challenge for a top-two spot in the next month when they meet second-placed Geraldton (July 4) and league pacesetters Lakeside (July 11).
Article by Jarrod Lucas (Kalgoorlie Miner)
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