A night after being shellacked by the Waikato Pistons, the Southland Sharks rebounded with a 90-81 National Basketball League win over the Taranaki Mountain Airs in New Plymouth tonight.

Import Sylvester Spicer had 21 points and NZ Breakers guard Kevin Braswell 19 points as the Sharks used a big second quarter to get out in front and then hold their lead in the second half at TSB Stadium, improving to 2-3 for the season.

Spicer shot 10-of-12 from the field and finished just one rebound off a double-double, while Braswell, who had an uncharacteristic low-scoring game in Hamilton last night, connected on four three-pointers, part of an overall 8-of-17 shooting night, and dropped six assists.

Big man Gareth Dawson finished with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, while former Tall Blacks point guard Mark Dickel had 13 points and five assists, but just as importantly only two turnovers.

Southland took control of the game in the second period, out-scoring the home side 30-18 to open up a 47-36 lead at the half.

The Mountain Airs, who got an equal-game high 21 points from their import Jack Leasure, cut the deficit to three points with 2:23 remaining in the third period but after that could not get any closer than the five points they trailed by entering the fourth quarter.

Leasure went 9-of-21, including three made three-pointers, and had three steals, while fellow import Marcus Campbell put up a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double and captain Aaron Bailey-Nowell contributed 14 points and seven boards.

The loss moved Taranaki, who next play the Pistons in Tauranga on May 21, to 1-5. Southland has tomorrow night off before completing their North Island triple-header against the unbeaten Wellington Saints in the capital on Saturday night.

Southland Sharks 91 (Sylvester Spicer 21, Kevin Braswell 19, Gareth Dawson 16) Taranaki Mountain Airs 80(Jack Leasure 21, Marcus Campbell 17, Aaron Bailey-Nowell 14). Halftime: 47-36.