Giants edge out Airs, Sharks rout Nuggets
UNE 11, 2011
Basketball - Giants v Mountainairs, 11 June 2011
The FICO FINANCE NELSON GIANTS have edged out the TARANAKI MOUNTAIN AIRS87-83, while in Invercargill the ZEROFEES SOUTHLAND SHARKS have destroyed theOCEANAGOLD NUGGETS 100-58.
Airs trailed by as many as twelve in the first half, but fought back in the third quarter when they went on a 13-2 run to take a five point lead.
From there on the game would be tight, both teams taking turns with the lead. Giants would finally gain some distance when a couple of free throws from PHILL JONESput their lead to five with 1:12 remaining.
A ZANE MEEHL made free throw, then a MARCUS CAMPBELL field goal got the Airs to within two, with forty seven seconds left.
After a defensive stop the Airs had a chance to even the scores or take the lead with 16 seconds remaining, but a ROD GRIZZARD steal on JACK LEASURE, followed by an unsportsman like foul, lead to two made free throws from Grizzard that would ice the game.
Grizzard ended the game with a big double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds, while his fellow import DARRYL DORA led the Giants with twenty six.
Airs Campbell had twenty three, while LINK ABRAMS came off the bench to score eighteen, making all of his eight field goal attempts.
Taranaki have played three straight on the road, in which they lost all of by under double digits. But it wont get any easier for them as they host the top of the table WAIKATO PISTONS next week.
A 26-6 opening quarter by the Sharks, would be too much for the Nuggets, as the home side ended up with a franchise record for biggest win of forty two points.
Sharks won every quarter against the struggling Nuggets, leading by as many as forty six. KANIEL DICKENS having another big game with a game high twenty seven points.
New import MIKE ROSE who played for the Sharks in the earlier part of last season, had twenty points. MARK DICKEL one rebound shy of triple double with seventeen points and ten assists.
It was a terrible stat sheet for the Nuggets who shot thirty one percent from the field, CRAIG BRADSHAW the top Nuggets scorer with thirteen.
Sharks now move to five wins and five losses, which puts them in fifth with the same win loss record as the Giants and MCDONALDS MANAWATU JETS.
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