Unlucky Airs miss out again - Taranaki Daily News
Another week, another single digit loss for the Taranaki Mountain Airs.
This time it was 87-83 to the Nelson Giants in a National Basketball League match in Nelson on Saturday night.
It was a game the Mountain Airs could have won, with the side clawing back from six behind at halftime to go on a 13-2 run in the third quarter to lead by five.
The Giants came back in the fourth quarter and led by five on the back of two free throws from Phil Jones with just over a minute to play.
Zane Meehl made a free throw for Taranaki and Marcus Campbell found the basket to close the gap to two with 47 seconds remaining.
After a defensive stop, the Airs had a chance to even the scores or take the lead with 16 seconds left, but Rod Grizzard made a steal on Jack Leasure when he was looking to pass to Meehl, who was in the clear. Leasure then fouled Grizzard with seconds remaining. Grizzard headed to the free-throw line where he made both to seal the win.
"We had our chances. We were down by 10 a couple of times and fought back," Taranaki coach David Bublitz said. "The boys played well, they were just unlucky."
Bublitz said it was one of the better performances of the year.
"We were more committed on defence and the effort was there. The game could have gone either way."
Southland were in control from the tip-off against the Otago Nuggets in Invercargill, shooting to a 26-6 lead after the first quarter and ahead by 52-20 at halftime.
The Nuggets struggled throughout, trailing by 46 at one stage before losing 100-58.
The Sharks now have a five- win, five-loss record, which puts them on the same win-loss record as the Giants and the Manawatu Jets.
The Mountain Airs will be hoping for better things against the Waikato Pistons in New Plymouth on Friday night.
NELSON GIANTS 87 (Darryl Dora 26, Phill Jones 22, Rod Grizzard 19). TARANAKI MOUNTAIN AIRS 83 (Marcus Campbell 23, Link Abrams 18, Jack Leasure 14). Halftime: Nelson 44-38.
SOUTHLAND SHARKS 100 (Kaniel Dickens 27, Mike Rose 20, Brendon Polyblank 20). OTAGO NUGGETS 58 (Craig Bradshaw 13, Lance Allred 10). Halftime: Southland 52-20.
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