Basketball: Mariners eclipse Suns in semifinal shoot-out

Tauranga City Mariners' Jayden Bezzant beats Turanga Health Rising Suns player Reggie Namana to the basket. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

The Tauranga City Mariners got hot when it mattered most to pip the Turanga Health Rising Suns in a thrilling semifinal shoot-out at QEYC on Saturday.

What looked like a comfortable win, after a third quarter surge, wound up being anything but - the visitors catching fire for 32 points in the final frame to turn an 11 point deficit into a single possession game with a minute remaining.

The Mariners live and die on the outside shot as a matter of principle, and had just enough bullets in the chamber to get the job done against a team that rode real momentum in the final moments.

Ashton McQueen (37), Jayden Bezzant (23) and Eru Wills (20) all drained clutch triples, breaking the back of what was a spirited late comeback.

Wills' performance was not as eye catching as those of the terrific back-court duo of Bezzant and McQueen, whose pressuring of the Rising Suns ballhandlers likely proved the difference, but in the decisive moments the fans were never calmer than when the ball was in his hands.

His 20 points were sneaky quiet, again proving how crucial and diverse his impact on a game can be, and demonstrating why it has proven so difficult for teams to find the key to beating the Mariners this season.

Mariners co-coach Brett Bezzant was pleased with how his players reacted when put under pressure.

"They hit some big shots and it rattled us a little bit," he explained. "Some of the boys got a bit heated in some of the timeouts but we were able to guts it out.

"We've got some boys who can definitely shoot in the clutch, who like that pressure. It's good to have a game like that, we haven't really had one this year."

He hoped Ross Taurima would be available for the final to help sure up the interior defence, but said Matt Fullerton will be missing for months due to knee and ankle injuries.

Hawke's Bay Development ran out 84-74 winners in the second semifinal, setting up this Saturday's final at QEYC.

The Hawke's Bay team is young but well-drilled in a programme run by former Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin, and is the only team to beat the Mariners this season.

Tauranga City Mariners 98 (Ashton McQueen 37, Jayden Bezzant 23, Eru Wills 20) Turanga Health Rising Suns 92 (Shaquille Hohipa Wilson 26, Kit Maile 23).