BASKETBALL
A DRAMATIC double overtime game took centre stage yesterday on the opening day of the Basketball New Zealand CBL finals being played in Tauranga.
Northern Conference rivals Auckland and Mexicali Fresh Harbour Heat engaged in a battle that was forced into extra time after the scores were locked together at 79-all.
A
dramatic three-pointer from Harbour Heat as the siren signalled the end of regular time levelled the scores.
After the first spell of overtime the score was still locked at 87 all before Harbour found a little extra to grab a 98-94 victory.
In an early start to day one, host team Western Bay Suns put up a fight before Northern Conference champions Harbour Heat grabbed the win.
A slow start by the Harbour side saw the Suns take the first quarter by fourteen points.
Down 30-38 at the half time break the Harbour side stormed back in the third quarter to lead by six and sustained pressure saw then grab a 75-68 victory.
Dan Ryan led the way with 17 points for Harbour while Andrew McKay and Whare Bidios were in good shooting form for the local team. Former Tall Black Brendon Pongia compounded the Western Bay misery in the their second game, scoring 28 points as his Porirua side won 105-89.
Ike Smith scored 24 points for the Suns, while Mike King scored 21 and Bidois added another 20, but the home side were never in the match after trailing 27-17 after the first quarter.
Defending champions Waikato Titans threw down the gauntlet to the other contenders with a solid 105-83 victory over Gisborne side Tuaranga Health Rising Suns. On court general Mason Le Pou led the way for the for the Waikato team with 17 points with Willie Banks contributing 29 points for the Poverty Bay side. Waikato then beat Northside 88-72 last night.
The Gisborne based Rising Suns grabbed their first win when they got past Wellington 95-72.
In other matches Capital Conference champions Porirua were too good for Auckland 90-76 while Burger King Northside defeated Wellington 94-85.
