Hawke's Bay's defence rates as one of the NBL's best so far (4th at 97.9 points conceded per 100 possessions; Tuatara are 1st at 91.4) and it has carried them to wins despite a below-par start offensively.
Captain and typical sharpshooter Ethan Rusbatch leads the team in scoring at 18.9 per game but has only made 29.1 per cent of his three pointers so far.
In contrast guard Derone Raukawa (16.4 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds), a puzzling exclusion from the Tall Blacks longlist for their next game in July, is hitting 44.4 per cent of his threes and taking plenty.
As expected, point forward Hyrum Harris and guard Jarrod Kenny have added stability on both ends of the court since they arrived from Australia ahead of the Hawks' second and fifth games respectively.
But perhaps the biggest impact has come from American import big Tajuan Agee, who was signed to fill the size 16 shoes of Tall Blacks centre Jack Salt while he is out indefinitely as he recovers from illness.
Agee touched down in New Zealand last Wednesday and immediately joined his new teammates for their matchup with Mick Downer and four of his players' former employer; the Canterbury Rams.
The 24-year-old had made just one of his seven field goal attempts before hitting the one that counted most – a contested fade away jumper after the buzzer which gave the Hawks a 73-71 victory.
Agee has shot just 42.1 per cent from the field in his two games so far, but has already had 15 free throw attempts for 13 makes so his offensive threat is still producing dividends with room to grow.
The Hawks as a whole are getting to the free throw line at the best rate in the league thanks to the aggression of Agee, fellow big man Jordan Hunt, Harris and Rusbatch who are all earning over four free throws per game.
Another win over the Tuatara on Saturday at Pettigrew Green Arena will put Hawke's Bay on top of the ladder with one game remaining in the first half of the regular season.
Tipoff is at 5.30pm.
