Ethan Rusbatch against the Southland Sharks last month. The Hawks play the Sharks again on Sunday in Invercargill. Photo / NZME
Ethan Rusbatch against the Southland Sharks last month. The Hawks play the Sharks again on Sunday in Invercargill. Photo / NZME
The Hawke's Bay Hawks remain on track for another Sal's National Basketball League showdown with the Wellington Saints despite a stunning overtime loss to the capital's team in Wellington on Sunday.
Fresh from a 95-90 win over the Franklin Bulls in Napier on Saturday night, it was a courageous performancein Wellington less than 24 hours later as the Hawks won three of the quarters, and came back from 58-49 down at halftime to tie the game up 98-98 at the end of regulation time.
The Saints blasted through the five minutes' overtime with a 21-14 advantage to win 119-112.
Ethan Rusbatch was again the star of the Hawks' weekend with 21 points against the Bulls, matched by Devonrick Walker, and then amassed 27 against the Saints.
The Hawks find themselves in the unlikely position of top of the Sal's National Basketball League ladder despite the loss, with a 10 wins-3 losses record, equal on points with the Southland Sharks (10-4); but the Saints, having had a Friday-night match against Nelson Giants postponed because of the Covid-19 level 2 alert in Wellington, have had just two losses in 11 games.
The Hawks face a two-match southern jaunt also against fellow playoff contenders next weekend, with matches against the Otago Nuggets in Dunedin on Saturday and the Southland Sharks in Invercargill on Sunday.
The top-four semifinals and final are scheduled to be played in Porirua on July 22-23.
