Basketball: Double blow for Hawks in southern jaunt

The Hawks after the dramatic 82-80 win over the Nelson Giants in Napier a fortnight ago. They were at-it again in Nelson on Saturday. Photo / NZME

It could be a long week for the Taylor Hawke's Bay Hawks as they try to get back into winning Sal's National Basketball League form after two losses in the South Island at the weekend.

They were beaten 112-109 by the Nelson Giants in Nelson on Saturday night and 87-79 by Canterbury Rams in Christchurch 22 hours later - both winners having been Hawks victims during three wins at home opening the season earlier in the month.

The Hawks have won just once on the road with still one to come in a five-match away sequence, against new NBL side Franklin Bulls in Pukekohe on Friday before heading home for Sunday match at the Pettigrew Green Arena, hoping to avenge their first loss of the season to the Auckland Huskies.

The Rams, beaten 104-90 in the Hawks' first match of the season, raced out to a 10 point lead a the end of the first quarter in the latest match . It was 27-17 and 49-41 at the half, but the Hawks took the lead at the end of the third, up 2 points at 64-62.

A two point Jonathan Janssen lay-up had the Hawks up 77-76 up with 3min 26sec to play, but that was all-but the end of the challenge as the Rams outscored the visitors 11-2 over the final stages.

The danger man for the Rams was Deshon Taylor with 33 points, while Ethan Rusbatch scored 23 for the Hawks.

In Nelson the previous night, the highest-scoring match of the NBL season was even at the end of the first 10 at 25-all. It was 57-51 at halftime and the Hawks' 29-25 advantage in the third quarter kept them in touch, with the drama to come - including 8 changes of the lead after the Hawks hit the front at 95-94 with 5min 11sec remaining.

The major damage on the first night the southern double-header was done by Hunter Hale, who scored 41 points for the Giants. Devondrick Walker and Hyrum Harris each dropped 25 for the Hawks, with Rusbatch also in fine touch with 23.

Followers of the 10-team competition continue to await the two clashes between the Hawks and defending champions the Wellington Saints, despite the Hawks' losses, and a record 4-and-3.

The Saints are unbeaten with six-from-six and on Saturday night hammering the Huskies 107-76.

The two pre-league favourites are set to rumble at the PGA on the night of June 18, and again in Wellington nine days later.