Basketball: Americans add winning spark

By PETER JESSUP

Big Americans made all the impact in the national basketball league at the weekend, with the Giants, Kings, Hawks and Rams all relying on size in centre-court for good victories.

Champions Waikato lost in Hamilton for the first time in two years when they could not handle the Nelson Giants' Ed Book, Phill Jones and Judd Flavell as the southerners outpointed them in the rebounding for a 96-80 win.

It was the surprise emergence of another American that settled the Battle of the Bridge, 92-84, to the Harbour Kings.

Steve Jackson last played in the second grade four years ago, but after being talked into a return by Harbour coach Tracy Carpenter, he turned in a blinder and with import John Smith, dominated the mid-court.

Harbour and Nelson led all the way.

Wellington headed Hawkes Bay through three-quarter time before import Maurice Lietzke hit a succession of five three-pointers to give the Hawks a 109-96 win.

Canterbury import John Whorton had the highest score of the two-week-old season with 40 to help the Rams to a 107-92 win over Manawatu. Kent Mori top-scored for the Jets with 32 points

Carpenter was not happy that his team squandered a good lead, 31-16, after the first quarter, and 54-38 at the half, to let the visitors improve at the end. But he was happy with better defence and a general all-round improvement.

"We got better than last week and right now that's all that's important," he said.

Top-scoring for each side was a player who started with the other. Carpenter might have kept Rob Tuilave across the bridge if he had turned up regularly as he did on Saturday night.

He shot 11 of 15 from the field to top-score with 23, also grabbing 10 rebounds in a livewire display.

For Harbour it was former Star Aaron Olsen who top-scored, with 20, also returning five assists and four rebounds.

Auckland's late charge ran out in a flurry of fouls and foul-outs, with import Casey Frank collecting his fifth three minutes from the end and less than 15 into his first game, finding, as all the new imports do, that the umpiring here is hard on physical players.

Simon Mesritz joined him next play and, having closed to 80-all, the Stars ran out of steam and the fouls produced by fatigue took Harbour home.

The Kings go to Hawkes Bay on Friday night, and the Hawks come north to play in Auckland's first home game on Saturday. Waikato host the Rams and Nelson go to Palmerston North on Friday night and Wellington on Saturday.