Basketball: Blow-up coach eats his words

Waikato coach Jeff Green has apologised to National Basketball League officials for his behaviour after his team's winning defence of their national title in Nelson.

Soon after Waikato beat Nelson 85-83 on Saturday, Green confronted Nelson supporters, gesturing and swearing before the live television audience.

He was initially pacified by NBL chairman Burton Shipley, before Waikato forward Dillon Boucher stepped in to soothe his coach.

NBL general manager Richard Stokes said yesterday that Green had called him to apologise.

"I haven't seen the TV footage so it is inappropriate to say too much," he said.

"What I will say is that I had a call from Jeff today and he said he fully realised that what he did was wrong.

"He said he was caught up in the moment, and he has apologised for his reaction.

"It is disappointing that we even have to talk about this after a great game and a great final, but the matter will be discussed.

"Until then, there's not much more to add."

Waikato sent the 2000 Nelson fans home disappointed when Tall Blacks forward and All-Star Five selection Dillon Boucher made two free throws to break an 83-83 deadlock with 1.3 seconds left in the game.

Nelson wasted a chance to win on the previous possession, when captain Judd Flavell tried to create a shot and turned the ball over.

Boucher secured possession and drove hard at the basket, where referee Ken Coulson made the foul call against Nelson's Mika Vukona.

Boucher calmly slotted both bonuses.

Although Nelson called timeout and fashioned a halfcourt heave for Phill Jones in the last second, Waikato were home and dry.

Both teams won home semifinals to reach the final, and Nelson held a 2-0 advantage over Waikato after the regular season.

A third win looked a possibility when Nelson and New Zealand guard Jones came out firing, making four three-pointers and a follow-up dunk in the first quarter.

Nelson led 25-21 after the first period but Waikato struck back.

Boucher's defence, DeWayne McCray's rebounding and the open court skills of Prem Krishna earned them a lead midway through the second.

Waikato led 46-44 at halftime, but Nelson erased that early in the third and led until reserve guard Brendon Cathie-Pongia made the second of his five three-point baskets.

He hit all five in a streak, punctuated by a Boucher lay-up and another three from Pero Cameron, and the Titans went 10 points clear with 2min 29sec left in the third.

Nelson stayed calm and responded with three-point shots from Robert Dahlberg.

Waikato took a four-point buffer into the last quarter, but Vukona played a herculean game against Cameron, and the home side led heading into the final five minutes.

A disputed goal-tending call did not go Nelson's way, injured forward Riki Strother tied the scores at 83-83 with Waikato's 16th three-pointer of the game and Boucher was left to add the finishing touches to an intense final.

Flavell took the weight of the loss personally.

"We screwed up. I screwed up. I went four seconds too soon, we didn't get the call and we gave them time to get the ball and do something positive."

Krishna, Cathie-Pongia and Boucher made huge contributions for the champions.

Jones, Vukona and Ed Book gave the home side a sniff of a title but couldn't complete the job.

Nelson coach Nenad Vucinic said the result was "heart-wrenching".

"Maybe that was a foul, maybe we could have got a foul our way on the play before, maybe the referee made a call that you will never see him make again in his career ... that's all nothing.

"It counts for nothing. It means nothing.

"What I know is that we need to work harder, because we are obviously not ready to win this championship yet.

"I will work harder next season and the Nelson team will work harder, and maybe then it will be our turn."

- NZPA