The Nelson Giants' defence of the National Basketball League title continued last night in the first playoff.
Down eight points at halftime, the defending champions stunned the Bay Hawks 78-75 in the first quarterfinal at Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale, Hawke's Bay.
Retired Tall Black Phill Jones scoredfrom two free-throws with 2.8 seconds left on the clock, and in all managed a game-high 27 points to send his team through to Thursday's semifinal against regular season champions, the Wellington Saints.
Harbour Heat play the Auckland Stars in the other quarterfinal tonight.
Nelson, down 40-32 at halftime after the Hawks held them to 14 points in the second period, never trailed in the fourth quarter and were able to hold off the Bay and their vocal 2000-strong fans.
Down 76-75, Hawks' American centre Kareem Johnson missed a pair of free throws with 23.5 seconds to play.
The Hawks grabbed the offensive rebound and after working the clock, Tall Black Paora Winitana, the Hawks leading scorer who was held to just four points, missed a three from the corner with 10.2sec remaining and Jones snapped up the loose ball.
The winning surge for the Giants however came at the end of the third period, a 9-2 run in the final 3min 40sec getting them ahead. The Bay tied the game 63-63 in the fourth quarter on a Kevin Smith three.
Giants guard Michael Harrison finished with 22 points and eight rebounds and point guard Michael Fitchett recorded 14 points.
Nelson were out-rebounded 47-33, much of that in the first half, but had nine blocks, including four from Harrison, and turned the ball over just 10 times to the Hawks' 18.
"Everyone chipped in and that's the key for this team," winning coach Chris Tupu said.
"We don't have a deep roster and we need everyone to step up."
Point guard Aidan Daly had 15 points for the Hawks, while import forward Kevin Smith had 13 points.
