Basketball: Hagan steers Jets past Giants

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Point guard Chris Hagan's 32-point haul inspired the Manawatu Jets to a 99-78 win over the Nelson Giants in a National Basketball League match in Palmerston North tonight

The import had his most productive match of the season to ensure the Jets ended their run of three matches in four days with a victory.

The Jets leapt out to a lead on the back of an early Jeremiah Trueman (17) scoring burst and Hagan dictated terms, with support from a 19-point haul from Nick Horvath, to ensure they would not be headed and remain in the playoffs picture..

Tall Black Phill Jones managed 23 points for the Giants whose five-match winning streak came to an end.

In Dunedin, the Auckland Pirates managed just their fourth win of the season to down the Otago Nuggets 88-80. Kevin Smith led the way with 26 points while Scott O'Gallagher's game-high 27 was not enough for the Nuggets who remain on the bottom of the nine-team competition with two rounds to play.

- NZPA