Basketball: Victorious Titans stand tall

By PETER JESSUP

Bench depth beat old legs in the national league basketball final in Hamilton, the visiting Wellington Saints losing when they departed from the only game plan that could have worked for them.

The Saints worried Waikato in the first half with scragging play that disrupted the home team's running game. But after staying close for three quarters, they fell away to the better finishers, Waikato winning 112-97.

The satisfaction was immense for coach Jeff Green and star player Pero Cameron. Both said that they believed beforehand and throughout the game that they would win. Cameron admitted for the first time that the shift from Auckland, where he had won five titles, was a gut-wrencher and he started the season wondering if he had erred.

Green said he was delighted that the team finished the season the way they had run through it, never faltering from the plan.

It was a supreme team effort. Wellington shut down the Titans' top-scoring Clinton "Super" Bush but were unable to contain the rest. Bush still made 26 points, Riki Strother 22 and Cameron 14 from the bench.

Bush had 11 rebounds, Cameron had 10 and added five assists. Guards Prem Krishna, George Le'afa and Chris Tupu in his 250th and last NBL game were outstanding.

Forward David Hopoi cleaned up the crucial boards, as did Cameron.

The scrap told in the fouls statistics: Wellington's Tony Brown and Chris Webber and Waikato's Strother, Cameron, Hopoi and Nat Connell all finished with four.

But when Brown, Terrence Lewis and Kenny Perkins began to tire, the Titans still had plenty left.

Cameron took a late rebound and a steal and Tupu made successive free-throws and three-pointers to respond to a late, last-gasp scoring spree from Brown.

The Titans were dancing on court before it was over. Most of the team were celebrating, leaving their basket open for the Saints to take last points in a display close to arrogance.

Not Cameron. "You're just never sure [about winning]. I wait until the last seconds before I think about it."

He rated the win as every bit as special as his first and last of five in Auckland.

"The look on the other players' faces was worth it, especially 'Toops' [Tupu]. He's been around so long and he gives it everything. His determination and attitude are what it's all about and I guess he had to be that way [because of his 1.7m height]. I just loved it."

Green, with a third title to add to two with the Hutt Valley Lakers in the early 90s, dedicated the win to team owner John Taylor, who had backed them through seasons when they were not winning and were struggling for sponsors.

"He argued with the other board members to get me in 99 so it's payback."

Green has business that takes him to London today and will consider his future on the flight, making no commitment to next year. But all the Titans squad have signed again for next season and defence of the title plus the desire to go unbeaten after a 19-win, one loss (to Otago) record for this season are mighty motivations.

And they may have to find a bigger gym next season. The Hamilton YMCA is unlikely to accommodate the new fans who turned up to Mystery Creek on Saturday.