By PETER JESSUP
It was a weekend of upsets in national basketball with league leaders the Rams dumped twice in Auckland, and second-placed Nelson dipping for a second time this season to last-placed Otago.
Waikato had a weekend off, and their coach Jeff Green, who watched the Tall Blacks on Friday
night, was almost as pleased with the Stars' 89-86 win over the Cantabrians in the curtainraiser as he was with the test outcome.
"They did us a big favour," Green said of Auckland's win, which closes Waikato's sights on a top-two finish and home-court advantage in the semifinals, with two rounds to go.
North Harbour did Green another favour in beating the Rams 98-97 on Saturday, Brad Riley with 28 points, Aaron Olsen with 23 and John Smith with 15, delivering a team effort that the Kings haven't seen too much of this season.
The Rams, on the other hand, relied too much on "Pope" John Wharton, who top-scored with 26.
Nelson are not the same side without Tall Blacks Judd Flavell, Phill Jones, Damon Rampton and Ed Book, and coach Nenad Vucinic is also away as assistant with the national squad.
Danny Ryan had 25 points, Kenny Perkins 19 and Ron Grady 17 as the home team won their last game in Dunedin 102-94. Quincy Gause had 24 for the visitors, Mike Vukona 20 and Rob Dahlberg 19.
The Titans sat on the sidelines at the weekend and have the chance to get two more competition points than everyone else the coming weekend with a double-header, the Jets in Rotorua on Friday night and the Kings at the North Shore Events Centre on Saturday. They close with Otago at home and should win all three.
Auckland host Wellington this Saturday in a double-bite. If they lose, the Saints get the playoff chance at their expense. Then they have two on the road with the Hawks the following Friday and the Jets on Saturday to close.
The Rams shouldn't have trouble with Otago in Christchurch, nor Nelson with Hawkes Bay at home.
