By Huw Beynon
American point guard Hunter Hale has turned in a stunning performance to help his Mike Pero Nelson Giants sink the Canterbury Rams with a 91-79 win to start a gruelling weekend for the Mike Fitchett led team.
Coming off a tough couple of weeks on the road, where they grabbed one win from four games on the North Island, the Giants finally returned to the Trafalgar Centre and didn't disappoint a vocal Thursday night crowd.
Hale was the master, landing 34 points across the first three quarters, before finishing with 37 points , six rebounds and a game-high six steals.
His ability to constantly create and deliver was impressive and was backed by a very efficient 19 points at 80per cent from Donte Ingram.
No doubt pleasing for coach Fitchett would have been the form of Tom Ingham (15 points) and the constant defensive efforts of captain Sam Dempster.
Off the back of some hot shooting through the middle stages, the Giants led by as much as 24 points at one stage, leaving Rams duo EJ Singler (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Deshon Taylor (19 points) to try and find a way to get their team back into the contest.
Though they mounted a number of challenges in the second half, the margin never returned to single digits with the Giants celebrating a much-needed victory.
The Giants venture further south to battle with the Otago Nuggets and SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks.
Giants: 91 (Hunter Hale 37, Donte Ingram 19, Tom Ingham 15)
Rams: 79 (Deshon Taylor 19, EJ Singler, Alex Talma)
