The NBS Nelson Giants have an anxious few days to see if they are still in the semi-final hunt when they play their final match of the regular basketball season next week.
A third quarter blitz, where they scored 38 points, took them to an easy 104-85 victory over the Auckland Tuatara in their penultimate match they had to win last night.
“We hadn’t played very well in third quarters this season and so we challenged the guys to play with some pace as we usually slow down at that stage of games,” says Giants coach Mike Fitchett.
In their previous match the Giants only managed a solitary three pointer and the bench was scoreless.
Last night impact player Alex McNaught came alive in the third quarter, contributing three quick baskets from long range and finishing with a perfect five from five and 14 points.
“This week the bench was able to support on the offensive side as well as the defence. We came out with the right energy and I had a little bit of confidence. Now we are going to have to have a few other teams lose but to be fair the only thing we can do is win our last game,” says Alex.
It is a long wait for that though, with the Giants not due back at the Trafalgar Centre until next Thursday against the already finals-bound Southland Sharks.
Another eight Sals NBL games will be played before then.
“Naughty did a hell of a job for us tonight, stepping up after a good two days of training,” declares Giants captain Sam Dempster.
Mike Fitchett had given the side a freshener with a couple of extra days off after their previous match on the road last Wednesday.
“The boys know the position we are in and what we have to do. We will have to keep an eye on those other games in case results hopefully go our way,” says Sam who has just turned 35.
After dropping their first eight games of the season, the Giants have won eight of the past 11.
The second wave of American imports had a big night with Jeremy Combs getting a game high 29, Andrew Jones 20 and Alex Robinson Jnr 15.
Last year, eight wins was enough for the Nelson outfit to sneak into the top six, this year nine might just be in the congested race for the sixth and final spot.
What would really help the eighth-placed home side’s cause would be the Manawatu Jets to beat the Tuatara and the Franklin Bulls this week.
