The NBS Nelson Giants showed glimpses of what could be an exciting season, pushing competition heavyweights the Canterbury Rams all the way in an 86–85 loss on Sunday night.
After the Giants snuck home 40–37 in the Rapid League, thanks to an electric 15-point first half from Elijah Inwood, the mood inside the arena was positive as the main event tipped off. The starting five of Alex McNaught, Tohi Smith-Milner, Kruz Perrott-Hunt, Liam Judd and captain Sam Dempster took several possessions to find their rhythm. Once Smith-Milner knocked down the opening free throws, the half settled into a back-and-forth contest, highlighted by both teams’ ability to knock down the three. Sharpshooter Sam was in deadly form early, draining three triples in the first quarter alone.
Leading 28–26 at the first break, unforced errors then began to creep into the Giants’ game, and Rams import Todd Withers made them pay. A barrage from beyond the arc saw the visitors head into the locker room with a deserved 47–41 lead.
A slow start to the second half allowed the Rams’ advantage to grow to as many as 12 midway through the third quarter, before a Perrott-Hunt-led rally clawed the Giants back into the contest. The home side closed the period trailing by just five points. Kruz again led the charge in the final 10 minutes, and with several hustle plays from Liam, the scores were locked at 79-all with two minutes left on the clock.
The teams traded blows down the stretch, before two missed free throws from Rams guard Taylor Britt inside the final 30 seconds handed the Giants a chance to steal the game at the buzzer. It was not to be, as Perrott-Hunt’s last-ditch attempt came up short.
Giants coach Mike Fitchett was frustrated by the result but encouraged by what he saw.
“We dug ourselves into several holes tonight, but we managed to climb back out every time. It would be nice to dig a few less of them through the season, but the heart we showed was indicative of the culture we’re building,” Fitchett says.
