Hawks alive after win over the Saints

Late-season Hawks arrival and American import Bryce McBride climbs over Saints player Tohi Smith-Milner in the Hawks' first home win of the season on Saturday night. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Taylor Hawke’s Bay Hawks have retained the slimmest hope of a Sal’s NBL top-six playoffs with a first 2023 home win in one of the lowest-scoring games of the season.

Beaten in all six previous home matches this year, the Hawks beat Wellington Saints 87-85 on Saturday night at the Pettigrew.Green Arena in Taradale, meaning that by the end of the regular season in two weeks’ time the Saints will be the only franchise the Hawks have beaten both home and away.

Fielding Tall Blacks extended squad World Cup hopefuls Jordan Ngatai, Hyrum Harris, Ethan Rusbatch and Jordan Hunt each for more than 29 of the 40 minutes in the game, the Hawks were never headed after Harris sank a 2pt lay-up to make it 4-4 three-and-a-half minutes into the first period, which ended with the home side leading 19-11.

They went to halftime up 44-31 and the gap widened to 18 points at one stage in the third quarter, but it was down to nine at 68-59 entering the last 10 minutes, and tied at 79-79 with 3min 44sec left on the clock.

Harris, who had almost 33 minutes on-court, topped the home-team scoring chart with 19pts, American import Ira Lee scored 15pts in 25min 31 sec on court, Rusbatch scored 13pts, and Ngatai and recent arrival and American import Bryce McBride each scored 10pts.

Ira Lee takes a spill during the Hawks' win over Wellington Saints in Pettigrew.Green Arena on Saturday night. Photo / Paul Taylor

Saints Australian pick-up Kyle Adnam topped the scoring for the visitors with 15pts.

The Hawks play Auckland Tuatara next Sunday afternoon, and finish their regular season on July 16 against Manawatu Jets.

By the end of Saturday night, the Tuatara led the 10-team competition with 12 wins from 15 games and facing a Sunday-night home match against top-four side Canterbury Rams.

The Hawks were leading the four teams outside the top-six, all with 10 losses or more.