Hawks’ hopes revived in win over Taranaki Airs

Sole Hawks import Ira Lee (right) being welcomed to Hawke's Bay by teammate and Hawks CEO Jarrod Kenny on May 2, just two days after Lee had played in Finland. Lee played more than 25 minutes against Taranaki Airs on Thursday night in just his second appearance in New Zealand. Photo / Paul Taylor

If the Taylor Hawks needed a bit of oxygen after four consecutive losses in the Sal’s National Basketball League they found a whiff of it in a 102-93 revenge away win against Taranaki Airs in New Plymouth on Thursday night.

Comfortably holding the upper hand in the annual home-and-away across-island clashes between the two franchises, the Hawks had been beaten 95-93 by the Airs in a buzzer-beating end to the first home game of the season. It was a form reversal for both sides in the Pettigrew Green Arena on April 15, a game the Hawks entered with two victories in two games on the road to start the season but with the Airs yet to win a game.

Leading most of the way on the night, the Hawks have now won 22 of the 30 NBL matches between the two franchises.

The king-hitter for the Hawks was Jordan Ngatai, with 31 points – his second match take of more than 30 points this season and including four three-pointers.

With 34 mins 36 secs on court, exceeded only by the 36 mins-plus of Airs player Anthony Hilliard, Ngatai, in his first season with the club, was well supported on the scoresheet with American import Ira Lee contributing 19 points in more than 25 minutes on-court in only his second appearance for the club.

Jordan Hunt scored 15, and club CEO and veteran player Jarrod Kenny, who welcomed Lee off the flight from Europe on May 2, scored 14.

Armon Fletcher and David Azore, two of the stars of the Airs’ April 15 win in Napier, top-scored for their team at home with 23 points each.

There was no score in the opening minute, and Taranaki was first to strike and was soon up 6-2 with three-pointers from David Azore and Hilliard, but when Ngatai sank the first of his three-pointers five minutes into the game the Airs had seen the lead for the last time.

The Hawks led 26-20 at the end of the first quarter and at one stage in the second led by 14 points, before going to halftime up 58-45.

The margin closed to just two points in the third quarter, but it had been stretched to 10 by the end of the quarter at 68-58.

The result pushed the Hawks momentarily back up to third place with three wins from seven games but with a chance to balance the books travelling north to Auckland to play the Tuatara (3-3) on Saturday night, ahead of an eight-day break before the return to the PGA to play Nelson Giants on May 21.