The Taylor Hawke’s Bay Hawks have set the 2023 Sal’s national men’s basketball league alight with a dramatic 84-79 overtime away win over Franklin Bulls.
The victory in Pukekohe avenged a 70-74 home loss to the Bulls in the opening match last season, although that was hardly top-of-mind in the first NBL match under new coach and stalwart Everard Bartlett, who played in the Hawks only NBL championship win in 2006.
Moreover, with a game-high 29 points to Ethan Rusbatch, including the three-pointer which took the match into overtime, it was a major psychological boost for the Hawks on-the-road at Easter, taking the side also to Wellington for a Saturday-night showdown with the Saints.
Last night it was 21-21 at the end of the first quarter, with the Hawks taking the lead 1min 30sec after the break and maintaining it through the half, at one stage stretching to six points out, and going to the break at 39-34.
With the score tied five-times during the third quarter, the Bulls were in front 58-54 going into the last, and stretched the margin to 11 points at 67-56 up with 5min 14sec to go, and still 11 at 3min 39sec, before the recovery was set in motion with a 2pt driving lay-up from Rusbatch who ultimately would save the game with a three-pointer with 6.4sec on the clock to tie it up at 75-75.
