Basketball: Auckland make it five in a row as Rams bite the dust

By Murray McKinnon

The Auckland national basketball league team ran in their fifth straight win of the season with a polished display against Canterbury on Saturday, winning 92-81.

Out to redeem themselves after missing out on their fourth straight league title last year, Auckland have put together a talented group of players who have the opposition stretched in all areas.

Canterbury led 10-8 early in the first quarter, before guard Paul Henare directed play, putting Dillon Boucher in for a slam dunk, while captain Pero Cameron was hammering Canterbury under the board.

Robert Hickey gave the Rams some life in the second quarter, when they again snatched the lead, 35-34, before Auckland ran in 10 unanswered points to take control 44-37 at the break.

Cameron, later named player of the game, was a tower in the third quarter, effectively shutting out Canterbury's centre, Hickey, while returning to the other end to score six points, including a steal.

Boucher top-scored for Auckland with 19, with Cameron and Iona Enosa on 17. Robert Wilson finished up with 18 for Canterbury, with Bush on 13.

Auckland are clear leaders on the table with 10 points, two ahead of Wellington Saints, who beat Waikato 110-104.

Canterbury remained in the north yesterday to beat North Harbour 99-92, having to endure a desperate bid by the Kings over the final minute of play.

Canterbury were ahead by 26 points in the second quarter, but saw their 16-point advantage (55-39) at halftime evaporate to a two-point game with two minutes remaining (93-91). With the score at 95-92, and with 60 seconds to go, Kirk Penney had the opportunity for Kings to draw level from the three-point line, but the ball rolled out, for Canterbury to take possession.

North Harbour went for the fouls on Canterbury, which both Clifton Bush and Jason Kyle converted into points from the free-throw line.

Wilson with 13 points in the first half was all class for Canterbury, while Hickey was solid with 22 for the game.

Penney, having his penultimate game in New Zealand before taking up an American scholarship, was outstanding for North Harbour with the game high of 32.

Canterbury coach Bert Knops said: "It was a return to form today. We are back to what we should be after a hesitant start to the season."

Waikato suffered a further loss, going down 107-110 to Taranaki, while Palmerston North celebrated their first win of the season, beating Otago 97-95.