Basketball: Bay Hawks defeat Sharks to stay unbeaten

Josh Pace of the Bay Hawks. Photo / APN

The Bay Hawks continued their impressive start to the National Basketball League to down the Southland Sharks 74-62 in Invercargill last night, chalking up their sixth win on the trot.

Hawkes Bay completed their southern trip with two wins after downing the Otago Nuggets in Dunedin on Friday night and sit atop the league table with a six-point advantage over the only other unbeaten side, defending champions the Wellington Saints.

Paora Winitana and Arthur Troudsell both had 16 points for the Hawks and Josh Pace added 13.

The Sharks did not help themselves with a poor shooting effort, managing only 33 per cent from the field which included only eight points in the first period.

Jordan Lawley had 19 points for the southerners and Brendan Polyblank contributed 18.

In Palmerston North, Daryl Hudson amassed a season-high 35 points as the Manawatu Jets finished strongly to overhaul the Taranaki Mountain Airs 104-93.

The Jets let a 10-point lead at the end of the first period slip to trail by as many as six points in the final quarter before a 21-4 run ended the hopes of the visitors.

Hudson came up big for the Jets after their leading scorer Nick Horvath fouled out of the game early. Hudson got support from Jeremiah Trueman (17) and Jeremy Kench (16).

Taranaki captain Aaron Bailey-Nowell led his side's scoring again, picking up 24 points with import Jack Leasure grabbing 23 points.

- NZPA