Basketball: Bragging by player alleged in NBL bets

Rangers coach Jeff Green. Photo / Photosport Photo / h

Further allegations surrounding illegal betting have emerged from the National Basketball League game under investigation by the police.

Multiple sources at the game between the Taranaki Mountain Airs and Supercity Rangers have told the Herald on Sunday a Rangers player was publicly bragging about his earnings made from the game; an encounter which raised eyebrows due to a curious finish.

With just under two seconds remaining on the clock, a shot from the Airs reduced the Rangers' lead to nine points - 94-85.

Although teams would traditionally run out the clock when up by a hefty margin with little time left, the Rangers took a timeout, and on the resulting inbounds play, hit a desperate three-pointer on the buzzer to win by 12 points.

One of the popular options available to bet on at the TAB is for a team to win by 11 points or more.

The player, who the Herald on Sunday has chosen not to name, slammed the floor in frustration when the deficit was cut to nine, and is alleged to have been "boasting" about his winnings while celebrating after the Rangers' final shot went in.

Rangers coach Jeff Green has denied any wrongdoing from his team, and explained why members of his team were disappointed when their lead was cut from 11 to nine points.

"We're gutted any time a team scores," Green told Radio Sport.

"It's just ludicrous to suggest that anything was untoward. We'll go through the process as [Basketball New Zealand chief executive] Iain Potter has outlined, and we have nothing to worry about."

The veteran NBL coach said his only issue with how the NBL handled the investigation is that nobody contacted him before the news broke in the Herald on Sunday.

"When you've got gambling involved, you've got to make sure the integrity of the sport is kept up, so when you get complaints, you've got to act on it.

"I have no problem with the process Iain's gone through, the only thing I was really annoyed at is that nobody told us initially."

Green also argued that the win meant the Rangers "ensured we didn't get the wooden spoon" - a fate which wasn't determined until eight days later - and said the Airs "rigorously defended" the final play.

The police are appealing for any further information in regards to the illegal betting allegations.

"Police take match-fixing allegations seriously and are committed to ensuring New Zealand sport is corruption-free," said Detective Superintendent Iain Chapman.

"We encourage all those involved in sport who have information about criminal behaviour to contact police."