Basketball: Confident Kings coast to victory

The North Harbour Kings had an easy ride to their second win of the national basketball league season with a 127-91 thrashing of Hastings' Masonic Hawks at North Shore yesterday.

Confident of victory and with a 34-point lead, Poenamo North Harbour coach Tracy Carpenter switched his bench to the playing five for the final seven minutes.

New import Purnell Perry set the game alight and, coupled with excellent offensive backup from Robert Tuilave, Brad Riley and Ronnie Joyner, Harbour were out to a 16-point lead midway through the first quarter.

Captain Brendon Cathie-Pongia, with three-point accuracy, Perry and Riley took control in the second quarter, with Harbour leading 62-39 at the break.

Troy Coleman led the Hawks' spasmodic scoring and Puke Lenden grabbed a couple of three-pointers from the perimeter. But turnovers to the Kings became the pattern and the Hawks were left picking up the odd point from the free-throw line.

The Hawks held Harbour in the third quarter, with the score at 90-65 going to the final 12 minutes.

Chris Webber, with 23 in the second half, top-scored for the Hawks with 34. Coleman was on 25. Riley was best for Harbour with 24, followed by Cathie-Pongia on 20 and Perry, 18.

Harbour have moulded together a top team and once Kirk Penney returns to the side later this month, they will be a formidable blend.

On Saturday night, the Waikato Warriors made it two from two, beating the Palmerston North Jets 112-94.

A solid final quarter saw Wellington Saints overhaul the Otago Nuggets to win 113-101, then complete an excellent weekend on the road with a tight 81-79 win over the Canterbury Rams in Christchurch last night.

- NZPA