Basketball: Harbour's season still alive

North Harbour kept their slim NBL semifinal hopes alive with a nervous 78-75 victory over Taranaki at the North Shore Events Centre last night.

The match became tense in the final four minutes, with the home team letting a solid lead slip with some lax play, while the visitors kept their heads and upped the tempo.

A three-point shot by Tall Black Troy McLean with just over two minutes remaining regained Harbour the lead 74-72.

The score was 75-75 with 18 seconds left on the clock when McLean hit two foul shots. Taranaki regained possession but couldn't score in the dying seconds to avoid defeat.

McLean was top scorer for the winning side with 24 points, including five successful three-pointers. Import Cody Toppert was the game's leading scorer with 28 for Taranaki but Link Abrams was his only other team-mate to make double figures.

There were once again some strange decisions from Harbour's coaching bench, with players coming and going into the game at odd times. But the win means they can still mathematically make the semifinals.

The match started with a messy first couple of quarters. The home side went into the break 40-34 ahead after the first period had seen both sides score 15 points apiece. Harbour had led 38-26 but weren't able to hammer home the score after rotating their players from the bench.

The twin towers of Tony and Damon Rampton had some sway on the game for Taranaki early on but their side seemed a little flat at times, with import Garry Hill-Thomas sidelined with injury. Tony Rampton compiled nine points and nine rebounds.

Harbour also had injury concerns, with import Mike King, his right elbow heavily bandaged, playing only a minor role.

With last night's loss effectively ending their hopes of making the playoffs, Taranaki take on defending champions Auckland at Waitakere tonight. Harbour's next match is away on Friday to semifinal side the Hawks in Napier.