Basketball: Kings battling back towards top four

By MURRAY McKINNON

The North Harbour Kings went one step closer to clawing their way back to the top four in the national basketball league with a 97-62 thrashing of Hawkes Bay.

The Kings outscored the Hawks in each quarter.

Brian Gomes was again the defensive weapon for the Kings, taking 11 rebounds for the game and 18 points.

Brendon Cathie-Pongia and Jeff Niwa were accurate from the three-point line in the first half, and North Harbour went to the break ahead 46-28.

Murray Barker and Chris Pollard maintained some respectability for Hawks in the second half. The Kings' Larry Hubbard lost out in the defence against Pollard and was fouled out of the game with seven minutes remaining.

But the Kings continued their pressure and won regular turnovers, which Milos Pejovic, Brad Riley and Niwa converted into points from easy layups. Cathie-Pongia top-scored for the Kings with 22, and Pollard led the Hawks scoring on 21.

"We have focused on making the playoffs," North Harbour coach Tracy Carpenter said. "Although that fourth spot is wide open, it will be hotly contested and we are in for some close games."

Hawks coach Curtis Wooten said he was not having the best of seasons.

"If anything can go wrong, it has. It's just been one thing after another. We had no restricted player tonight and Tzar Smiler is injured again."

Clifton Bush, who shot a game-high 46, steered Waikato to a convincing 98-86 away victory over Nelson to keep Waikato top of the table, unbeaten after five games. Bush, the league's leading individual scorer, outgunned his nearest rival, Phill Jones, who scored 37 points. Palmerston North held out a late bid by Otago to beat the Nuggets 84-71 on their home court. Saints were tied up 49-49 at halftime against Otago in Wellington yesterday, before pulling away to win 96-78.