Basketball: Nelson Giants need overtime to get past Taranaki

The Nelson Giants had to wait until extra time to head off the Taranaki Mountain Airs 101-97 in the season's opening National Basketball League (NBL) match in New Plymouth last night.

Taranaki captain Willie Banks sent the game into extra time with a three-pointer on the final hooter to level the score 91-91.

"It shouldn't have come down to extra time," said a disappointed Taranaki coach Warren Osborne.

"We had control of the game, but made too many unforced errors in the final quarter.

"Credit to Nelson's defence, they took a lot of ball off us."

The fourth quarter was certainly a horror one for the home side.

Taranaki led 31-25 after the first quarter, extended that lead to 53-44 at halftime and the game was there for the taking at three-quarter time with the home side ahead 74-67.

But then things went wrong. Passes went astray, errors crept in and no-one could find a basket. A technical foul called on veteran Mike Foster didn't help matters either.

"I'm unsure why the call was made," said Osborne.

"Mike went to query a call and the penalty was given."

After a quiet start for the Giants, Phill Jones was a dominant force in the final quarter, finishing the game with 16 points.

It was Jones who scored the first points in extra time, with a sweet three-pointer, then found Darnell McCulloch free under the basket for another two points.

The Giants pushed out to 100-93 with just over a minute to play and the game was as good as over.

McCulloch led the way for the Giants with 20 points, including four in extra time when the big man was down to a walk.

Mike Vukona scored 15 and Tu Umaga-Marshall 14.

Link Abrams, with a game-high 27, led the scoring for Taranaki, with Banks and Mike Tompson, who has moved from the defending champion Wellington Saints, both scoring 18.

Taranaki had started well, with some nicely timed passes between Banks, Abrams, Tompson and Foster.

But Damon Rampton, the other member of the starting five, was surprisingly quiet, leaving his best to the five minutes in extra time.

Taranaki will now play the Manawatu Jets in Palmerston North tonight.

"We've just got to get on with it, simple as that," Osborne said.

The Giants head to Hamilton for a showdown with the Waikato Titans, also tonight.

- NZPA