Basketball: Saints scrape home over Hawks

Wellington Saints scraped home 80-75 over the Hawke's Bay Hawks in an exciting National Basketball League quarterfinal in the capital last night.

But the Saints have to thank Leon Henry for a huge fourth quarter which just pushed them over the line.

The Saints led at the end of the first quarter 18-16 and extended that to a six-point margin by halftime as they went into the break 39-33 to the good.

However, the Hawks came out in the third quarter and took the game to the Saints, totally dominating the spell 28-13 and jumping out to lead 61-52 at the three-quarter mark.

Chris Daniel and Jeremy Kench hit some big threes in the third quarter at crucial moments to back up some strong Hawks defence.

Midway through the fourth quarter the Hawks were still ahead by eight until Henry almost singlehandly changed the game with 11 points in the last 4:30 minutes, finishing off some outstanding Saints defensive pressure.

Wellington Saints 80 (Mike Efevberha 18, Lindsay Tait 15, Leon Henry 15) Hawke's Bay Hawks 75 (Charles Bailey 21, Chris Daniel 14, Jeremy Kench 10). Halftime: 39-33.

- NZPA