Basketball: Semifinal matchups set in NBL

The Southland Sharks have won the NBL regular season title. Photo / Getty

The National Basketball League semifinal matchups have been confirmed, thanks to a significant upset last night.

The Canterbury Rams toppled the Wellington Saints 107-99, leaving the Saints unable to catch the Southland Sharks at the top of the NBL ladder, and thus confirming the playoff seedings for next weekend's Final Four in Wellington.

The Rams' win left the Sharks two wins clear of the chasing pack with just one game left to play, while the results also locked in the champion Southlanders to play the Supercity Rangers in the semifinals next Saturday night.

In the other semifinal, the Saints will take on the Nelson Giants.

The Sharks claimed the regular season championship and have a chance to break the all-time record for consecutive wins if they take out the title.

Paul Henare's side have currently won 13 straight games, and can make it 14 if they beat the Saints tonight. The record is held by the 2001 Waikato Titans, with 15 consecutive wins, meaning the Sharks can tie the mark with a win in the semifinal, and usurp it with a victory in the final.

One team who won't be around in the playoffs is the side who took down the Saints last night, with the Rams going out in style with their last game of the season. The win boosted them to 9-9 on their finished campaign, thanks to 31 points from Jeremy Kench.

Kench, who has been limited by injury all season, went 12/19 from the field and 5/8 from deep to deny the Saints a shot at the regular season championship.

Dion Prewster had 27, Leon Henry 25 and Daniel Johnson 23 for the Saints who play the Sharks tomorrow night in a potential finals preview.

In the other clash tonight, the Giants moved to 13-5 on the season with a 103-82 win over the Hawke's Bay Hawks. DeRonn Scott had 26, McKenzie Moore 21 and Mika Vukona grabbed 14 points and 14 rebounds.

The NBL Final Four starts next weekend in Wellington, with the semifinals at 6.00pm and 8.30pm on Saturday and the final at 7.00pm on Sunday.