Basketball: Stars on homeward title run after win

Paora Winitana of the Bay Hawks leaps with the ball during their 96-72 NBL victory over the Harbour Heat on Saturday. Phil Walter / Getty Images

The Auckland Stars have finished top of the National Basketball League after round-play as they have in seven of the past 12 years and, unbeaten at home this year, they steam towards a third consecutive title.

The Stars beat second-placed Hawkes Bay 75-66 in a convincing display on Friday night to gather momentum for their semifinal against fourth-placed Wellington next Saturday.

The Hawks and Nelson both finished with 14 wins and four losses. They went one-one against each other but Hawkes Bay have the better points differential and get to host the second semi in Taradale next Sunday.

During the season, the Stars trounced the Saints 106-84 in Wellington early on then won 76-64 in Auckland. The Hawks beat the Giants 71-63 in Napier but lost 88-84 in Nelson.

It was the Stars captain, Casey Frank, who led the way on Friday night, with top score of 24 points from nine of 14 field-goals including his one three-point attempt, plus five of six from the free-throw line. Import centre Josh Nigut produced 23, his biggest score of the season.

The Stars shot 29 of 68 for 42 per cent accuracy while Hawkes Bay sank 24 of 64 (37 per cent). The Hawks gave up 21 turnovers to 14 but Stars coach Kenny Stone will be concerned that they were out-rebounded 43-38.

It appears the Stars are adjusting to life without last year's MVP Lindsay Tait and they remain the team to beat.

On Saturday, the Hawks backed up against the Harbour Heat, winning 96-72.

Wellington needed three overtime periods before overcoming the Canterbury Rams 126-115 on Saturday. Rams Tall Black prospect Jeremy Kench top-scored with 36 and import Dennis Trammell shot 28 but the Saints had contributions from Terrence Lewis 25, Nick Horvath 24, Chris Anderson 20, Brendon Pongia 18, Michael Tompson 13 and George Leafa 10.

The scores were 36-all at halftime, 80-all at fulltime, 95-95 after the first period of extra time and 108-all after the second before the Rams ran out of petrol and the Saints drove home.

Certainly a good work-out but not the sort of game that is likely to gather the momentum necessary to win in Auckland on Saturday, especially considering Canterbury were backing up after a 105-94 loss to Taranaki in New Plymouth on Friday.

Nelson demolished Otago 112-84 in Dunedin on Saturday with import Eric Freeman scoring 29 and Breaker Mika Vukona contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds. Miles Pearce remains a good rebounding prospect for the Tall Blacks with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Import Branduinn Fullove top-scored for the Nuggets with 26.

And Taranaki finished their season with an 87-79 win over Waikato, whose four-from-14 record and second-to-last placing on the table is their worst performance since they were last in 1995.