Basketball: Underdog Stars topple Giants

Auckland mocked their status as underdogs in the national basketball league final on Sunday as they swept aside Nelson 80-68 for their first title since 2000.

Ranked fourth after the regular season, the Auckland Stars blitzed defending champions Wellington in last weekend's semifinals and threatened to do the same in Nelson.

The Stars led by 10 after the first quarter and had totally silenced the capacity crowd by halftime when they had built a 42-29 lead.

The Nelson Giants sank further in the third period and faced a 22-point deficit midway through the final quarter.

The Giants showed some pride in carving the lead to nine, but the Stars had enough in reserve to hold on for victory.

Stars coach Kenny Stone said his side had timed their run well and had finally played to their full ability.

"For the past two weeks, we have executed well on offence and defended with all our energy," he said.

"I thought we had a pretty good squad together, even if we lacked a little experience in finals basketball, but we started the season kind of slow due to players coming off [New Zealand] Breakers and international seasons.

"But for those last two playoff games, I couldn't ask for any more."

The Stars' guard duo of Aaron Olson and Lindsay Tait continued to shine as the best backcourt in the league.

Olson, known primarily as a shooter, filled that role well with 28 points, including six three-pointers from nine attempts.

But it was his defence on Giants dangerman Phill Jones which most impressed Stone.

"I'd rate Aaron the best one-on-one defender in the league and he probably has been for the past two seasons."

Although Jones scored 14 points, he made just six of 20 shots and missed all five three-point attempts.

Tait had 14 points as well as eight assists, and the threat he posed opened up opportunities for team-mates Dillon Boucher, Casey Frank and Mike Homik.

Dejected Giants captain Ed Book said his team entered the game with no intensity.

"We were prepared, we knew what they were going to do and we still came out slow.

"It's very disappointing because this wasn't the Nelson Giants team that had played the last month. When it came to a final, we just didn't play hard enough."

Book could hardly blame himself, scoring 26 points, but dismal shooting and flat performances from key team-mates undermined the Giants' effort.


- NZPA