Basketball: Veteran Jones hits milestone in Giants win

Phill Jones of the Giants grabs the rebound against the Southland Sharks. Photo / Photosport

The Nelson Giants have held onto a 102-98 win over the Supercity Rangers.

Finn Delany had 25 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, Raymond Cowles had 23, and Phill Jones added 17 for the Giants who now move to 2-1.

It was also a huge milestone for Jones, who brought up his 7000th point in the second quarter. It will also be memorable in a different way for Jones who was controversially ejected early in the final quarter for a flop on Rangers forward Terrence Roberts.

The Rangers looked dead and buried after trailing by as many as 19, but they managed to fight their way back into the contest, eventually taking a 93-92 lead with 1:50 left.

The momentum had totally shifted to the home side, and when Cowells fouled out, the Giants were now without their two key scorers.

But the visitors got the ball inside to centre, Ben Strong, who scored the next five points to push them up by four.

A Reuben Te Rangi three got the Rangers within one, but inexcusably on the following play, they allowed Finn Delany to dunk it in transition.

Te Rangi would try for the game tying three, but it would it would go awry, the Rangers then turning the ball out of bounds after an offensive rebound.

Delany would be fouled on consecutive possessions, making three out of four to seal the win.

Eric Devendorf top scored for the Rangers with 27, but he fouled out mid-way through the fourth quarter, Te Rangi (11 points), and Roberts (12 points) also succumbing to the same fate.

Overall 50 fouls were called in the game, the Giants did a terrific job from the foul line, converting on 30/35 (85%).

It is the third straight defeat for the Rangers who will now focus towards next week when they play on the road to the Canterbury Rams.

Nelson will try for their third straight road win when they play the Indigo Hawks tomorrow.

In Invercargill, the Sit Zerofees Sharks have had ended the Taranaki Mountainairs unbeaten run to get their first win of the season, 87-81.

The Sharks outscored the Airs 22-12 in the final quarter, guard Derone Raukawa top scoring for his side for the second straight week with 18 points off the bench.

Alex Pledger also came off the bench, but played much heavier minutes than the week before to grab a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds.

After trailing by eight at the end of the first quarter, Taranaki won both the second and third to hold a 69-68 lead to start the fourth.

But a 13-2 run to begin the fourth, put the home side up seven, pushing the lead up to nine with under five minutes to go.

Taranaki would not give in, closing to within two with under a minute left, but a three from Everard Bartlett (12 points) ensured there would not be a fairy-tale comeback for the Airs.

It was a better offensive showing from Taranaki import Marcus Johnson who tallied 24 points, Jordan Ngatai the next best with 16.

Taranaki will now return home where they will host the Giants, while Southland will have a tough back to back road double against the Hawks and the Giants starting on less than a week.