Basketball: Waikato cruise along at top after easy win

Waikato remain the only unbeaten team in the national league, and Wellington look most likely to trouble them after a weekend round of predictable results.

Waikato thumped Canterbury 110-86, making up for a slow start with a big third quarter in which Clifton Bush got 11 of his 21 points. Prem Krishna added 24 and Pero Cameron 20 to underline their offensive power.

The Wellington Saints won only the third quarter against the North Harbour Kings, as they had in Wellington a fortnight ago.

"But this Wellington team is the best in a while. They have some key players this season," North Harbour coach Tracy Carpenter said.

The Saints went on to make it five victories from six games this season, winning 112-93.

The first half belonged to the Kings and their forward Brad Riley, who was outstanding, scoring 28 points in the half to give Harbour a 56-49 lead at the break.

The Saints' Terrence Lewis started to exert some influence towards the end of the half, shooting from the perimeter and taking three buckets from the free-throw line.

Wellington came out firing in the third quarter, scoring 33 to Harbour's 14, Lewis collecting five three-pointers.

Brian Gomes, Larry Hubbard and Riley combined well to bring the Kings back to just five points behind in the final quarter, but missed shots from Dylan Chase and Brendon Cathie-Pongia, and turnovers to Saints at a crucial time, led to their downfall.

"That was our best offensive game this season - 93 points and we still lost,"Carpenter lamented.

Auckland built a comprehensive win and were never threatened by the visiting Palmerston North Jets.

Stacey Lambert, Kent Mori and Ed Book produced busy games for the visitors, who were level 32-all mid-second quarter, but could not hang with the Aucklanders, as coach Tab Baldwin worked his bench.

The Jets' last chance went west when Book fouled out with four minutes to go, with Lambert following.

The Nelson Giants kept Otago win-less on Saturday, Phill Jones top-scoring with 23 in an 86-72 victory.

In Napier yesterday, Canterbury beat Hawkes Bay 83-81.