Basketball: Waikato open season with a classy double

By MURRAY McKINNON

The Waikato Titans stamped their authority on the National Basketball League in the first week of competition with twin wins over the Wellington Saints and Auckland.

Former Auckland captain Pero Cameron, now with Waikato, was not in the Titans' starting five, but once on the court went to work with six defensive and three offensive rebounds.

The first quarter belonged to Auckland as their Australian import, Ben Pepper, towered over the others at 2.11m and dominated the board to score 12 points in the first five minutes.

Tight defence then forced play to the outside for both teams, Daryl Cartwright and Lawrence Dickie connecting three-pointers for Auckland, and Clifton Bush, Riki Strother and Prem Krishna for Waikato.

With the scores locked at 24-all at the end of the first quarter, Waikato then showed what a formidable combination they will be this season, with Nat Connell, Raymond Cameron, Bush and Strother taking them out to a 48-39 lead at halftime.

Connell, Strother, Bush and Krishna worked well in the third quarter to extend the lead to 19 points, but Auckland rekindled the spirit that won them the national title for the past two seasons.

With 51s remaining, Auckland were back to just four points down. But a series of fouls to stop the clock and gain possession worked against them as Connell and Chris Tupu were accurate from the free-throw line.

In the final 22s, Auckland missed a basket, Krishna took his two free throws, Cameron collected one foul shot, and Waikato drove back to Hamilton enjoying a 95-91 victory.

Bush scored 23 points and Krishna 16 for Waikato, and Pepper and Paul Henare were top for Auckland, both with 15.

Waikato coach Jeff Green said his side had too many weapons.

"Auckland made the mistake of keying off Pero, and left the rest of the other guys open," he said.

It is the second time Green has led his team to a win over the Blockbuster-sponsored Auckland on their home court, with a similar result, 91-88, in July last year.

Auckland captain Dillon Boucher said the team would improve with time. "Pepper has only had three training sessions with us, and he is coming to grips with us."

North Harbour came unstuck in their opening game of the season, losing to Hawkes Bay, 78-83, in Napier. The home side were inspired by aggressive work from Willie Burton (17 points) and Murray Baker (14).

Harbour's new American import, Brian Gomes, top-scored with 31.

The Nelson Giants' Phill Jones and Judd Flavell steered the home team to an 88-77 victory over Otago. After leading 71-65 at the end of the third quarter, the Canterbury Rams lost by one point to Palmerston North, 92-93, at Palmerston North.

Wellington, beaten by Waikato on Friday, came back on their home court yesterday to deliver Canterbury their second defeat of the opening round, winning 112-102.