Historic third title beckons Saints
The Wellington Saints are one win away from making more National Basketball League history.
A year after becoming the first team to go through a season unbeaten, the Saints are within touching distance of another elusive first.
In their 37-year history, the Saints have claimed 10 NBL titles, but never have they won three in a row. It's a feat which has only been achieved once in the NBL — by Auckland from 1995 to 1997 — and now only the Southland Sharks stand in their way.
They will be a challenging obstacle. The Sharks have beaten them in both clashes this season, and although star point guard Jarrad Weeks is sidelined with a hamstring injury, they have the weapons to pose a serious threat.
But, as usual, the road to the NBL title runs through Wellington, and toppling the two-time defending champions on their home floor will be a monumental task.
The Saints were impressive as they ground past the Bay Hawks in their semifinal, running away with the game late to take a comprehensive 99-73 victory.
It was a bruising, plodding, encounter, with the Hawks attempting to bully the Saints in the post early on, and the Saints matching their physicality.
The Hawks barely had an easy basket all night, and they weren't helped by foul trouble, with Jarrod Kenny sitting with three fouls for the majority of the second quarter, while Angus Brandt could only muster 24 minutes.
That duo happen to be the two best players on the Hawks, and without them they struggled to keep pace as Saints point guard Shea Ili started to make his mark. Their lead grew to double digits, and whenever the Hawks threatened, the Saints had the answer, something coach Kevin Braswell put down to a defensive unit finding cohesion at the right time.
“In the second half they made a couple of runs but our defence is something we worked on all year long and it is finally starting to show.”
Saints shooting guard LJ Peak lived up to his name with a game worthy of the occasion, dropping 31 points, and his contributions shut the door on the Hawks as the scoreline eventually blew out to a 26-point trouncing.
Braswell says winning this title would mean the most to him.
“I want to leave my legacy with this group as the best coach who has ever coached here and I know I have the opportunity to do that. This group are hungry and ready to do it.”
The Sharks stand in their way, like they did last year, after beating the Nelson Giants 98-93 in the second semifinal.
In a complete contrast of the opening semi, the two sides played at a frenetic pace, and although Weeks was missing, the Sharks' big men stood up, mauling the glass as intensity levels escalated.
Finn Delany was the Giants' star, but he was matched by Conor Morgan for the Sharks, and the duo's battle sparked an all-in scuffle as the sides literally traded blows.
Delany (26 points) and Damon Heuir (25) hit five threes apiece, with the Giants' hot shooting keeping them in it as the superb Morgan (25 points and 16 rebounds) threatened to put the game out of reach.
After being down by 12, the Giants cut the deficit to one with 13.2 seconds to go, but they couldn’t convert their final opportunities as Alex Pledger (22 points and 12 rebounds) and Derone Raukawa coolly sunk two free throws apiece.
It was just enough to overcome a truly tough test, but for the Sharks, the ultimate test awaits this afternoon.