Jets push Huskies to the limit despite close loss
The Manawatu¯ Jets will rattle some cages this year if they can replicate their performance against the Southern Huskies.
The Jets lost a tense NBL match 100-99 to league newcomers the Southern Huskies at the Arena on Thursday night, the first outing for the Tasmanian outfit, who got a big surprise.
Led by Kuran Iverson, Taane Samuel and Wally Ellenson, the Jets just about ruined the Huskies debut. Manawatu¯ led for the first three quarters and most of the fourth, and took the game right to the end.
But the Huskies hung in there and overhauled the Jets at the death.
‘‘We played hard tonight,’’ Iverson said, fresh off scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
‘‘The first two games, the preseason game and regular-season game, were a little rocky.
‘‘It was our first time playing with each other and we had to get the chemistry right, but all together I think our team is going the right way.’’
The Jets, who led 47-41 at halftime, had two late chances to tie the game and then steal the win, but missed their shots.
Iverson said they got tired at the end and let the Huskies get some buckets.
Huskies coach Anthony Stewart was a relieved man after being in transit for 28 hours.
‘‘We’ve still got a couple of players to come in. We were under manned but at the same time I wasn’t expecting the Jets to play that well. ‘‘They shot really well in the first half, put a lot of scoreboard pressure on us and made us defend a lot differently than what we’d planned.’’
The Huskies had offensive threats in Tre Nichols (30 points), Jalen Billups (26) and Craig Moller (27), but didn’t put the pressure on the Jets defensively.
The Jets shooting was much improved from a week ago at 45 per cent. Iverson was dangerous and landed four three pointers.
‘‘I didn’t know any of the Jets, I just watched them last week,’’ Stewart said. ‘‘They probably didn’t shoot as well last week and they didn’t play as well.
‘‘It was a huge change from what I saw on TV [last week].’’
The Jets came up with crucial shots late in the game and made a couple of important defensive plays when the Huskies, who had been slow out of the gates, were threatening
Led by Kuran Iverson, Taane Samuel and Wally Ellenson, the Jets just about ruined the Huskies debut.
to surge over the top of them in the fourth quarter.
Billups scored important baskets when the game was in the balance and took it to the Jets.
Big man Samuel impressed again with his physicality and scored 23 points, while forwards Shane Temara and Wally Ellenson had 17 and 18 points respectively.
New point guard Jackson Stubbins had a strong game too.
Import Anthony O’dunsi was hardly used, not coming off the bench until the fourth quarter, and played just over three minutes.
Ellenson had one of the game highlights with three second to go before three-quartertime when he landed a massive three pointer from halfway to give them a 74-73 lead.
The Jets are away against the Nelson Giants next weekend.
Southern Huskies 100 (Tre Nichols 30, Jalen Billups 26, Craig Moller 27) Manawatu¯ Jets 99 (Kuran Iverson 25, Taane Samuel 23, Shane Temara 17, Wally Ellenson 18) Q1: 15-21, HT: 41-47, Q3: 73-74.