Pledger prominent in sound win
LAST week was a big one for Alex Pledger.
It was revealed the longtime Breaker had parted ways with the New Zealand club and would link up with Melbourne United in the Australian National Basketball League.
The move came as new Breakers coach Kevin Braswell shakes up the squad for the coming year.
That included Pledger getting the word to look at other options despite still having time to run on his contract.
However, on Saturday night Pledger showed little sign the contract negotiations had affected him.
He played a lead role in helping the Southland Sharks crush Hawke’s Bay 10474 in the New Zealand National Basketball League game at ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill.
Pledger scored a teamhigh 17 points in just 18 minutes on the floor as Southland yet again sent alarm bells ringing around the league, going to a 42 record through its first six games.
Again, the scoring load was spread for the Sharks: six players reached double digits.
The Sharks home crowd got its first look at American Orlando Coleman live at Stadium Southland after he missed the first home win over the Manawatu Jets.
Coleman picked up 10 points and seven rebounds on Saturday night, while James Hunter and Luke Aston were also prominent.
Southland lost to Hawke’s Bay in week one of the competition but on Saturday night the two teams looked to be in different classes.
The Sharks rushed out to a 2816 lead and Hawke’s Bay never recovered. By the third quarter, it trailed 7847.
The visitors did win the final quarter 2726 as Sharks coach Judd Flavell ensured his bench players got some court time, but the 30point drubbing was already well and truly sorted.
It was the Sharks’ second game in a stretch of seven straight home fixtures.
The next at ILT Stadium Southland will be against the Super City Rangers on Thursday night.