Running of the Bulls puts Franklin on top
The form guide from the first week of the National Basketball League Showdown has been tossed out the window.
After round one, the Canterbury Rams looked like early title favourites, winning their opening three games.
They have crashed back to the pack, losing three straight games to the Manawatu Jets, Nelson Giants, and Otago Nuggets on Saturday night.
If one thing is clear from the first two weeks of the Showdown, it’s that the competition is wide open.
The Rams have been in free-fall, but it has been the opposite effect for the Franklin Bulls, who have won four on the bounce after beginning 0-2.
After winning Auckland’s ‘Battle of the North’ last Sunday against the Huskies, the Bulls have backed up with wins over the Giants, Nuggets, and Jets to improve to a competition-best 4-2.
In Saturday’s 83-72 win over the Jets, Franklin were paced by 17 points and nine rebounds from centre Sam Timmins with four others scoring in double digits.
It has been quite the turnaround from first year entity, the Bulls, who have got into their rhythm, grown in confidence, and surged to the top of the ladder.
The Nuggets sat 2-0 after round one, but have also tasted defeat for the first time in 2020, losing back-to-back games against the Taranaki Mountain Airs and Bulls. In Saturday’s South Island showdown, Otago gained bragging rights over Canterbury, earning an 87-77 victory to jump to a 3-2 record.
Otago were outrebounded 51-35, but still managed to get the job done with No 1 draft pick, Tall Blacks and Breakers forward Jordan Ngatai again leading the way with 19 points, five boards, and four assists.
The Auckland Huskies earned their first Showdown win in round two, overpowering the Mountain Airs 109-95 on Tuesday.
After a forgettable debut, where he shot one of 15 for two points, first round draft pick Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa bounced back in style for the Huskies.
The bottom placed Huskies weren’t able to follow it up with a win, losing 91-83 to the Giants yesterday.
Auckland roared home with a 29-14 fourth quarter, but the damage had been done earlier. Mauriohooho-Le’afa notched a game-high 32 points, including eight three pointers.