Sharks pip Saints in final thriller
Reuben Te Rangi endured a season of pain in the hope of getting a chance to help the Southland Sharks to their third National Basketball League title.
The 23-year-old was plagued by a knee injury for much of the season, but came good in the big moment, scoring 26 points, hauling in six rebounds and creating six assists in his side’s thrilling 98-96 win over the Wellington Saints in the NBL final at TSB Bank Arena in Wellington yesterday.
The performance defied Te Rangi’s season averages of 8.6 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists per game, but he said his lower than normal numbers were because he was building slowly as the season wore on.
‘‘It’s been a long season. The first half I was playing through a bit of pain,’’ he said while holding the NBL trophy in his grasp.
‘‘Going from not being able to run at the Commonwealth Games and coming into this season with a bad knee. I’ve been rehabbing this whole season, then to come out and play my best game in the final, it’s pretty sweet.’’
Te Rangi’s performance filled
Southland Sharks 98
the void left by high-scoring Australian guard Jarrad Weeks and, to a lesser extent, Luke Aston, who were restricted to a combined nine minutes between them in the final due to injury.