Taranaki Airs seal top spot for finals

Well done to anyone who predicted the Taranaki Airs would finish with the best record in the National Basketball League at the start of the season.

Taranaki completed a rags-to-riches storyline, thumping the Nelson Giants 98-67 in the battle to be minor champions in their last round game on Thursday.

The result saw the Airs leapfrog the Giants and secure first seed for the top six NBL finals, which will be contested at Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium this week.

By finishing in the top two, the Airs are straight through to the semifinals and will play the lowest ranked semifinal winner on Thursday. If they win that they’ll be through to the grand final on Saturday night – something few would have imagined at the start of the season.

The exact seeding order for the finals was only determined after the last game of the regular season between the Otago Nuggets and Franklin Bulls yesterday, which went to overtime.

Otago’s American guard Tray Boyd drained crunch back-to-back baskets, including a corner three, late in overtime to clinch a 104-99 win and third spot.

Wednesday’s elimination finals will see the Nuggets take on the sixth-placed Hawke’s Bay Hawks. The other elimination final (four versus five) will feature defending champions Wellington Saints against the Auckland Tuatara.

Talk about rising from the outhouse to the penthouse for the Airs. Taranaki finished rock bottom last season with a 2-15 record. In 2015, they suffered the embarrassment of a winless 0-18 campaign, and won just 10 of 54 games between 2017-19.

This was the first time in 30 years a Taranaki side has finished top of the NBL after round play with the New Plymouth Bears the last to do so in 1992.

Led by outstanding American MVP candidates Anthony Hilliard and Javonte Douglas, and compatriot Shaun Willett, mixed with a solid Kiwi core, the Airs have taken the competition by storm.

Coach Trent Adam has Taranaki playing a fast-paced entertaining style of basketball and they have grown in confidence with each win.

With top spot on the line, the Airs didn’t disappoint in front of their home fans at TSB Stadium, crushing the Giants.

It was some farewell present for Taranaki hoops veteran Aaron Bailey-Nowell, who was playing his last game at home for the team in an NBL career spanning 20 years.

Douglas put on a show against Nelson, registering a near triple-double of 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.