Rams hold on to pip Rangers
Marcel Jones flirted with a triple double as the Canterbury Rams hung on to hand the Super City Rangers their first National Basketball League loss of the season.
Jones shone with 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists as Canterbury pipped the Aucklanders 88-86 at Cowles Stadium on Friday night.
The Rangers never led during the game, but were always within touching distance and had chances to snatch victory in the closing stages.
Canterbury gained redemption on Super City after losing 114-107 in Auckland in the opening game of the season and improve to 3-2.
It was the first loss of the season for Jeff Green’s Rangers, who drop back to 2-1, but refused to go away all game, having fallen into a heavy first quarter hole.
Super City’s standout Australian import Mitch McCarron did all he could to lead the Rangers to the win, netting a game-high 32 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Canterbury clung to an 86-84 lead with 20 seconds left when Nnanna Egwu was called for a foul on Marques Whippy. Whippy went cold from the free throw line, missing both attempts to give the Rangers a sniff.
Brook Ruscoe missed for the Rangers and then after they regathered the rebound, he slipped as he drove into the lane and the Rams recovered the basketball. Cocaptain Ethan Rusbatch coolly slotted both free throws to put his side up by four with 1.8 seconds left, which was the game.
Lindsay Tait hit a basket as time ran out, but it was too little, too late.
Canterbury produced a balanced scoring attack with Rusbatch leading the way with 19 points and six assists. Aside from his late missed free throws, Whippy was his usual industrious self, contributing 16 points and four rebounds.
Jones, last year’s New Zealand MVP, was immense for the Rams and his workaholic performance at both ends of the floor probably proved the difference.
Canterbury’s English import Will Neighbour responded from a benching demotion with his finest showing of the season.
Neighbour was busy in the first half with 12 points, three steals and two rebounds, becoming more confident with each basket.
Trailing all game, Super City closed the gap to three with five minutes left on a McCarron jump shot. Jones replied with a basket and a three from Jeremy Kendle put Canterbury ahead 81-73 with three and half left.
Rusbatch delivered another dagger with a corner three to give Canterbury a 84-76 lead, but Ruscoe hit right back with a triple to close it up again.