Saints Stay in Top Two Hunt with Convincing Road Win Over Whai
The Mills Albert Wellington Saints strengthened their push for a top two finish in the Sal's NBL with an impressive 109 to 95 victory over the Northern Group Tauranga Whai on Saturday night.
With plenty on the line for both teams, the Whai were chasing a crucial win in the race for a Final 6 berth, while the Saints were looking to keep the pressure on the teams above them in the standings.
The home side made the brighter start, controlling the opening quarter to take a 30 to 22 lead.
The Saints responded in emphatic fashion during the second period. Donte Ingram and Carlin Davison sparked the turnaround, combining for a dominant quarter as Wellington quickly erased the deficit and carried a four point advantage into halftime.
The visitors continued to build momentum after the break. Elijah Pepper caught fire offensively, helping the Saints stretch the lead to as many as 18 points before the Whai mounted a brief fightback to cut the margin back to single digits.
Any hopes of a Tauranga comeback were quickly shut down. Wellington answered with another decisive run, extending the lead to 22 points with five minutes remaining before closing out a professional 109 to 95 victory.
Pepper once again led the Saints offensively with 30 points, while adding five assists and two steals. Akech Aliir produced another strong all around performance with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Carlin Davison controlled the game from the point guard position with 17 points, six rebounds and an outstanding 12 assists.
The Whai were led by Reuben Te Rangi, who finished with 30 points and seven rebounds. Taine Murray added 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Anzac Rissetto contributed 13 points and six rebounds.
The result keeps the Saints firmly in the hunt for a top two finish as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Rapid League
The Mills Albert Pathways Wellington Saints were unable to complete the double, falling 40 to 23 against the Northern Group Tauranga Whai in the Rapid League curtain raiser.
Both teams entered the contest chasing valuable wins in the race to catch the competition leading Tuatara, and the opening quarter reflected the stakes with neither side able to create much separation.
The game shifted in the second quarter, however, as the Whai outscored the Saints 16 to 6 to open up a commanding advantage. Wellington was unable to recover from the deficit, with Tauranga maintaining control through the second half to secure the 40 to 23 win.
Hassan Munir led the Saints with seven points and three rebounds, while Mercury Nonu added five points and two rebounds.
For the Whai, Jett Thompson finished with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Cole Hopoi contributed nine points.
