Hi everyone, I’m Nelson Live sports editor, Jacob Page and I want to welcome you to Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre as the Mike Pero Nelson Giants host the Southland Sharks in the National Basketball League.
It’s been a turbulent few days for the Giants whp released American point guard Joe Slocum last week after he averaged just five points a game in the first three rounds of the competition.
Melbourne-based Kyle Adnam is his replacement in the squad and will start tonight.
The Giants are already looking at being wooden-spooners this year and the challenge doesn’t get any easier tonight as they welcome Southland to the Hangar.
The Sharked thrashed the Giants by 36 points in Ivercargill in week one so a win seems unlikely but any improvement would be a welcome relief for the 0-3 Giants.
Tip-off is at 7pm.
Sharks win 100-94 but not without a massive scare. Huge improvement from the Giants.
9.05pm Ali Granger hits a two, 98-94 with 22 seconds left.
9.04pm Big three from the Giants 98-92 that’ll almost seal it with 30 seconds remaining. Time out Giants.
9.02pm Dempster gets two 95-92, 40 seconds left.
9pm Giants trail by three and need a stop. Sharks go to the line. Back out to five points 95-90
Giants trail 91-88 and need a stop. Can’t get it. Giants to the line.
8.54pm Finn evens it up again 88-88 3.08 left
Giants have not led in this game as we start overtime. Adnam scored 86-86.
8.52pm Overtime we go. 84-84
8.51pm The refs have put 0.6 seconds back on the clock. Sharks get another chance. Probably the right call.
8.50pm Sharks through into the paint Dempster disrupts and we are headed to overtime. 84-84.
Sharks ball coming up from the time out. Giants foul with one second to go. Sharks not in the bonus, they’ll inbound the ball. We may be headed to overtime. 84-84.
Adnam to shoot two free throws to tie it again…. YES! 84-84 22 seconds to go! Timeout
Prewster two shots from the line to tie it up! Can he do it. YES! Tie game 82-82 one minute to play.
8.39pm Adnam ties it! No, it doesn’t count Sharks ball 1.20 to go.
8.37pm Giants ball after the Sharks commit a shot clock violation.
8.37pm Bronson Beri back to back threes GAME ON! 82-80 Sharks lead with 2.50 left. Timeout Sharks.
8.36pm Beri with a big three 82-77.
8.32pm Big buckets from the Sharks when they’re needed most. Deflating for a home crowd that has started to believe. 81-74 4.25 to go.
8.30pm Finn Delany with two and Prewster with the board. 77-71 Prewster with a three! 77-74 5 minutes to play.
8.28pm Dempster with three! Giants need to limit the buckets the Sharks are getting in the paint. 75-69 6.36 to play.
8.27pm 73-66 Sharks lead 8 to play.
8.26pm Prewster continues the hustle for the Giants grabbing a board, racing down court and being fouled. 71-66
One-quarter to go 69-62 Sharks lead.
8.19pm Tom Ingham with a breakaway two 69-62 Sharks lead.
8.17pm Sharks just edging away here 67-58.
8.14pm Washington with an offensive board and a bucket 62-56.
8.14pm Giants hanging in there 60-54 Sharks lead.
8.06pm One point ball game. Quick buckets for the Giants here. Big three from the Sharks 57-53.
7.47pm 51-46 Sharks at halftime. Duane Bailey for the Sharks the only player in double digits with 10. Washington 9, Granger 8 and Adnam 6 for Nelson
7.44pm Five seconds left in the half. Sharks lead 51-46.
7.43pm Kyle Adnam with the steal and it’s 45-44 Sharks.
7.41pm Giants trail by 1 43-42.
7.40pm Dempster sinks both. Offensive foul Sharks give the Giants the ball back,
7.38pm Dempster fouled hard in the paint. He’ll shoot two free throws after the Sharks time out 43-38 with 3.10 left in the second quarter.
7.37pm Delany with a pull up jumper 43-36.
7.34pm Time out Giants. They are hanging on trying to stay in touch. 41-34
7.28pm Dion Prester with two and Finn Delany gets the fast break lay up 41-34.
7.27pm Washington misses the easiest layup ever and the Sharks hit a three 37-30.
7.26pm Kyle Adnam lands his first two points from the field 32-28 Sharks lead.
7.25pm Turnover by the Sharks to start the second quarter. Giants can’t convert
7.21pm Quarter time Sharks lead 27-23 a lot better than when they last met when the Giants managed just nine points in the opening quarter.
7.23pm Ali Granger hits his second three-pointer 30-26 Sharks lead.
720pm Tom Ingham with two points, 25-23 Sharks lead, dying seconds in the quarter.
7.18pm Granger wide open for three and ties the game. 19-19. Bang again. Granger 21-21.
7.17pm Prester hits a three. He’s the hot hand 19-16 Sharks.
7.14pm Rinse and repeat for Prewster 17-13 Giants.
7.13pm Prester with two off the glass 17-11.
7.10pm Washington with a cross-court pass that is too high for Adnam. 14-9 Sharks lead Tom Ingham and Bronson Beri on for the Giants.
7.07pm Curtis Washington with the offensive board and the put back and fouled! Three-point play12-9 Sharks lead.
7.06pm Reuben Te Rangi with a three. This is what has really hurt the Giants, teams with high three point percentages blowing them out of the game. 12-6.
7.06pm Kyle Adnam drives to the bucket and gets fouled for two shots. Sinks both 9-6.
7.05pm Duane Bailey with three 9-4 Sharks.
7.04pm Sharks lead 5-2 Washington at the free throw line sinks both 5-4.
7.02pm Adnam with a nice assist and Washington gets two as a result 2-2
7pm Tip-off time Luke Aston with a bucket for the Sharks. 2-0. Giants miss a jumper through Washington.
6.58pm Giants starting five: Dion Prewster, Sam Dempster, Kyle Adnam, Curtis Washington and Finn Delany.
6.49pm. There was some question whether Sharks big man Alex Pledger would make the trip but he is warming up with the team. Will be interesting to see if he gets minutes.
