Basketball: Airs win tightly contested match over Jets

BBNZ

Photo: New Taranaki Airs coach Sam McKinnon picks up his first win with the team in the opening round of the NBL. 

It was a back and forth Sal’s NBL affair as the Taranaki Steelformers Airs used every bit of energy to hold of a Property Brokers Manawatū Jets squad that was giving everything they had to secure a win in front of their home crowd.

But in the end it wasn’t to be as a late Jets three missed and sealed a 83-78 victory for Taranaki. Both teams were heavily dependent on their star bigs, and boy did the big fellas deliver as a see-saw battle in the post eventually fell in the favour of Sam Froling (29pts, 14rbs), but only just, over Tyrell Harrison (16pts, 24rebs). 

The first quarter began with Harrison and Froling trading baskets, but it wasn’t just the big fellas delivering as imports Elijah Minnie and Mustapha Heron traded threes early as both teams felt each other out. The three’s kept flowing as Liam Judd hit another before attacking the rim for 5 straight points on his way to a career high 23.

But things took a sudden turn for the Jets when import pg Jasper Rentoy went down with a knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of the game which allowed the Airs to stay within touch despite not finding a rhythm, as the Jets took a 1 point lead into the second period.

The 2nd quarter started as the game did, with Tyrell Harrison finding space inside, before Heron and Minnie traded highlight reel dunks that got the crowd to their feet. But the Airs would then turn the screws defensively, holding the Jets without a point for over 7 minutes as Mitch McCarron imprinted himself on the game with no look passes that got the Airs offense flowing.

Liam Judd then responded with a spectacular layup to reach 12pts for the half before Sam Froling again found some space to reach 13pts and 9 rebs before Simon Lafaele hit a layup (with a bit of help from Froling) just before halftime to cut the Taranaki lead to 8 at 43-35.

After the break the Airs came out strong as the lead again reached 12 points, before Judd again inserted himself into the action to with a three pointer followed by a three point play that cut the lead to 2. But Sam Froling wasn’t to be denied, hitting back-to-back buckets to give the Airs a 5 point lead heading into the final term.

The fourth started slowly but then Mustapha Heron found form with 8 straight points to give the Jets their first lead of the second half with just over 7 minutes to play. New recruit Derone Raukawa then responded with back to back buckets to retake a 2 point lead. As the pressure mounted both teams lifted the defensive intensity as Elijah Minnie again found the ball to hit a 3 and tie the game at 75 with under 2 minutes to play. Heron responded with free throws before Minnie finished a skying baseline dunk with a foul to grab a 2-point lead.

The Jets would then pepper the rim with 3 point attempts that failed to hit the mark before Liam Judd grabbed an o board and got fouled to head to the line with a chance to tie the game with 21 seconds left.

Unfortunately for Jets fans he would split the pair, cutting the lead to one at 79-78. All the remaining scoring was done by the Airs, who wrap up coach Sam Mackinnon’s first Sal’s NBL win.

Result: Property Broker Manwatū Jets (78) lost to Taranaki Steelformers Airs (83) at Palmerston North. 

Leading Players

[Manwatū Jets]: Liam Judd, 23pts, 6 reb, Mustapha Heron 21pts 5ast, Tyrell Harrison 16pts 24 rebs, Campbell Scott 10pts, 4 reb

[Taranaki Airs]: Sam Froling 29pts 14 rebs, Elijah Minnie 24pts 4 rebs, Mitch McCarron 11pts 11ast 7 rebs 3 stls, Carlin Davision 8pts 5 rebs 3stls

MVP Votes: Sam Froling (Airs) - 9 votes, Tyrell Harrison (Jets) - 9 votes, Elijah Minnie (Airs) - 4 votes, Mitch McCarron (Airs) - 4 votes, Liam Judd (Jets) - 3 votes, Mustapha Heron (Jets) - 1 vote