Basketball: Taranaki break losing streak with Whai win

Photo by John Velvin

The Taranaki Airs have snapped a seven-game losing streak with an impressive 85-73 win over the Tauranga Whai at TSB Stadium.

In a match where points were hard to come by early, both sides struggled to find their rhythm offensively. Just eight points had been scored after the opening four minutes as defence dominated proceedings.

The Airs gradually gained control and took a four-point advantage into the first break, with forward James Moors proving a handful in the paint.

Tauranga briefly moved ahead in the third quarter through the efforts of veteran Reuben Te Rangi, but the Airs responded with a decisive run that pushed their lead out to 14 points.

Taranaki's dominance inside proved the difference as Moors and the Airs imports controlled the boards and consistently found scoring opportunities near the basket.

Moors led the way with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Taane Samuel added 20 points and six assists. Xavier Green contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.

Te Rangi finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Whai, while Taine Murray scored 15 points and Jordan Ngatai added 14.

The victory lifts some pressure on the Airs after a difficult stretch of results and provides momentum heading into a demanding southern road trip.

Earlier, the Airs were beaten 32-29 by Tauranga in the Rapid League curtain-raiser. Zavier Adam top-scored for Taranaki with nine points, while Rufus Rusholme-Cobb added eight.

Taranaki now travel south for back-to-back games, facing the Southland Sharks in Invercargill on Thursday night before taking on the Otago Nuggets in Dunedin on Saturday.