NZL - Tait shoots down Jets

AUCKLAND (NBL) - Youthtown Auckland Stars guard Lindsay Tait helped pull his team out of the fire as they rallied in the final quarter for a 99-89 home win over Inspire Net Manawatu Jets in the Dominion Finance NBL.

Riding a four-game winning streak, the Stars seemed well on track to extend that record as they opened the game with 11 unanswered points. They still led 45-39 at halftime, but soon after the break, Manawatu mounted a comeback that carried them nine points clear late in the third term.

Veteran Stacey Lambert went into the locker room scoreless through the first half, but emerged breathing fire, compiling 17 points in the second half ... 12 of them in that third period. He led a long-range barrage that saw the Jets lob in six three-pointers as they swept past the Stars.

They still led 83-82 deep into the final period, but as leading rebounder Josh Goodwin fouled out of the contest, Auckland unleashed a 15-0 run that extinguished the challenge for good.

Tait, who was NBL Player of the Week for Round Four, continued his hot form with 27 points, including 5/9 3pt, and seven assists. Eight of those points came in the game-winning run.

American Tashaan Forehan-Kelly, also quiet through the first two quarters, put on 15 of his 19 points in the second half.

American Brandon Payton led the Jets with 19 points, but registered his first points of the second half with less than two minutes to play and the game lost. Lambert and former Star Reece Cassidy had 17 points each.

Manawatu must now regroup to take on unbeaten Appliance Shed Harbour Heat on Saturday, while Auckland face a tough match-up with U Park It Waikato Pistons on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Easy LPG Bay Hawks cruised clear in the opening quarter and held on for a 93-81 home win over a depleted Cartridge World Otago Nuggets.

The defending champions led 34-12 after the first term, but that was the only term they won against a team short of an import after sending American Jameel Pugh home during the week.

Guard Everard Bartlett led the Hawks with 21 points, while American Justin Bailey continued to lead the league scoring race with 34 points.

Auckland

Youthtown Auckland Stars 99 (Lindsay Tait 27, Tashaan Forehan-Kelly 19, Casey Frank 18, Dillon Boucher 15, Danny Lambert 15)
Inspire Net Manawatu Jets 89 (Brandon Payton 19, Stacey Lambert 17, Reece Cassidy 17, Josh Goodwin 13)

Napier

Easy LPG Bay Hawks 93 (Everard Bartlett 21)
Cartridge World Otago Nuggets 81 (Justin Bailey 34)

Grant Chapman