NZL - Wing and a prayer

AUCKLAND (NBL) - Point guard Paul Henare once again saved his team’s bacon, helping Easy LPG Bay Hawks keep their Dominion Finance NBL hopes alive with an overtime 103-100 road win over Scenic Circle Canterbury Rams.

For the third straight game, the defending champions trailed into the final quarter and for the second time in as many weeks, Henare made a clutch basket to stave off defeat and force overtime.

Not known for his three-point range, he bombed one from well beyond the arc as time ran out to earn an extra period against Canterbury, then provided the free throws that finally edged the Hawks clear for a victory that gives them a four-way share of the league lead with a 9-4 record.

The Rams seemed headed for an unlikely win when they overwhelmed their guests 35-12 in the third quarter and carried an 18-point lead into the stretch. When Ashley Rees hit a trey with little more than three minutes remaining, they were 19 points clear … but then the Hawks showed why they are NBL titleholders.

Everard Bartlett struck twice from long distance, Paora Winitana and Aidan Daly followed suit to get them back on track. A 15-1 run got them back in contention, setting Henare up for his last ditch heroics.

The score was tied 98-98 with 29 seconds left in overtime before the result came down to free throws. Forward Arthur Trousdell put the Hawks ahead for good with two from the line and Henare had the final say to clinch it.

Phew!

American Kareem Johnson (21 points/12 rebounds) and Winitana (20 points/11 rebounds) both had “double doubles” for the winners, with Henare chipping in 12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. The Hawks now face a crucial home game against playoff contenders U Park It Waikato Pistons on Friday.

American Mychal Green led all scorers with 25 points (8/21 FG, 2/10 3pt, 7/10 FT) for the Rams.

Dominion Finance NBL

Easy LPG Bay Hawks 103 (Kareem Johnson 21, Paora Winitana 20, Everard Bartlett 15, Paul Henare 12)
Scenic Circle Canterbury Rams 100 (Mychal Green 25, Michael Joiner 19, Jeremy Kench 14, Mike Townsend 14, Joel Hart 12)

Quarter 11-16
Halftime 40-35 (29-19)
Threequarter 52-70 (12-35)
Fulltime 91-91 (39-21)
Overtime 103-100 (12-9)

Grant Chapman