NZNBL Wrap (May 21, 2024)

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

The New Zealand National Basketball League is stacked with NBL talent.

Melbourne’s Rob Loe has strengthened Auckland Tuatara’s position on top of the NZNBL standings by leading his side to a pair of big wins this past week and is the new leader in the competition’s official MVP race.

Loe and teammate Corey Webster currently occupy the top two positions in MVP voting, with Illawarra pair Dan Grida and Sam Froling also currently sitting in the top five alongside Franklin import Luther Muhammad.

The Webster brothers clashed when Auckland took on the Otago Nuggets, and it was Corey and Loe who emerged victorious from enemy territory.

The elder Webster top scored for Auckland with 22 points, while Loe added a 19-point, 11 rebound double double, alongside 15 points apiece from Reuben Te Rangi and Tom Vodanovich.

Tai Webster struggled to find his shot in the defeat and ended with just two points, however Wildcats development player Dontae Russo-Nance was an undoubted bright spot in the Nuggets’ defeat with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Auckland then dispatched Southland by 23 points behind a monster 29 points and 10 rebounds from Loe, while Webster and Vodanovich both also surpassed the 20-point mark in the 97-74 win.

Breakers development player Carlin Davison usurped Froling as Taranaki’s biggest weapon in the Airs’ 38-point win over Manawatu, and finished the clash with 25 points and 11 boards.

Froling was not to be outdone by his teammate though and added 23 points, while Flynn Cameron stuffed the stat-sheet with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in the win – in which he also registered a monster plus/minus of +48.

Ben Ayre continued his strong form for the Wellington Saints, and was crucial in guiding them home to a two-point win over the Franklin Bulls.

Ayre scored 30 of his team’s 87 points on the night and played all 40 minutes of the game, a feat which teammate Lat Mayen has also achieved this season with the Saints.

Early-season MVP candidate Hyrum Harris was at his destructive best with 17 points, seven boards and eight assists for Wellington.

Finally, the Nelson Giants suffered a surprise defeat to a resurgent Whai in the week’s closing fixture despite impressive performances from both Dan Grida and Dan Fotu.

Grida finished as the game’s leading scorer with 24 points, while Fotu added 17 points and eight boards of his own. However, import Kobe Langley was the only other Giant to score in double digits as they slumped to a 83-69 defeat.

Lat Mayen (Wellington) – 10PTS, 5REB, 1BLK vs Franklin

Tohi Smith-Milner (Wellington) – 11PTS, 8REB, 1BLK vs Franklin

Cns

Josh Roberts (Hawkes Bay) – 5PTS, 16REB, 3BLK vs Franklin

Lachlan Olbrich (Canterbury) – 16PTS, 14REB, 5AST vs Whai
Sam Froling (Taranaki) – 23PTS, 15REB, 3AST vs Manawatu
Dan Grida (Nelson) – 24PTS, 8REB, 2STL vs Whai

Rob Loe (Auckland) – 19PTS, 11ERB, 2AST vs Otago | 29PTS, 10REB, 2STL vs Southland
Flynn Cameron (Taranaki) – 16PTS, 6REB, 5AST vs Manawatu

Cam Gliddon (Auckland) – 9PTS, 5REB, 2STL vs Otago | 10PTS, 8REB, 4STL vs Southland
Max Darling (Canterbury) – 6PTS, 5REB, 1AST vs Whai
Carlin Davison (Taranaki) – 25PTS, 11REB, 2STL vs Manawatu
Mitch McCarron (Taranaki) – 5PTS, 4REB, 5AST vs Manawatu
Dom Kelman-Poto (Franklin) – 4PTS, 8REB vs Hawkes Bay | 5PTS, 6REB, 2AST vs Wellington
Alex McNaught (Nelson) – 4PTS, 3AST, 3STL vs Whai
Dan Fotu (Nelson) – 17PTS, 8REB, 2AST vs Whai

Ben Henshall (Otago) – 11PTS, 4REB, 4AST vs Auckland
Dontae Russo-Nance (Otago) – 14PTS, 7REB, 5STL vs Auckland
Jack Andrew (Otago) – 10PTS, 7REB, 4AST vs Auckland
Tai Webster (Otago) – 2PTS, 3REB, 1AST vs Auckland
Hyrum Harris (Wellington) – 17PTS, 7REB, 8AST vs Franklin