With the biggest crowd of the season watching, The Good Home Taranaki Mountain Airs put on a show deserving of a win, only to be nudged out in the FOURTH extra period to lose to the Otago Oceana Gold Nuggets 137–145 at TSB Stadium, New Plymouth last night.
MountainAirs Coach Dave Bublitz said he has never known a game to go on and on like this game did.
The close game was very physical and at times out-of-control as players flew in all directions with inconsistent decisions from the refs.
The fourth quarter saw the Mountain Airs playing “catch up”. Amazing work from Airs’ Jack Leasure, Link Abrams and Ethan Rusbatch saw the gap close. The calls from the refs were starting to have a big impact on the game as Nuggets’ Mark Dickel took a swing at Airs’ Link Abrams. The crowd chanted “off, off, off” but the ref only gave Abrams 2 shots. This decision would haunt the Airs.
With 4.07mins remaining on the clock Nuggets’ Benny Anthony was fouled out of the game and expressed his displeasure to the crowd. At full-time the scores were locked 93-93 with a clutch shot from Airs’ Jack Leasure sealing the deal.
Airs’ Kenny Gabriel had a quiet night adding only 10 points and 6 rebounds to be fouled out in the second of the four extra periods. Continue reading
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