CHANCE
TO DOUBLE UP OVER GIANTS
8 AUGUST 2001
by Corey BrownThe WestpacTrust Canterbury
Rams not only have the opportunity to secure a
fifth placing in the 2001 National Basketball
League this weekend against the Nelson Giants,
but the prestigious Burger King Cup is also up
for grabs.
Despite a top four play-off berth now being
beyond the grasp of the Cantabrians, there
remains the opportunity for them to improve on an
already satisfactory season. If the Rams defeat
the high-flying Giants, they can finish the
season with two wins apiece against both their
Southern counterparts, Nelson and the Otago
Nuggets. This time last year the Rams had just
one win, but now with one game still to play,
they already have seven wins.
The visiting Waikato Titans dashed the Rams
semi-final hopes last weekend after an
astonishing points blitz from scoring machine
Clifton Bush. "Super Bush" dispatched
the Canterbury attack from all corners of the
WestpacTrust Centre, and posted an incredible
tally of 44 points and 20 rebounds.
The Rams, despite going down to a then unbeaten
Titans side, still managed some positive
performances. John "Pope" Whorton, for
the fourth time this year amassed over 30 points
in a game. His tally of 34 points and 21 rebounds
was the highest by a Ram this season. Sensation
Luke Ruscoe continued his path to greater NBL
glory, with a 80% free throw record and a total
of 21 points, including a classic dunk. One
further aspect to come from the Titans clash was
that the Rams managed to score 42 points in the
final quarter.
The last time Nelson and Canterbury met was in
Christchurch and resulted in a nail-biting
thriller, when the Rams came from a 21-point
deficit to upset the Giants 66-65. The Giants
have since dropped just four matches and now lie
second on the NBL points table.
Last weekend was a mixed bag for the Giants as
they shared a win and a loss from their away
double-header. After a 67-66 win over Blockbuster
Auckland on the Friday night, Nelson then went
down to the North Harbour Kings 76-73 the
following night. As per usual, Nelson stalwart
Phill Jones will play a decisive role in this
weekend's clash. Jones, together with Judd
Flavell, have produced stellar efforts
consistently for the Giants and have been
instrumental in their progression to second
place. Unfortunately for Nelson, their invaluable
American Import Darnell McCulloch has had his
season cut short with an Achilles injury.
The game tip-off is at 7.30pm at Trafalgar Centre
in Nelson on Saturday 11 August.
BACK TO THE
RAMS NEWS PAGE
|
