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CANTERBURY RAMPAGES 2001

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RAMS START HECTIC WEEKEND WITH WIN
by Corey Brown and Piet Van Hasselt

The WestpacTrust Canterbury Rams made an impressive start to their busy weekend schedule last night, with a 92-86 win over the Otago Nuggets.

In what was their first of three games for this round of the NZBL, the Rams put on a comprehensive team performance in defensive and inside play, managing to edge out their Southern rivals for the second time this season.

The match was tightly contested despite the Rams opening up many 5 to 10 point leads during the first three quarters. The Nuggets always hung close and were able to tie the game up 81-all with four minutes remaining. However, after some impressive work from the home side, and with four Nuggets sitting on the bench having fouled out, the Rams were able to gain a lead and maintain it in the dying minutes of the game.

For the Rams, inspirational captain Dave Langrell was top scorer, demonstrating why he is a strong contender for a Tall Black jersey this season. Langrell slotted two key three-pointers at crucial times and provided valuable leadership on the court from the guard position. His awesome contribution of 24 points, 6 assists and 4 steals put Canterbury on track for a well deserved victory. Langrell also had a perfect record from the free throw line, slotting each of his six attempts.

Scoring just as freely as Langrell were Ram’s import John Whorton and physical forward Jon Disher with 17 and 12 respectively. Whorton also managed to pull down a game high 13 rebounds. Veteran Craig Farrant scored 8 points and had two crowd-pleasing acrobatic block shots. Seasoned campaigner Andrew Gardiner had his best game in a Rams jersey, accumulating 12 points and was a workhorse inside. The Rams shot 53.3% FG for the match, which was well above their usual home shooting accuracy.

For the Nuggets, Hayden Allen secured game high honours with 27 points from a massive 23 shots. He was ably assisted by guard Mark Bracewell who fouled out in the third quarter, but not before posting 17 points. Feisty forward Andrew Parke chimed in with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. The result meant the Nuggets were consequently left with their sixth loss of the season, which further consolidated their position at the bottom of the NBL points table.

The victory capped off a successful night for Canterbury Basketball, with the Knights having a 78-55 win over Otago B.

The Rams now head to the North Island for a challenging away double header against the in-form Waikato Titans on Saturday night, and the Mighty Hawks on Sunday afternoon in Napier.

WestpacTrust Canterbury Rams vs. Otago Sports Institute Nuggets
Date: 07/06/2001   Time: 19:00   Site: WestpacTrust Centre

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