The Taranaki Airs made in five wins in a row with a 17-point rout of the undermanned Canterbury Rams in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.
A smart start by the home was quickly rubbed out by the athletic, fast paced Airs in an attritional first half that saw both teams with more rebounds than points at half time. Neither team could buy a three-pointer, and defense was the order of the first half.
Come the second though, the Airs imports turned it up to another level, quickening the pace, and bringing the highlights as a Rams side missing Taylor Britt and Max Darling to Tall Blacks duty struggled to keep up.
Matt Moyer was the shining light for the Rams, but he alone couldn't contain the three-headed highlight-monster that is Anthony Hilliard, Shaun Willet, and Javonte Douglas. The Airs ran away with the second, with any hope of a Rams comeback late in the fourth snubbed out by a shot-clock beating Richie Rodger three.
The Airs stay hot, the Rams start to sweat over their Top-6 spot.
SCORE: Rams 70, Airs 87
Rams: Moyer 20pts 15reb
Airs: Douglas 18pts 17reb 7ast | Willett 19pts 7reb | Hilliard 19pts 7reb
Full box score HERE.
Stuff MVP Votes
Douglas (Airs) 10pts
Willett (Airs) 8pts
Moyer (Rams) 5pts
Austin (Rams) 5pts
Hilliard (Airs) 2pts
Upcoming Opponents
Rams - July 23 vs. Nelson Giants
Airs – July 22 @ Southland Sharks
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Round 13 Sal's NBL Schedule
