With the NBL Final Four set to get under way in Tauranga tonight, Jeff Cheshire looks at each team’s chances.
Wellington Saints v Canterbury Rams
The title is Wellington’s to lose. It has a perfect 18-0 record and boasts a Tall Black-laden roster. In Corey Webster it has the league’s leading scorer, going at 26 points per game. He forms a strong back court with Shea Ili, while combining with a front court containing multiple threats.
If being the league’s leading scoring team is not enough, it is also the toughest to score against.
The Rams have had a mixed season, going 10-8, after winning last year’s minor premiership.
However, they have talent on their roster, and Marcel Jones and Jeremy Kendle are both capable of taking over a game.
Look for them to push the ball in transition and play at a fast pace.If things go right, they are capable of an upset, but it looks unlikely.
Southland Sharks v Supercity Rangers
The Sharks brought up a 101-83 win when these teams played last week, but you would not want to read too much into that. Playoffs are a different beast and this is a match-up that could go either way.
Southland has a dominant duo inside in Alex Pledger and Nick Kay, who make the team the league’s best rebounding side.
They are surrounded by quality on the perimeter too, notably in Breakers and Tall Blacks swingman Reuben Te Rangi.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have two of the league’s most potent scoring threats in Mitch McCarron and Earnest Ross jun.
Those two combine with the experience of Lindsay Tait and Dillon Boucher, and big man Nnanna Egwu, to form a strong starting five.
They ensure the Rangers are more than capable of winning this one, but the Sharks’ inside threat might be too much for them to handle.
The Final
Again, this is Wellington’s to lose.
The Sharks pushed it closer than anyone this season in round two, but were comprehensively beaten in their next two meetings.It should be another win for the Saints, but as has been seen so many times before, anything can happen in playoff basketball.
