Brendon Egan11:29, Jul 14 2021
Marty Melville/Photosport
Devondrick Walker and the Hawke’s Bay Hawks have found form at the right stage of the season.
OPINION: It’s the final round of the NBL season and the top four is confirmed. The exact finishing order and semifinal match-ups are still to be determined though, setting up an interesting final weekend. BRENDON EGAN looks at the key talking points for round 12.
Finals permutations The hometown Wellington Saints have top spot locked up for the Final Four in Porirua, which will be contested next Thursday and Friday. Southland and Hawke s Bay, who both have a 12-5 record, are likely to meet in one semifinal (two versus three), but it s not quite guaranteed. The fourth placed Auckland Huskies could still potentially jump up, but it would require several scenarios playing out. Auckland must beat the Saints on Saturday and hope both the Hawks and Sharks lose, forcing a three-way tie.
However, it turned out to be an ankle sprain and the hope is with some rest this week he could well be back on the court for this weekend’s round of games. The Sharks will play the Canterbury Rams on Friday night followed by Hawke’s Bay in Invercargill on Sunday. Despite the 93-92 overtime loss the Sharks faithful were treated to a special spectacle on Saturday with former Shark Tom Vodanovich proving to be the match winner for the Huskies. It was the Sharks first loss at home this season and ended an eight-game Southland winning streak. The big Stadium Southland crowd was stunned into silence when the Huskies ran out to an 8-0 lead but came to life as the Sharks worked their back into the game through the sharpshooting of the impressive Brayden Inger.