Imports fuel Bay Hawks rout of Whai

Blowouts have been common in the National Basketball League (NBL) but the Bay Hawks took it to a new level.

The Hawks built a 24-point lead by halftime and cruised to a 105-74 win over the first-year Mid-North Whai to open Week 6 at Napier's Pettigrew Green Arena on Wednesday night.

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Australian guard Keanu Rasmussen top-scored for the Hawks, with 27 points (10/16 FG, 3/5 3pt, 4/5 FT), five rebounds and four steals, while import centre Josh Roberts put up a monster double-double of 23 points (10/14 FG, 3/3 FT) and 19 boards.

Fellow American Luke Sutherland scored 17 points (6/16 FG, 2/5 3pt, 3/3 FT), import guard Isaiah Moore 14 points (6/12 FG) and 11 assists, and Tall Blacks forward Jordan Ngatai 13 points (4/10 FG, 3/8 3pt).

American shooting guard Demarcus Holland top-scored for the Whai with 23 points (8/13 FG, 2/3 3pt, 5/6 FT), while Vance Jackson Jr added 16 points (6/13 FG, 2/6 3pt) and four boards.

Tall Blacks guard Kruz Perrott-Hunt put up 11 points (5/8 FG), import big man Phil Carr seven points, 12 rebounds and five assists, and former 3x3 Tall Blacks guard Jayden Bezzant nine points and four boards.

Josh Roberts had a 23-point, 19-rebound double-double for the Hawks. PHOTO: NBL

The game-changing phase came late in the first quarter and early second period.

Down 14-10 with 3:46 remaining in the first, the Hawks reeled off a 25-4 run, including 11 points from Roberts, to lead 35-18 with 6:35 to play in the half. That stretched to 24 points at the main break.

The Whai scored the first 10 points of the third period to pull within 14 but that was as close as the visitors got, with the Hawks' bench scoring the game's last eight points, including Jackson Ball's three at the buzzer.

The Hawks (3-3) return to action on Saturday (tip-off 7.30pm) at the Auckland Tuatara (6-2), while the Whai (2-5) have off until hosting the Otago Nuggets (3-2) in Tauranga next Wednesday (tip-off 7.30pm).

Bay Hawks 105 (Keanu Rasmussen 27, Josh Roberts 23, Luke Sutherland 17, Isaiah Moore 14, Jordan Ngatai 13) Mid-North Whai 74 (Demarcus Holland 23, Vance Jackson Jr 16, Kruz Perrott-Hunt 11). 1Q: 24-16, HT: 54-30, 3Q: 77-54