When the Bay Hawks needed more, they got it from point guard Isaiah Moore.
With the Hawks' National Basketball League (NBL) season on the line, Moore put up a big double-double in a 108-102 upset win over the Auckland Tuatara at Pettigrew Green Arena in Napier on Wednesday night.
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The American guard exploded for a season-high 38 points (13/26 FG, 2/5 3pt, 10/10 FT), 10 assists and three steals as the Hawks came from 11 points down in the third quarter to keep their playoffs hopes alive.
With the home side down 64-53 early in the third period, Moore scored 11 points in the quarter as they took a four-point lead, then put up another nine in the fourth as they surged clear by 13.
Equally influential was Australian guard Keanu Rasmussen, who had 16 points in the second half, and Kiwi guard Jacob Murphy, who hit big back-to-back threes in the fourth period as the Hawks got on a roll.
From 11 down, the Hawks went on a 16-4 run to take a one-point lead, which grew to four by the end of the third. A 22-11 stretch in the fourth put them up 104-91 wiwth 2:29 remaining, before Auckland closed on a 11-4 burst.
Rasmussen ended with 26 points (9/13 FG, 5/7 3pt, 3/3 FT), seven rebounds and six assists, Jordan Ngatai 14 points (5/14 FG, 4/11 3pt) and nine boards, Josh Roberts 13 points (6/11 FG), 11 rebounds and two blocks, and Murphy 10 points (4/11 FG, 2/4 3pt), five boards and four steals.
Rob Loe led the Tuatara with 27 points (10/16 FG, 2/5 3pt, 5/7 FT), 12 rebounds and five assists, supported by Cam Gliddon, with 25 points (8/9 FG, 5/5 3pt, 4/4 FT), six boards, four steals and three blocks, and Charlie Dalton, with 17 points (7/15 FG) and five rebounds.
Earlier, the first half was a rollercoaster. The Hawks scored 10 straight points to take a two-point lead but the Tuatara countered with a 7-0 run soon after. After the Hawks went ahead by six midway through the second quarter, the visitors put together a 21-7 stretch to lead by eight at halftime.
The win lifted the Hawks level with the Nelson Giants and Tauranga Whai with eight wins in the race for the final postseason berth. The Nuggets can still join them, while a Giants loss in their finale would see a four-way tie at 8-12, with a tiebreaker required.
Bay Hawks 108 (Isaiah Moore 38, Keanu Rasmussen 26, Jordan Ngatai 14, Josh Roberts 13, Jacob Murphy 10) Auckland Tuatara 102 (Rob Loe 27, Cam Gliddon 25, Charlie Dalton 17, Braydon Iuli 10). 1Q: 27-31, HT: 51-59, 3Q: 82-78