Saints crush Sharks as Harris dominates final
Harris poured in 20 points and claimed 14 rebounds in a devastating display of defence that led the Saints to their first title since 2021, and 13th in franchise history, in the capital this afternoon.
Jordan Ngatai added 19 points, including two clutch three-pointers down the stretch, and sparkplug Nicholas Marshall had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
The Sharks had timed their run perfectly and won nine straight games to reach the final.
But their hopes of winning a fourth chip, and first since 2018, were undone by a poor third quarter and a couple of key moments in the fourth.
Keylan Boone did everything he could for the Sharks, hitting five three-pointers in his 19 points, while former Nuggets centre Sam Timmins had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Sharks made the early running and jumped to a 14-7 lead with four quick three-pointers.
They also came up with some timely offensive boards to give themselves some second chances.
Harris powered the Saints as they fired back to level terms then nabbed a 25-23 lead, though Caleb Aspberry wiped that out with two free throws right at the end of the first quarter.
The Saints went on a nice run in the second before their shooting hands went completely cold — they made just two of their first 15 attempts from long range.
Josiah Allick, fresh off being named the league's most valuable player, had been a non-event in the first quarter but got more involved in the second, and Timmins nabbed a couple of big rebounds.
A lean-back Boone jumper gave the Sharks a 44-38 lead late in the quarter before a crazy sequence in which the Saints turned the ball over, Ngatai blocked Boone, and Ngatai hit a three.
Izayah Le'afa capped a miserable personal first half from deep (0-for-7) with a miss on the buzzer, leaving Southland with a 44-41 lead at halftime.
The third quarter ebbed and flowed after a clutch three from Australian veteran Shaun Bruce and a sublime cut by Marshall gave the Saints the lead, before Allick again got the Sharks humming.
The Saints were strong on transition and starting to turn the heat up on defence, forcing back-to-back Southland turnovers, and they went up by seven when Le'afa was fouled shooting from deep.
When Timmins got fired for an offensive foul and Bruce hit from three again, the Saints suddenly had a 10-point lead, though that was shaved to seven at the final break.
The Saints kept chipping away, and at 77-64 with less than 7min to play, it looked like curtains for the Sharks.
But they would not quit.
Boone hit three threes, Timmins played with the sort of fury that powered the Nuggets to the 2022 title, and Tukaha Cooper hit a bomb in the final minutes.
They were big moments, but the Saints did just enough to stay in front. NBL final The scores
Wellington Saints 88
Hyrum Harris 20, Jordan Ngatai 19, Nicholas Marshall 16
Southland Sharks 83
Keylan Boone 19, Sam Timmins 17, Josiah Allick 15
Quarter scores: 25-25, Sharks 44-41, Saints 67-60.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
13 hours ago
- Scoop
Rugby: Wallaroo Waiaria Ellis Says New Zealand Was 'The Best Place To Debut'
, Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern Western Sydney schoolgirl Waiaria Ellis debuted for the Wallaroos last weekend, playing for her country against her other home side. The Laurie O'Reilly cup match between the Black Ferns and the Wallaroos at Sky Stadium meant the Australian pocket rocket became the second-youngest debutant in Wallaroos history at 17 years and 305 days. Ellis, who is nicknamed 'Baba', was just 60 days short of Caitlyn Halse's record set in 2024. "I wasn't expecting to debut so soon. I thought that I would have had a few more training camps and that, because I'd been to a few, but I just wasn't expecting it, so it's literally so surreal," Ellis said. "There's definitely no better place to debut, to be honest. Like, just being Māori, then being able to debut in New Zealand and versing New Zealand was pretty crazy, but it was amazing." The Castle Hill High Schooler started in the number 14 jersey on the same wing as Katelyn Vaha'akolo. The Black Ferns clinched a 37-12 win over the Aussies. Her mum flew over the Tasman to the capital, and her koro, nan, and aunty drove down from Tūrangi. The Ngāti Tūwharetoa descendant said that having the backing of her family was everything. "I'm just so proud to be Māori. Our culture, our connection to the land, and just my family. Family is a lot to us. It is important." Her dad Ben Ellis played in the NRL for St George Illawarra and captained the New Zealand Māori Rugby League team in 2008. Her sister Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis has also played in the NRLW for the Parramatta Eels. The young Ellis looked up to both her dad and her big sister. "My dad helped coach me and everything, and he played in the NRL as well. He knows a lot about footy and he's just helped me a lot with everything in my career. "But then, a few years ago, my sister debuted for Para, Parramatta NRLW, and she was the first junior Parramatta player to play for the women - the first junior one to come through the path - she was actually a very big idol of mine, I looked up to her." She also praised her teammate Caitlyn Halse, who is another strong contender for the number 15 jersey. "She's very, very good, and she's so young, like, she's just a year older than me but she's achieved so much, and, she's just such a great player." Ellis hasn't been playing the 15-aside game long but owes her nifty playmaking ability to rugby league - the sport she has been playing since she was five years old. She has also worn the green and gold in junior Australian gymnastics, Oztag, and schoolgirls sevens. In just her second year on the rugby pitch, she scored a spot in the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby Women's team at 16. The Waratahs won the Super W championship back-to-back, defeating the Queensland Reds 43-21 this year. "Super W season is one of my favourites. The girls are just really good to be around." With a Wallaroo cap under her belt, Ellis wants to see where her rugby career can take her. "Australia has given me everything, all my opportunities and stuff. So I feel like that's who I should be representing." "But also, if I was in a black jersey, I'd be very proud to be in a black jersey as well - both I'd be very grateful for if I ever had to swap for anything." And the utility back isn't limiting her options. "I definitely would want to give sevens a crack." But for now, Ellis' focus is impressing selectors for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. "Obviously I do other sports and stuff, but I've just been really concentrating on 15s, just because that's, like, the World Cup is literally the pinnacle of our sport. Everyone wants to achieve that, so that would be pretty amazing." Wallaroos head coach Jo Yapp said in a pre-match statement that the coaching staff are "all really pleased for Waiaria." "She has an excellent skillset and her youthfulness has a great effect on the playing group. We are confident in her ability to take the next step at this level." Australia is hosting Wales in a two-test series on 26 July in Brisbane and 1 August in Sydney in preparations for the Rugby World Cup. A squad of 32 will be selected for the World Cup following the match in Sydney, then will jet off for the UK on 11 August.
NZ Herald
19 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Wallabies v Lions: How a New Zealand club shaped Finn Russell into arguably the world's best No 10
As Finn Russell's mis-pass hung in the Brisbane night air, looping over the heads of four Australian defenders, Sione Tuipulotu had a sudden feeling of deja vu. During the ball's two-second hang time, the Scotland centre realised he had seen this movie before. Seven years earlier, Russell threw what might
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Harris leads way as Saints claim 13th NBL title
Hyrum Harris and the Wellington Saints dashed the Southland Sharks' dreams of a fairy-tale NBL crown yesterday. Harris poured in 20 points and claimed 14 rebounds in a devastating display of defence that led the Saints to their first title since 2021, and 13th in franchise history. Jordan Ngatai added 19 points, including two clutch three-pointers down the stretch, and sparkplug Nicholas Marshall had 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Sharks had timed their run perfectly and won nine straight games to reach the final. But their hopes of winning a fourth chip, and first since 2018, were undone by a poor third quarter and a couple of key moments in the fourth. Keylan Boone did everything he could for the Sharks, hitting five three-pointers in his 19 points, while former Nuggets centre Sam Timmins collected 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Sharks made the early running and jumped to a 14-7 lead with four quick three-pointers. They also came up with some timely offensive boards to give themselves some second chances. Harris powered the Saints as they fired back to level terms then nabbed a 25-23 lead, though Caleb Aspberry wiped that out with two free throws right at the end of the first quarter. The Saints went on a nice run in the second before their shooting hands went completely cold — they made just two of their first 15 attempts from long range. Josiah Allick, fresh off being named the league's most valuable player, had been a non-event in the first quarter but got more involved in the second, and Timmins nabbed a couple of big rebounds. A lean-back Boone jumper gave the Sharks a 44-38 lead late in the quarter before a crazy sequence in which the Saints turned the ball over, Ngatai blocked Boone, and Ngatai hit a three. Izayah Le'afa capped a miserable personal first half from deep (0-for-7) with a miss on the buzzer, leaving Southland with a 44-41 lead at halftime. The third quarter ebbed and flowed after a clutch three from Australian veteran Shaun Bruce and a sublime cut by Marshall gave the Saints the lead, before Allick again got the Sharks humming. The Saints were strong on transition and starting to turn the heat up on defence, forcing back-to-back Southland turnovers, and they went up by seven when Le'afa was fouled shooting from deep. When Timmins got fired for an offensive foul and Bruce hit from three again, the Saints suddenly had a 10-point lead, though that was shaved to seven at the final break. The Saints kept chipping away, and at 77-64 with less than 7min to play, it looked like curtains for the Sharks. But they would not quit. Boone hit three threes, Timmins played with the sort of fury that powered the Nuggets to the 2022 title, and Tukaha Cooper hit a bomb in the final minutes. They were big moments, but the Saints did just enough to stay in front. NBL final The scores Wellington Saints 88 Hyrum Harris 20, Jordan Ngatai 19, Nicholas Marshall 16 Southland Sharks 83 Keylan Boone 19, Sam Timmins 17, Josiah Allick 15 Quarter scores: 25-25, Sharks 44-41, Saints 67-60.
