Sal’s NBL – Mid-Season Report Card
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By Aiden McLaughlin
Last weekend saw round eight of the 2023 Sal’s NBL take place. Here’s the ladder as things stand.
With seven rounds to go, followed by a finals series for the top six teams at the end of July, it seemed like a suitable time to catch up with Sky Sport commentators Justin Nelson and Casey Frank for their reflections on the season so far, what the teams need to do going forward and their predictions for the Final 6 line-up.
CANTERBURY RAMS
JN: A strong first half of the season for the re-built and re-tooled Rams. Despite having to let go of Tai Wynyard (China) and moving on Jared Wilson-Frame (Franklin Bulls) the Rams continue to get the job done with a roster that fits together nicely. Walter Brown continues to rise in stature, Tevin Brown and Troy Baxter Jnr bring plenty of talent and excitement as imports, while Max Darling is started to assert his authority. The Rams will make the Final 6 but their chances of winning it all will come down to the ability of their incoming import centre (expected to play from R9 onwards).
CF: Early on they looked like the team to beat with a great mix of athleticism on the perimeter and strength on the interior. They have managed the departure of Tai Wynyard better than one could expect. Tevin Brown has tremendous quickness he utilises on both ends of the court and Troy Baxter Jr. has dominated above the rim. They dominate the glass (+4.4 per game) and defend the 3 point line (opponents shoot 28% best in the comp) and the rim (9.8% block percentage, 2nd in comp). Five of their last eight are on the road, but they look a lock for the top 4 and a title contender if they pick up their efficiency.
AUCKLAND TUATARA
JN: The Tuatara are focused on going one better this season and have smartly put together a squad loaded with experience, complemented by a splash of rising young talent. The first half of the season has been solid. A couple of bumps, but nothing outside of Coach Aaron Young’s control. With Rob Loe, Jarrad Weeks, Reuben Te Rangi and Cam Gliddon all fit and healthy, this is a team capable of taking the silverware. Special mention to youngsters Charlie Dalton and Tom Beattie – two rising stars of Kiwi basketball.
CF: Depth looked like it was going to be an issue for a top heavy team, but they have gotten just enough from a mostly young (lookin at you Nick Barrow) bench has stepped up. Rob Loe is playing at an MVP level on both ends, erasing mistakes on d (2nd is steals, 1st in blocks) while acting as the hub offensively down low or as a high post passer. Reuben Te Rangi and Jarrad Weeks take turns being the most dominant perimeter force and now they’ve added a bit of frontcourt depth. I see them as a top two team who will be there at the end.
OTAGO NUGGETS
JN: The 2022 champs are well placed at the halfway point with just two losses, though those blemishes have come in their last two games (at home). Well balanced, the Nuggets look sharp with imports Todd Withers, JaQuori McLaughlin and Michael Harris leading the way. The local contingent continues to get better each season – Sam Timmins, Matthew Bardsley, Robbie Coman and Darcy Knox play their respective roles perfectly. Based on what we have seen so far, the Nuggets going back-to-back is not out of the question.
CF: Dominant defensively early in the season, the foot has come off the pedal a bit with consecutive home losses. Todd Withers is on the short list of best defensive players in the league and his pairing with Sam Timmins is dominant most games, and bigger than most everyone else when not at their best. Michael Harris has been voluminous from three and opportunistic in passing lanes while JaQuori Mclaughin can be a one man wrecking crew. The early season question was the locals, but Robbie Coman and Matthew Bardsley have been outstanding and timely role players. The announcement of Tai Webster takes them up a level, which is impressive, making them a top two team and title favourite.
FRANKLIN BULLS
JN: Gritty, hard-working and bullish (pardon the pun) is the best way to describe this new-look unit under the leadership of Coach Daniel Sokolovsky. The Bulls are building a game plan built around defence, very similar to the Rams back in 2019. Their first half of the season has been workmanlike rather than spectacular, they grind out wins rather than sprint to the finish line. Tyrell Harrison is still to return from injury, which makes this team more than likely to go deep into the Final 6.
CF: There was concern when Tyrell Harrisson went down with injury, what was the identity of this team going to be without one of the best bigs in the league? The identity was defense and board work, with few teams in the comp matching their physicality. Perimeter gravity was lacking, but with the addition of Jared Wilson-Frame and Matt Freeman this has now become a strength. With Dan Fotu and Dom Kelman-Potu have done enough without the big fella and Rickey Mcgill can turn defense to offense quicker than anyone else in the Sal’s NBL. They’ve solidified their grip on a top four spot and look like a fringe title contender.
HAWKE’S BAY HAWKS
JN: What an up and down season so far for the Hawks. Packed with Tall Blacks talent and electing to go with just one import, the Hawks are the only team yet to win a home game, however five wins on the road sees them hovering around the top half of the ladder. Hyrum Harris is the engine here and if the likes of Jordan Ngatai and Ira Lee can do enough to support him, the Hawks might just scrape into the Final 6. But some home wins would help.
CF: Two wins in the deep south may have just saved their season, after a stretch of 6 losses in 7 games looked to turn my preseason favourites into an also ran. While on the right track they aren’t out of the woods yet, still without a home win it remains to be seen if the 5 of their last 7 on the home court is a blessing or a curse. The addition of Ira Lee has allowed the rotation to settle (with Jordan Hunt and Derone Raukawa off the bench) and offered the inside/outside balance missing early in the season. If the three point shooting comes back to the mean they should lock down a finals spot and push opponents in the postseason, if not they could slip back into the abyss, but I’ll pick them to stick in the top 6.
WELLINGTON SAINTS
JN: After another slow start, which included three straight losses at home to start the season, the Saints are starting to warm up and have jumped up the ladder in recent weeks. Some roster moves have certainly helped and right now we are starting to see a balanced and settled team emerge. A good mix of Kiwis and imports is delivering plenty of exciting offensive punch, but it’s the defensive end that needs work and if they can get that right then the Saints are in for a massive second half of the season.
CF: They’ve found a winning formula after an inconsistent early season due to a lack of defensive communication and commitment. While putting it together for four quarters is an issue, the overall commitment to the defensive end seems to be in the past as they have performed with physicality and speed. Isaiah Mucius and Marlon Taylor can harass the perimeter and there is a bevy of bodies to rotate through the frontcourt (Tohi Smith-Milnter, Tom Vodanovich, Taane Samuel) but it is Kyle Adnam who is driving the car right now with his mix of scoring and setting the table for teammates. The return of Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa will bolster the D and stretch the floor further, but the early season hole will make it tough to catch the top of the table, making them a top 6 team just on the outside of title contention.
SOUTHLAND SHARKS
JN: An inconsistent first half of the season for the Sharks and in recent weeks there have been more downs than ups. Lacking scoring support to go with Jeremy Kendle and Grant Anticevich, the Sharks have lost three straight home games and have just made a move to bring back American forward, Josh Cunningham. While JC will make a difference, the jury is out as to whether it will be enough for the Sharks to displace a team above them on the ladder.
CF: Jeremy Kendle has been tremendous, offering leadership off the court and on while carrying the water for the offense. At their best they are able to control possession and grind teams down in the halfcourt with solid execution that creates shots both inside and out. Grant Anticevich has been solid if searching for a higher level of consistency and the return of Alex Pledger will eventually pay dividends. The talent level doesn’t quite match the work rate and any slip up of execution makes victories too slippery to hold onto, making a finish outside the Final 6 most likely.
NELSON GIANTS
JN: A horror 0-5 start to the season put the Giants on the back foot in a serious way. Three wins from their last five games has helped, but the difference between their best and worst is a concern, especially when it comes to taking care of the ball. Avery Woodson has been fun to watch, while Matur Maker is improving by the week, but everything else has been inconsistent for one of last year’s fairytale teams. A lot will need to go right from here for the Giants to be a contender at the Final 6.
CF: The team that started 0-5 had trouble scoring, hounded by a lack of ball movement, while also struggling to corral opponents offenses. They’ve turned around the execution on both ends of late and the offense can always keep up with Avery Woodson and his tremendously efficient shooting from deep. Kavion Pippen has worked his way into form and given the Giants a bigger inside presence. Surprisingly, taking care of the rock is still an issue, and any possession deficit makes winning a tough prospect for the Nelsonians. The early season swoon has put the post season just out of reach with a trip to the Final 6 not on the cards.
MANAWATU JETS
JN: The first half of the season has been a wild ride for the Jets. Possessing a three-headed import monster in Javion Blake, Mustapha Heron and Danny Pippen II has delivered plenty of highlights, but it is a young roster around them and that has help to deliver a lot of inconsistency. At times it looks like not everyone has been on the same page. At the halfway point the Jets look to be on a slide, but they do have the talent to climb quickly if they can knuckle down defensively. At their best I’m convinced the Jets can beat anyone.
CF: No team depends more on its import trio, with Javion Blake, Mustapha Heron and Danny Pippen II responsible for 79% of the offense and what seems like 95% of the shots. When locked in the defend the perimeter well and take away easy looks, when less locked in the defense gets careless and the ball gets sticky. The defense has gone south during a 3 game skid making a Final 6 spot tough to secure. They’ll most likely be in the role of spoiler down the stretch.
TARANAKI AIRS
JN: Last year’s regular season champs have been hard to watch at times this season. Losing the likes of Tai Wynyard and Javonte Douglas has hurt the Airs, while the late arrival of Anthony Hilliard has been unsettling. Injuries to Armon Fletcher and Richie Rodger haven’t helped, while there seems to have been issues with Marcel Jones, who has now moved over to the Jets. While mathematically the Airs can still make the Final 6, it will take a huge run of wins from here – probably 7 of their last 9 – and that seems unlikely based on current form.
CF: The Airs made an off-season gamble that Anthony Hilliard season in Uruguay would end early and his perimeter gravity would again pull defenders from all over the court to open things up for his teammates. A deep run in the playoffs kept the Airs without a needed perimeter threat and a lack of overall team speed made easy baskets in transition tough to create. The late season addition of Carlin Davison and Kendrick Ray provide a need change of pace, but this was a move that needed to be made a month ago, as it is they will have to settle for the role of spoiler.
Justin’s Final 6 Prediction
Auckland Tuatara
Canterbury Rams
Franklin Bulls
Otago Nuggets
Wellington Saints
Hawke’s Bay Hawks
Casey’s Final 6 Prediction
Canterbury Rams
Auckland Tuatara
Otago Nuggets
Franklin Bulls
Hawke’s Bay Hawks
Wellington Saints
Friday night sees the start of round nine as the Giants host the Saints. The full round nine fixtures can be found below.
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