Huskies make the Final 4

Auckland Huskies edged past Taranaki Mountainairs 93-87 to secure a place in the end of season Final 4.

The Huskies will join the Wellington Saints, the Hawkes Bay Hawks and the Southland Sharks in Porirua on July 22/23 for the three biggest games of the season.

The match

The Mountainairs made a strong start and led 25-17 at the end of the first quarter.

Tai Wynyard was influential for the visitors, scoring 10 points in the opening quarter.

He continued to regularly score in the second quarter as his side went 12 points up. But the Huskies showed their resilience and fought their way back into the game.

Zack Riley and Justin Bibbs were brilliant for the hosts in the second quarter; Riley scored nine points and made two assists, while Bibbs scored 20 points and added two assists.

The duo were key as the hosts took the lead for for the first time since the beginning of the first quarter.

The Huskies led by a single point going into a fascinating final quarter.

Cheered on by the crowd, Aaron Young’s side showed their mettle and extended their lead in a high-octane final quarter.

Riley and Bibbs ended the game with 62 points between them with Riley scoring 32.

 

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The win was crucial for the Huskies, who secured a place in the Final 4.