New Zealand NBL match report: Wellington Saints in top form ahead of play-offs

💫 Roger Schmidt’s #Benfica have been electric this season. Their form at the Estádio da Luz was the key:

🔴 45 goals
🔴 47.3 xG
🔴 6.7 shots on goal per game
🔴 34.5 touches in opp. box per game
🔴 33.9 line-breaking passes per game

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica twitter.com/slbenfica_en/s…

W FOR 𝑹𝑶𝑮𝑬𝑹 𝑩𝑨𝑳𝑳 🔥🔥🔥

🔴 @SLBenfica: campeões 🏆

A 3-0 win over Santa Clara sealed the deal for #Benfica, who claimed their record-extending 38th league title. It’s their first #LigaPortugal championship victory in four years. 🔥

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica

📊 The game that lost @FCNordsjaelland the title.

@FCKobenhavn were handed the title by #fcn‘s loss to rivals @BrondbyIF. Nordsjaelland had more shots, more corners, and OVER 300 MORE completed passes (397-700).

But #Brøndby won where it matters most. ⚽️

#fcklive | #sldk

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The Saints put on a show

The Wellington Saints put in a perfect performance ahead of the NBL play-offs as they hammered the Franklin Bulls 125-65 in their final match of the regular season.

The Saints racked up 29 triples – a season high – as they put on a show against the Bulls to win their 15th game of the season.

It was an ominous performance from Zico Coronel’s side, who sent a message to their play-off rivals that they are the team to beat.

They face Auckland Huskies on Saturday in their last match before the decisive play-offs.

The Bulls finish the season with only five wins from 18 games.


The match

The visitors took control from the outset and never let go. They led 38-15 at the end of the first quarter with 11 triples.

Roared on by a fervent home crowd, the Bulls fought back in the second quarter and won the quarter, 22-21.

But the margin was still a considerable 22 points at the halfway stage and the Saints asserted their dominance with a clinical third quarter.

The final quarter was brutal from the Saints, who won it by 46-11.


The stats

As a team, they were ruthless with their three-pointers, making 29 out of 53 – a strike rate of 54%.

Between Kenneth Tuffin and Tobi Smith-Milner, they made all nine of their three-point attempts.

Here is a shot chart, provided by FIBA LiveStats showing Tuffin’s unerring accuracy from behind the arc.

It was a top performance from the Wellington side. The pick of the bunch on the day was Kerwin Roach, who scored 29 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Leon Henry was also influential, scoring 24 points, including seven three-pointers.

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💫 Roger Schmidt’s #Benfica have been electric this season. Their form at the Estádio da Luz was the key:

🔴 45 goals
🔴 47.3 xG
🔴 6.7 shots on goal per game
🔴 34.5 touches in opp. box per game
🔴 33.9 line-breaking passes per game

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica twitter.com/slbenfica_en/s…

W FOR 𝑹𝑶𝑮𝑬𝑹 𝑩𝑨𝑳𝑳 🔥🔥🔥

🔴 @SLBenfica: campeões 🏆

A 3-0 win over Santa Clara sealed the deal for #Benfica, who claimed their record-extending 38th league title. It’s their first #LigaPortugal championship victory in four years. 🔥

#SLB38 | #EuAmoOBenfica

📊 The game that lost @FCNordsjaelland the title.

@FCKobenhavn were handed the title by #fcn‘s loss to rivals @BrondbyIF. Nordsjaelland had more shots, more corners, and OVER 300 MORE completed passes (397-700).

But #Brøndby won where it matters most. ⚽️

#fcklive | #sldk