WEBVTT - Nick Bewley: Newstalk ZB sports commentator previews NBL grand final

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine

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<v Speaker 1>from newstalksb.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's the defending champion Wellington Saints.

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<v Speaker 3>The fourth seed has dominated the first The Saints will

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<v Speaker 3>have an opportunity to go back to back. The reigning

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<v Speaker 3>champions storm through to the Grand Final one hundred and

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<v Speaker 3>twelve and sixty nine.

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<v Speaker 2>Here they'll take on the Southland Sharks and the.

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<v Speaker 4>Southland Sharks we'll host the Sales MBL Grand Final in twenty.

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<v Speaker 5>Twenty six and the Sharks come away eighty four to

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<v Speaker 5>seventy four winners.

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<v Speaker 2>It is a repeat of last year's Grand Final, this

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<v Speaker 2>time for the first time, it's an in the cargol

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<v Speaker 2>our own. Nick Beuley is part of Sky Sports coverage.

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<v Speaker 2>He joins us, Now let's start with where you are, Nick,

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<v Speaker 2>in the cargol the Southland Sharks playing their first ever

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<v Speaker 2>home Grand Final. How significant could that home court advantage be?

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<v Speaker 5>This afternoon of good afternoon final great to be with

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<v Speaker 5>as Newstort's celebrates one hundred years.

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<v Speaker 4>Look, I think it is significant.

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<v Speaker 5>These two teams, of course, met each other twice in

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<v Speaker 5>the regular season, once in a Vericago, once at the

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<v Speaker 5>Tearsby Arena and Wellington the Sharks one on home court

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<v Speaker 5>that was way back in May, the Wellington Saints one

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<v Speaker 5>on home.

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<v Speaker 4>Court just a couple of weeks ago.

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<v Speaker 5>But not only the home advantage, it's the first time,

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<v Speaker 5>my understanding, the first time in the seventeen year history

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<v Speaker 5>of the Southland Sharks that they have sold out Ilt

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<v Speaker 5>Stadium South and three thousand, seven hundred and seventy tickets

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<v Speaker 5>to be exact, So that place is.

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<v Speaker 4>Going to be absolutely humming.

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<v Speaker 5>I've been lucky to be there a couple of times

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<v Speaker 5>over my few years involved with the National Basketball League,

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<v Speaker 5>and yeah, there's a few places around the country that

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<v Speaker 5>have a fantastic home atmosphere and get behind their team,

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<v Speaker 5>and south And would certainly be right up there in

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<v Speaker 5>terms of the way they support not only the Sharks,

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<v Speaker 5>but the Southern Steel and in the Southland Stag So

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<v Speaker 5>I think it could be, you know, something that will

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<v Speaker 5>play into the advantage of the Sharks.

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<v Speaker 4>But that alone isn't going to get it done.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, Well, fantastic they have such a big crowd

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<v Speaker 2>in coming. How much can we read into what happened

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<v Speaker 2>between these two teams in the final last year or

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<v Speaker 2>even during the regular season this year. Is any of

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<v Speaker 2>that important or do we have a clean slate today?

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<v Speaker 5>I think the most recent game Pinty, given it was

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<v Speaker 5>only a couple of weeks ago, as a real significant

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<v Speaker 5>tail tale as to what could transpire this afternoon. Of course,

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<v Speaker 5>South And would not want it to go that way.

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<v Speaker 5>They lost one hundred and nineteen to ninety four. The

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<v Speaker 5>Wellington Saints have the best offense in the league. They

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<v Speaker 5>averaged just to tick over one hundred points a game,

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<v Speaker 5>and they were absolutely humming on that occasion.

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<v Speaker 4>And they've found form at the best possible time.

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<v Speaker 5>Let's not forget just a week ago they went up

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<v Speaker 5>to Auckland and absolutely ran through the top seed at

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<v Speaker 5>Auckland to Atara one hundred and twelve nine. So that's

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<v Speaker 5>a potential sign as to what could happen this afternoon.

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<v Speaker 5>And saying that though, you know on that day everything

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<v Speaker 5>went right for Wellington, you had seventeen made three pointers

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<v Speaker 5>for the Saints. You had Elijah Pepper, the league MVP,

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<v Speaker 5>scoring twenty nine points, but you also had that support

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<v Speaker 5>cast and around him with a Ketcher Lea scoring twenty

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<v Speaker 5>six points, Carlin Davison almost a triple double. So that

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<v Speaker 5>that could happen. But at the same time too Southland.

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<v Speaker 5>I was there in christ Church seven days ago. It

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<v Speaker 5>was a real sort of playoff grind type of the

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<v Speaker 5>game as opposed to know everything flowing offensively, but they

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<v Speaker 5>found a way and perhaps you know that that's a

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<v Speaker 5>sign too. In finals games your defense is just as

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<v Speaker 5>important as your offense and limiting the opposition's opportunities. They

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<v Speaker 5>held the Canterbury Rams to seventy four points, So I

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<v Speaker 5>don't think last year's final matters from a form perspective

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<v Speaker 5>because they are quite different teams. But it's certainly lingers

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<v Speaker 5>and stings still for the Southland Sharks. Not often you

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<v Speaker 5>see piney import players from America come back. Caleb Asbury

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<v Speaker 5>and Kiln Boone. They came back after last year's disappointment

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<v Speaker 5>to write a.

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<v Speaker 4>Few wrongs here today.

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<v Speaker 5>And the coach as well, Jonathan Yim in his second

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<v Speaker 5>year in the league. You know, he's sort of spoken

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<v Speaker 5>publicly about the minutes after losing the Grand Final last

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<v Speaker 5>year and how basically a lot of them in the

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<v Speaker 5>group would just say, right, let's run it back next

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<v Speaker 5>year and go one better.

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<v Speaker 4>They get that opportunity this afternoon.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely redemption absolutely is on the menu for Southland this afternoon.

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<v Speaker 2>In order to get it, they need to stop Elijah

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<v Speaker 2>Pepper season MVP scoring it close to twenty nine points

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<v Speaker 2>a game. Can Southland actually stop him or is it

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<v Speaker 2>more about trying to make his life as difficult as

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<v Speaker 2>possible today?

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, I think the latter, Piney, I think you know,

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<v Speaker 5>you look over the course of the league, I think

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<v Speaker 5>only the last once in the last nineteen games, which

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<v Speaker 5>is pretty um the bulk of the season. Has Elijah

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<v Speaker 5>Pepper not scored twenty points in his last seven games,

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<v Speaker 5>he scored at least twenty seven. Interestingly though, for me,

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<v Speaker 5>the last when Southland beat Wellington in the regular season,

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<v Speaker 5>Elijah Pepper scored.

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<v Speaker 4>Forty three points and that was still in a loss.

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<v Speaker 5>So for me, that sort of speaks to Look, Elijah

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<v Speaker 5>Pepper is going to get his shots. As you say,

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<v Speaker 5>it's the league MVP. He's an absolute scoring machine. He

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<v Speaker 5>can get to the basket and kill you in the

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<v Speaker 5>mid range, and he's an elite three point shooter as well.

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<v Speaker 5>It's more about containing and limiting the support cast for

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<v Speaker 5>south and forcing Elijah Pepper into some of the shots

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<v Speaker 5>that he doesn't like.

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<v Speaker 4>As much.

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<v Speaker 5>That feels like the strategy for me, because if you

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<v Speaker 5>try and double team Elijah Pepper, ultimately you're going to

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<v Speaker 5>leave someone else open. If you get a ketcher Leaire

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<v Speaker 5>starting to hit his shots at Dante Agra mccarl and Davis,

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<v Speaker 5>and then things become a lot harder.

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<v Speaker 4>Of the Southern Sharks.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, let's go to the Sharks then, and you

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<v Speaker 2>land naturally on their point guard Ryland Jones as a

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<v Speaker 2>potentially key part of their team to repic season fan MVP.

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<v Speaker 2>How integral and how crucial might he be this afternoon?

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, I really like Ryland Jones first year in the league.

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<v Speaker 5>As you say, traditional point guard. He doesn't have to

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<v Speaker 5>go above and beyond to facilitate the offense.

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<v Speaker 4>He feels like a little bit of a glue guy.

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<v Speaker 4>But he's just.

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<v Speaker 5>Always there and doing something and making a positive contribution.

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<v Speaker 5>Seven is fifteen points a game, even six rebounds. He

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<v Speaker 5>just seems to be in the right place at the

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<v Speaker 5>right time to then allow the Sharks to get out

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<v Speaker 5>and run on transition. So between he Caleb Asbury, who,

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<v Speaker 5>as I mention, was here last year, have a real

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<v Speaker 5>chip on his shoulder.

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<v Speaker 4>He didn't make the All Star five.

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<v Speaker 5>Piney and he's let everyone know already on social media

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<v Speaker 5>and some of the Sky Sport commentary team and Sam

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<v Speaker 5>Timmons as well, Defensive Player of the Year, just a

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<v Speaker 5>focal point the ynchor down there and the interior.

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<v Speaker 4>So look, the Southern Sharks has got a lot of

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<v Speaker 4>key pieces.

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<v Speaker 5>But if someone like Ryland Jones in particular can support

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<v Speaker 5>your Caleb Asbury's you Sam Timmons from a scoring perspective

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<v Speaker 5>as much as a facilitation and really is going to

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<v Speaker 5>be the sum of all parts today for Southland.

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<v Speaker 4>Look, they've got guys who can score.

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<v Speaker 5>Certainly great defensive unit as well, but if everyone can

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<v Speaker 5>can buy in and get a little bit extraduce out

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<v Speaker 5>of the orange from everyone, then that'll go a long

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<v Speaker 5>way to giving them the outcome they so desperately crave.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you've mentioned a lot of players from the starting

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<v Speaker 2>fives from both sides. Who has the deeper bench.

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<v Speaker 4>Oh, that's a great question.

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<v Speaker 5>I'd say probably Wellington, although there are question marks around

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<v Speaker 5>Hiram Harris.

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<v Speaker 4>He's currently listed as questionable.

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<v Speaker 5>He rolled his ankle in that semi final win over

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<v Speaker 5>the Auckland Tuitara. Of course, as you know, Pioneers Grand

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<v Speaker 5>Final MVP in this very matchup last year, twenty points,

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<v Speaker 5>fourteen rebounds.

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<v Speaker 4>He's the heart beat, all hustle, Hiram Harris.

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<v Speaker 5>If he's out, then coach Aaron Young is going to

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<v Speaker 5>have to go deeper down his bench. But they've got

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<v Speaker 5>guys like Jordan Hunt who come off the bench who

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<v Speaker 5>can certainly have an impact. Sam Gold as another player

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<v Speaker 5>for the Southland Sharks, I really like that they have

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<v Speaker 5>Tobias Cameron, son of the great Pedo Cameron off their bench,

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<v Speaker 5>and he's just a real.

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<v Speaker 4>Good glue guy.

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<v Speaker 5>He'll make He'll probably come on and defend Elijah Pepper

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<v Speaker 5>and try and make his life as difficult as possible.

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<v Speaker 5>But that both these teams, by the point you get

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<v Speaker 5>in this season where it's Grand Final piety, they're rarely

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<v Speaker 5>running a six or.

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<v Speaker 4>Seven man rotation at best. They used to that. I'd

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<v Speaker 4>be surprised to see any of our super young players.

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<v Speaker 5>But who knows, it might be an opportunity for an

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<v Speaker 5>Aubredge younger out of Wellington to make a hero or

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<v Speaker 5>a name of himself with a couple of big plays

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<v Speaker 5>off the bench.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, speaking of big plays, big basketball games, in fact,

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<v Speaker 2>any basketball game, but big ones in particular can change

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<v Speaker 2>quickly in a couple of possessions, a big three, a turnover,

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<v Speaker 2>a run of six or eight points. Which of these

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<v Speaker 2>two teams do you think has the greater capacity to

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<v Speaker 2>produce that decisive run.

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<v Speaker 5>That's a beautiful thing about basketballers and Piney you never

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<v Speaker 5>quite know until the day Compared to yeah, like a

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<v Speaker 5>rugby game or football, it feels like you can just

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<v Speaker 5>change it and a made shot defensive play.

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<v Speaker 4>I looked at Wellington Saints.

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<v Speaker 5>Though, and the way, particularly in the last three or

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<v Speaker 5>four weeks they've won their last five and by significant

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<v Speaker 5>margins as well, and even just cast my mind back,

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<v Speaker 5>you know, the semi final last week, it was even

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<v Speaker 5>reasonably close sort of first quarter, they started to push

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<v Speaker 5>in the second and then they just absolutely put their

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<v Speaker 5>foot down in the third. And saying that though South

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<v Speaker 5>and you know, they jumped out to a double digit

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<v Speaker 5>lead over the Canterbury Rams.

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<v Speaker 4>Last week.

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<v Speaker 5>Canterbury climbed all their way back in you know, came

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<v Speaker 5>back from seventeen down to tie things up at the

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<v Speaker 5>end of the third quarter. But Caleb Asbry back to

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<v Speaker 5>back threes to open the fourth and that sets Southland

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<v Speaker 5>on its way. So look, both of these teams, that's

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<v Speaker 5>what makes this afternoon's Grand Finals so good. I reckon

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<v Speaker 5>it's a bit of a marketer's dream, of course, because

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<v Speaker 5>you've got that redemption story Grand.

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<v Speaker 4>Final repeater last year.

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<v Speaker 5>But you've got so much elite production in these both

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<v Speaker 5>these two teams. I just hope it lives up to

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<v Speaker 5>its billing because this could ebb and flow.

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<v Speaker 4>As we saw last year.

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<v Speaker 5>It wasn't really until the last heck thirty forty seconds

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<v Speaker 5>where Wellington could perhaps you know that they were going

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<v Speaker 5>to be lifting a banner for a thirteenth time.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, just before you go, just up the road

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<v Speaker 2>in the not to just in future, Canterbury are going

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<v Speaker 2>to try and wrestle the Ranfurlly Shehill back from Otago. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>of course you cover all forms of Canterbury sports. You

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<v Speaker 2>reckon that when you get back to christ Edge whenever

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<v Speaker 2>that is, the shield will be there as well.

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<v Speaker 5>Oh be honest, spot here, Look, I think that it's

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<v Speaker 5>a game that has significant potential to go right the

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<v Speaker 5>distance as well. I've really liked what Otago particularly did

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<v Speaker 5>last year. I was fortunate enough to call the Ranfhilly

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<v Speaker 5>shield win they had over Canterbury last year and in

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<v Speaker 5>speaking of redemption the grand final between the two teams,

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<v Speaker 5>when Canterbury beat Otaga to win the NPC Trophy so

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<v Speaker 5>early in the season it was quite hard to get

0:11:27.667 --> 0:11:29.667
<v Speaker 5>a real read on Otaga. They were actually hearing in

0:11:29.707 --> 0:11:34.307
<v Speaker 5>McCargo last week Stag they beat beat Southland quite comfortably.

0:11:34.307 --> 0:11:36.547
<v Speaker 5>They don't have Dylan Pledge at the moment is their

0:11:36.627 --> 0:11:39.907
<v Speaker 5>real spark plug, but still Lucas Casey and Christian Leo

0:11:39.987 --> 0:11:43.307
<v Speaker 5>William and there I was actually speaking to Otago coach

0:11:43.467 --> 0:11:47.107
<v Speaker 5>Mark Brown because funnily enough he's my wife's boss Piney

0:11:47.587 --> 0:11:50.267
<v Speaker 5>and in another job, that is my wife doesn't work

0:11:50.347 --> 0:11:53.347
<v Speaker 5>for the Otago r Union, okay, but I was having

0:11:53.347 --> 0:11:55.107
<v Speaker 5>to reach out to him earlier in the week and

0:11:55.107 --> 0:11:57.867
<v Speaker 5>he said, we're not out to defend the ran Philly Shield.

0:11:57.867 --> 0:12:00.587
<v Speaker 5>We want to win it again and our style is attack, attack,

0:12:00.627 --> 0:12:03.227
<v Speaker 5>attack under the roof at Forsyth Bar. I think they'll

0:12:03.227 --> 0:12:05.427
<v Speaker 5>have a real go, so too will Canterbury though I

0:12:05.507 --> 0:12:09.187
<v Speaker 5>man Richie Myng at ten and the evergreen Johnny McNichol

0:12:09.187 --> 0:12:11.787
<v Speaker 5>at fullback that they've got a lot of potential as well.

0:12:11.787 --> 0:12:13.987
<v Speaker 5>So I'll be keeping half an eye on how things

0:12:13.987 --> 0:12:14.867
<v Speaker 5>go up the road, that's for.

0:12:14.787 --> 0:12:15.427
<v Speaker 4>Sure, all right.

0:12:15.547 --> 0:12:18.507
<v Speaker 2>So just after two o'clock and duneed and it's Targo

0:12:18.627 --> 0:12:21.907
<v Speaker 2>against Canterbury for the Rampailly Shield. Three o'clock this afternoon

0:12:21.907 --> 0:12:25.867
<v Speaker 2>and in the Cargo Sells NBL Grand Final, Southland Sharks

0:12:25.867 --> 0:12:26.587
<v Speaker 2>Wellington Saints.

0:12:26.587 --> 0:12:29.747
<v Speaker 5>Who you got, I'll put me Nick out here, piney,

0:12:29.787 --> 0:12:30.507
<v Speaker 5>I'll go Sharks.

0:12:31.907 --> 0:12:33.747
<v Speaker 2>Regardless of that, it's been good to talk to you

0:12:33.947 --> 0:12:37.107
<v Speaker 2>and we hopefully will get the opportunity to do that

0:12:37.187 --> 0:12:37.867
<v Speaker 2>again soon.

0:12:38.227 --> 0:12:39.427
<v Speaker 4>Here's mate, No, I love it.

0:12:39.547 --> 0:12:42.387
<v Speaker 5>I appreciate you you taking the time to get basketball

0:12:42.427 --> 0:12:43.067
<v Speaker 5>on the airwaves.

0:12:43.067 --> 0:12:45.387
<v Speaker 4>You're a big supporter of the sports, so really appreciate it.

0:12:45.307 --> 0:12:47.227
<v Speaker 2>Now, good man, Nick. Thanks indeed, Nick Biory part of

0:12:47.267 --> 0:12:50.787
<v Speaker 2>Sky Sports coverage of the National Basketball League Final this afternoon.

0:12:50.827 --> 0:12:53.667
<v Speaker 2>Just after three. That game kicks off at what sounds

0:12:53.707 --> 0:12:57.467
<v Speaker 2>like it'll be a jam packed stadium Southland, the Southland

0:12:57.507 --> 0:13:00.267
<v Speaker 2>Sharks against the Wellington Saints for the twenty twenty six

0:13:00.707 --> 0:13:02.827
<v Speaker 2>National Basketball League title.

0:13:03.387 --> 0:13:06.747
<v Speaker 1>For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine, listen to

0:13:06.867 --> 0:13:10.067
<v Speaker 1>News Talks It B weekends from midday or follow the

0:13:10.107 --> 0:13:11.587
<v Speaker 1>podcast on iHeartRadio,