Game Preview – Franklin Bulls v Canterbury Rams 09/04/25

Today the boys are braving the wet weather and making the trek north to Pukekohe where they will take on the Franklin Bulls.

Game Info

Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.

Rapid League: 6:00 PM. Sal’s NBL: 7:00pm.

Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre, Pukekohe.

Watch live on Sky Sport 1 (NZ), ESPN3 (USA), FIBA YouTube (Globally)

So, What Are We Dealing With?

If you’re a Canterbury diehard, you know that the Franklin Bulls left a sour taste in our mouth. Despite a dream run to close out the 2024 season, the Bulls gave the Rams a late season fright, snapping the reigning champs’ 16-game win streak.

Ethan Rusbatch’s 23-point performance spearheaded Franklin’s victory (and marked a season-high for him). Provided he gains FIBA clearance, Rusbatch should be set to make his 2025 season debut tomorrow night.

The Bulls have retooled this year, notably adding Flynn and Tobias Cameron, as well as Tae Hardy – the MVP frontrunner – who has been a fantastic addition, producing 20.3 points and 6.3 assists.

As a team, Franklin’s strength has been their defence. They’ve held opponents to a second-best 77.3 points per game and forced a league-high 16.8 turnovers per game. The Rams sit just behind them in both categories while managing to score an additional 10 points per night relative to the Bulls.

The Hot Topic: Welcome to the Rams, CJ!

Let’s give a hearty Canterbury welcome to CJ Penha! The 6’7” American forward has finally touched down in Christchurch, spending the past week getting to know his new teammates ahead of his Sal’s NBL debut.

Penha has a fascinating story so far, one that is a testament to his work ethic. After starting his collegiate career at the NAIA level, Penha transferred to Division II where he became a 20 & 10 powerhouse for Trevecca Nazarene. His All-Conference play led to him joining Boston College in Division I, where he had a season-high 16 points against Duke & Dereck Lively II.

Setting sail for his first professional season, Penha made his way to the Swedish Basketligan. On a deep Norrköping Dolphins team, Penha found a role as a super sixthman en route to a championship. In games where he clocked over 25 minutes, he averaged 14.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 three-pointers, and shot 42.7% from beyond the arc.

Injury Report (as of 08/04/25)

Franklin Bulls
OUT – Reuben Te Rangi (not active)
OUT – Harry Kelso (not selected)
OUT – Hunter Savill (not selected)
OUT – Noah Williams (not selected)
OUT – Brody Perry (not selected)
OUT – Jaxson Macfarlane (not selected)
OUT – Ezekiel Otunuku (not selected)

Canterbury Rams
OUT – Sean Macdonald (injury)
OUT – Marco Sula (not selected)