The Canterbury Rams open their 2026 Sal’s NBL campaign 1-0 on the road, defeating the Nelson Giants 86-85 in a thrilling contest.
RAMS — 86
Taylor Britt | 23 points, 9 assists, 2 steals
Walter Brown | 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals
Jack Andrew | 20 points, 9 rebounds, 9-14 field goals
GIANTS — 85
Kruz Perrott-Hunt | 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Tohi Smith-Milner | 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 three-pointers made
Liam Judd | 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block
It didn’t take long for newcomer Tamenang Choh to adjust to his new teammates, finding Jack Andrew and Walter Brown early for their first points of the game.
Choh and Andrew led the way in scoring for the Rams during the first quarter, putting significant pressure on the rim.
The second quarter saw team captain Taylor Britt put his foot on the gas, scoring consecutive three-pointers and finding Brown cutting along the baseline for a two-handed slam.
A pair of back-to-back triples from Todd Withers, alongside a huge weakside rejection, extended the Rams’ lead to 10 points with 4 minutes remaining in the half.
Canterbury entered half-time up 47-41 over Nelson.
Andrew’s unrelenting motor kept the Rams competitive in the third quarter, scoring in transition to bring his tally to 16 points, and continuing to be a presence on the offensive glass.
Off a missed putback dunk from Choh, Withers collected the rebound and flew in for an emphatic dunk of his own, bringing his game-total to 13 points.
With 3-minutes left on the clock, the game was tied up 79 apiece.
Britt, still hosting the hot hand, cashed in his fourth triple of the night, raising the Rams 82-80 over the Giants. Former Ram Tohi Smith-Milner promptly responded with a three-pointer of his own, giving the Giants a narrow lead.
Following another putback score from Andrew, who drew a foul in the process, the Rams entered the final minute of the game in a favourable position.
A staunch defensive effort in the final seconds of the game from the Rams secured Canterbury the 86-85 win over Nelson.
The Canterbury Rams next play 3:00pm Sunday, April 19 at home against the Wellington Saints for the first-ever game at Parakiore — tickets are available now!
