Sharks claim two massive scalps in space of three days
The Southland Sharks have beaten the Tauranga Whai and Franklin Bulls on the road in the space of just three days.
Sign up to get each Tribune edition sent to your email inbox.
Get excited Southland Sharks fans, your team has found its mojo.
The Sharks have given their 2025 National Basketball League campaign a massive shot in the arm following two road wins against two competition high-flyers.
Heading into Thursday night’s showdown against the Tauranga Whai, the Sharks had a two-win-five-loss record to start the season. Few in the league would have given the lads in orange any hope of victory in Tauranga.
However, led by their impressive trio of American imports, Josiah Allick, Keylan Boone, and Caleb Asberry, the Sharks did just that.
Southland’s American contingent scored a combined 64 of Southland’s 84 points in the 84-78 victory over Tauranga.
The Sharks then went about highlighting that wasn’t a one-off for a team on the rise as they backed up against the Franklin Bulls on Saturday night.
Again few - including the TAB odds makers - gave Southland much hope against a Franklin team that headed into the game in second spot in the standings.
But again, those odds makers were made to look a little silly. Southland didn’t just go about beating the Bulls, they blitzed Franklin in what was one of the more impressive displays in the Sharks’ 16-season history in the NBL.
Southland finished up 114-71 winners in a statement performance that was yet again led by the energy that Josiah Allick brings to the team and the class of fellow American Keylan Boone.
Sharks coach Jonathan Yim told The Tribune last week the Sharks were a better team than the two-win-five loss start to the season, and Yim was proved to be more than right on the back of what his team showed against both Tauranga and Franklin.
The Sharks now return to the comforts of home, where they will look to continue their march up the competition ladder with a showdown against the Nelson Giants at ILT Stadium Southland on Anzac Day.
v Tauranga Whai (Thursday)
Southland Sharks 84 (Keylan Boone (26pts, 10reb), Josiah Allick (27pts, 13reb), Caleb Asberry (11pts), Tauranga Whai 78 (Chris Jones (16pts, 7reb), Kruz Perrott-Hunt (15pts)
MVP Votes: Josiah Allick (10 votes), Keylan Boone (8 votes), Chris Jones (6 votes), Kruz Perrot-Hunt (3 votes), Caleb Asberry (3 votes).
v Franklin Bulls (Saturday)
Southland Sharks 114: Keylan Boone (31 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast), Josiah Allick (26 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast) Franklin Bulls 71: Ethan Rusbatch (11 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast), Naquante Hardy (19 pts, 1 reb, 8 ast)
MVP Votes: Keylan Boone (10 votes), Josiah Allick (8 votes), Alonzo Burton (4 votes), Tae Hardy (4 votes), Tobias Cameron (2 votes), Ethan Rusbatch (2 votes).