Ken Tuffin and Wellington blasted Canterbury in its second game in the 2021 Sal’s New Zealand-National Basketball League, taking a 95-74 victory, Friday, on its home floor TSB Bank Arena.
Tuffin last had five points, three rebounds, and two steals in the Saints’ 95-73 win over Otago six days ago. This time, he dropped 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, 3-of-5 from deep.
The former Far Eastern University skipper was instrumental in the Saints’ second quarter spurt, scoring four of his teams 26 points to gain a 49-36 lead.
Then in the third frame, Tuffin knocked down back-to-back triples that gave Wellington a 66-47 edge.
A fire alarm delayed the games tip-off by 20 minutes. But that did not stop Wellington, which was playing its first game on its home floor for the first time in 669 days.
It was all Wellington in the final frame. It even led by as much as 22 points, 94-72, with 53 ticks remaining after a Kael Robinson bucket.
Tall Blacks’ Dion Prewster continued to lead the way for Wellington, scoring 31 points once more to go along with five rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Kerwin Roach and Romaro Gill added 18 and 17 points, respectively, with the former also dishing out seven dimes.
Former DLSU foreign student-athlete Taane Samuel was limited to just three points and three rebounds.
Canterbury, who was making its season debut, was led by Deshon Taylor, who had 18 points and seven assists. Jack Salt chipped in 16 markers.
Up next for Tuffin and the Saints are the Southland Sharks on May 7, still at TSB Bank Arena.
