Shark Bites for SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks v Wellington Saints , Thursday 13 April 7:00pm at TSB Arena, Wellington.
REGULAR SEASON RECORDS: Sharks Away: 2017: 1-1, 2016: 5-4, 2015: 7-2 Saints Home: 2017: 2-0, 2016: 7-2, 2015: 5-4
Head to Head 2017: Saints by 2 (Week 2 INV) Head to Head 2016: Sharks by 12 in OT (INV), Saints by 12 (WEL), Sharks by 3 (INV), Saints by 4 (INV PLAYOFFS) Head to Head Overall: Sharks 8, Saints 12 Head to Head in Wellington: Sharks 1, Saints 6
Average winning margin in Wellington: 21.3 points Average Score Head to Head in Wellington: Saints 94-82
NOTEWORTHY: • Given the rivalry between the two clubs, Wellington games between the two have often not been close, with an average points spread of 21.3 points. It includes the Saints defeat of the Sharks by 44 in their first meeting in 2010, and the Sharks 32-point victory (their only regular season win in Wellington) in 2015. • The narrowest winning margin between the two teams in Wellington is 11 points. • The Saints, 6-0 in 2017 have won their last 7 games at home. Their last home loss was 363 days ago, on April 15th last year to the Canterbury Rams 97-72. • Saints Cory Webster leads the league in Points Per Game (28.5) and in total points (171). Shea Ili has the most assists in the league with 42. Webster also leads the league in 3 pointers made (23 alongside the Hawks’ Everard Bartlett) and tops the League’s Index of Success Rankings. • Other notables in the match up include Nick Kay and Alex Pledger who are 2nd and 5th in average rebounds, Ili, Mitch Norton & Webster who are all in the top five of assists per game and Pledger who is 3rd in average blocks. • The first 2017 meeting between these two in Invercargill in Week 2 was a cracker, with a late Sharks turn-over and runaway dunk by former Shark Leon Henry as time expired sealing a 2-point Saints win. The Sharks had rallied from a 9-point deficit with 3:36 to play to tie the game in the final minute.
2017 STAT COMPARISON:
Field Goal %: Sharks .460, Saints .523
3 Point %: Sharks .295, Saints .427
Free Throw %: Sharks .737, Saints .773
Turnover Volume: Sharks 13.60, Saints 10.83
Offensive Rebounds: Sharks 12.60, Saints 7.50
Defensive Rebounds: Sharks 27.00, Saints 27.00
Assists Per Game: Sharks 19.20, Saints 23.67
Steals Per Game: Sharks 7.20, Saints 6.83
Blocks Per Game: Sharks 2.60, Saints 3.17
Points Per Game: Sharks 88.60, Saints 100.83
Opponent's Points Per Game: Sharks 75.40, Saints 89.50
ANALYTICAL OVERLOAD: (FOUR FACTORS OF WINNING)
Effective Field Goal %: Sharks 51.0%, Saints 60.2% - Field Goals Made + Half 3-Point Field Goals Made / Field Goal Attempts
Offensive Rebound %: Sharks 35.4%, Saints 24.1% - Offensive Rebounds / (Offensive Rebounds + Opponents Defensive Rebounds)
Free Throw Rate: Sharks 20.1%, Saints 21.6% - Free Throws Made / Field Goal Attempts
Turnover Rate: Sharks: 14.3%, Saints 12.0% - Turnovers / Possessions
PAST MEETINGS: (Wellington games in bold)
24/03/17 Southland Sharks 86 - 88 Wellington Saints 03/06/16 Wellington Saints 79 - 75 Southland Sharks Playoffs 22/05/16 Southland Sharks 78 - 75 Wellington Saints 25/04/16 Wellington Saints 84 - 72 Southland Sharks 31/03/16 Southland Sharks 95 - 87 OT Wellington Saints 05/07/15 Southland Sharks 73 - 68 Wellington Saints Grand Final 27/06/15 Southland Sharks 89 - 81 Wellington Saints 01/06/15 Wellington Saints 76 - 108 Southland Sharks 18/04/15 Southland Sharks 92 - 94 Wellington Saints 03/05/14 Southland Sharks 85 - 83 Wellington Saints 17/04/14 Wellington Saints 94 - 76 Southland Sharks 13/07/13 Wellington Saints 66 - 81 Southland Sharks Grand Final 05/07/13 Wellington Saints 104 - 93 Southland Sharks 28/04/13 Southland Sharks 75 - 83 Wellington Saints 21/04/12 Southland Sharks 86 - 85 Wellington Saints 22/03/12 Wellington Saints 91 - 76 Southland Sharks 14/05/11 Southland Sharks 81 - 93 Wellington Saints 22/04/11 Wellington Saints 97 - 80 Southland Sharks 08/05/10 Southland Sharks 69 - 81 Wellington Saints 25/03/10 Wellington Saints 114 - 70 Southland Sharks
