Game Preview: Sharks v Bulls

Game Preview: SBS Bank Southland Sharks v Franklin Bulls

The SBS Bank Southland Sharks return to ILT Stadium Southland on Sunday evening looking to continue one of the strongest runs in the Sal’s NBL, while the Franklin Bulls arrive in Invercargill fresh from one of the most dramatic wins of the season.

Franklin’s one-point road win as the buzzer sounded over the Night ’n Day Otago Nuggets showed plenty about the Bulls’ resilience. Down double digits in the fourth quarter, Carter Whitt, Jace Carter, Kael Robinson and Derrin Boyd all found ways to make winning plays, with Whitt eventually hitting a tough game-winner in the final second.

Southland, meanwhile, continues to look like the league’s most complete team. The Sharks have size, shooting, depth and the kind of balance that makes them difficult to slow down. Their first meeting with Franklin came back in the second week of the season, but this is a vastly different Southland team now, with Caleb Asberry, Keylan Boone, Tobias Cameron and Max Darling all adding layers to a group already built around Sam Timmins and Rylan Jones.

When: Sunday 7 June, Rapid League 5.00pm, Sal’s NBL 6.00pm

Where: ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill

Watch: Sky Sport 3 in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else

Commentary: Glen Larmer and Kayla Manuirirangi

Box Score Here

Last Time Out

The Bulls escaped Dunedin with a thrilling 94-93 win over the Night ’n Day Otago Nuggets.

Otago looked to be in control for long stretches, leading 52-47 at halftime before pushing the margin to 11 midway through the fourth quarter. Craig Moller was excellent across the night, impacting the game as a scorer, rebounder and passer, while the Nuggets also got key contributions from Tyson Thata-Paese, Ethan Rusbatch, Matthew Bardsley and Zach McKenzie.

But Franklin refused to go away. Whitt began to find his rhythm in the fourth, scoring repeatedly off the bounce as the Bulls chipped away. Robinson made big plays on the glass and at the rim, Carter continued to impact both ends, and Boyd remained involved late. With Otago leading by four inside the final three minutes, Franklin closed the gap through a Carter three, a Boyd basket and a crucial defensive stop.

Buay Tuach put the Nuggets back in front with two free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but Franklin had the final say. Boyd found Whitt in the final second, and the Bulls guard knocked down a tough fadeaway over Ethan Rusbatch to complete the comeback.

Night ’n Day Otago Nuggets 93: Craig Moller (16p, 8r, 6a, 3s), Tyson Thata-Paese (15p, 4r), Matthew Bardsley (14p), Ethan Rusbatch (13p, 4r, 4a), Buay Tuach (13p, 4r, 3a, 2s)

Franklin Bulls 94: Carter Whitt (28p, 3a), Kael Robinson (20p, 10r, 2s), Jace Carter (17p, 13r, 4a), Derrin Boyd (14p, 5a), Dom Kelman-Poto (11p, 4r, 4a)

The Sharks were strong in their 99-89 road win over the Night ’n Day Otago Nuggets.

Otago started hot behind the three-point shooting of Rusbatch, who finished with 29 points and 8 rebounds, while Tuach added 25 points and 12 boards. But Southland stayed composed and eventually took control through its offensive balance and physicality.

Asberry led the way with 29 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, Jones added 18 points and 7 assists, and Boone gave the Sharks another major frontcourt lift with 16 points and 11 rebounds. It was another example of Southland’s ability to absorb an early punch, steady the game and win with multiple contributors.

Night ’n Day Otago Nuggets 89: Ethan Rusbatch (29p, 8r, 1a), Buay Tuach (25p, 12r, 3a), Craig Moller (11p, 10r)

SBS Bank Southland Sharks 99: Caleb Asberry (29p, 9r, 4a), Rylan Jones (18p, 2r, 7a), Keylan Boone (16p, 11r)

In the First Matchup

The first meeting between these sides came early in the season, with the Sharks claiming a 94-86 win over the Bulls in Pukekohe.

Franklin had plenty of control early. Jace Carter carried his strong form into the matchup, opening with 8 points and 9 rebounds in the first eight minutes, and the Bulls carried a three-point lead into halftime.

But the third quarter belonged to Southland. The Sharks put up 31 points in the period, with Sam Timmins at the centre of everything. The Southland big man delivered one of the standout stat lines of the season, finishing with 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists and 5 blocks, just one rebound short of a rare 20-20-10 triple-double.

Even short-handed, Southland found enough contributions around Timmins and Jones to close out the road win. Franklin got strong production from Carter, Jaylen Gerrand and Whitt, but the Sharks’ interior dominance and third-quarter surge proved decisive.

Franklin Bulls 86: Jace Carter (24p, 10r, 4a, 4b), Jaylen Gerrand (17p, 3a), Carter Whitt (15p, 11r, 9a)

SBS Bank Southland Sharks 94: Sam Timmins (26p, 19r, 10a, 5b), Rylan Jones (15p, 10r, 3s), Mac Stodart (13p, 8r, 3a)

This rematch should feel very different. The Sharks now have more scoring, more depth and more lineup flexibility, while the Bulls come in with confidence after finding a way to win late in Dunedin.

What to Expect: Projected Starters

SBS Bank Southland Sharks

G: Rylan Jones

G: Caleb Asberry

F: Keylan Boone

F: Brayden Inger

C: Sam Timmins

Franklin Bulls

G: Carter Whitt

G: Derrin Boyd

F: Jace Carter

F: Kael Robinson

F: Dom Kelman-Poto

Southland has become one of the most difficult teams in the competition to match up with. The Sharks rank fourth in scoring, fourth in points allowed, third in field goal percentage and first in three-point percentage. They also sit second in steals and fourth in assists, which speaks to both their defensive activity and offensive balance.

The biggest challenge for Franklin is that Southland no longer needs to rely only on Timmins and Jones. Timmins remains one of the league’s most dominant interior players, Jones is one of the best all-around guards in the competition, and Asberry has been one of the most efficient scorers in the league. But now Boone, Inger, Cameron, Darling, Cooper, Webster and others give the Sharks different ways to win.

The Bulls will need to make this game about their strengths. Franklin leads the league in offensive rebounding and assist-to-turnover ratio, while also ranking third in assists and second in turnover margin. When Whitt is controlling tempo, Boyd is scoring downhill, Carter is attacking the glass and Robinson and Kelman-Poto are finishing through contact, Franklin has enough firepower to trouble any team.

The issue is on the defensive end. Franklin is allowing 98.2 points per game and opponents are shooting 52 percent from the field against them. Against a Sharks team that shoots efficiently from both two and three, the Bulls cannot afford breakdowns, missed rotations or live-ball turnovers.

For Southland, the key is control. If Jones and Asberry can dictate the backcourt battle, and Timmins can force Franklin to send help inside, the Sharks will create quality looks across the floor. For Franklin, the key is disruption and second chances. They need to pressure the ball, protect the glass, and turn misses into extra possessions.

Matchup to Watch: Rylan Jones and Caleb Asberry v Carter Whitt and Derrin Boyd

Jones and Asberry give Southland an elite combination of control and scoring. Jones is averaging 18.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists, while also sitting among the league leaders in steals. Asberry is averaging 22.6 points on 57 percent shooting from the field, 47 percent from three and 93 percent from the free-throw line. That efficiency is a major problem for any defence.

Whitt and Boyd give Franklin a dangerous counter. Whitt is coming off a game-winning shot against Otago and remains one of the league’s best playmakers, averaging 18.6 points and a league-leading 9.9 assists. Boyd is averaging 21.4 points and gives the Bulls a scorer who can create late-clock offence, attack the rim and get to the line.

For the Sharks, Jones and Asberry will want to keep the Bulls in rotation, make Whitt defend, and punish any help that comes toward Timmins. For Franklin, Whitt and Boyd need to apply pressure early, keep Southland’s defence moving and avoid the turnovers that let the Sharks get out and run.

If Southland’s guards control tempo, the Sharks can make Franklin defend too many threats. If Whitt and Boyd win the creation battle, the Bulls can turn this into a road fight.

Category	SBS Bank Southland Sharks	Franklin Bulls
Leading scorer	Caleb Asberry 22.6	Jace Carter 21.8
Leading rebounder	Sam Timmins 11.0	Jace Carter 11.1
Leading assists	Rylan Jones 6.4	Carter Whitt 9.9
Best FG%	Sam Timmins 60%	Dom Kelman-Poto 65%
Best 3PT FG%	Caleb Asberry 47%	Jace Carter 38%
Blocks	Sam Timmins 2.0	Jace Carter 1.0
Steals	Rylan Jones 2.7	Carter Whitt 2.2
Minutes	Sam Timmins 34.3	Derrin Boyd 34.5

Stats that Matter (League Rankings)

Stat	SBS Bank Southland Sharks	Franklin Bulls
Points Per Game	96.4 (4th)	93.5 (5th)
Points Allowed Per Game	88.7 (4th)	98.2 (10th)
Scoring Margin	+7.6 (4th)	-4.6 (6th)
Field Goal %	49% (3rd)	44% (9th)
Field Goal % Defence	45% (3rd)	52% (11th)
Free Throw %	70% (7th)	67% (8th)
3-Point %	37% (1st)	31% (9th)
3-Point % Defence	33% (5th)	36% (9th)
3-Point FG Made	12.3 (1st)	10.7 (3rd)
Rebounds Per Game	40.6 (8th)	41.7 (6th)
Rebounding Margin	-0.3 (6th)	+1.3 (4th)
Offensive Rebounds Per Game	9.6 (8th)	13.8 (1st)
Defensive Rebounds Per Game	27.8 (5th)	23.8 (11th)
Offensive Rebound %	27% (6th)	34% (1st)
Defensive Rebound %	71% (9th)	73% (4th)
Assists Per Game	21.0 (4th)	21.9 (3rd)
Steals Per Game	8.8 (2nd)	8.6 (4th)
Blocks Per Game	3.6 (4th)	2.6 (8th)
Turnover Margin	+1.1 (4th)	+1.8 (2nd)
Assist/Turnover Ratio	1.62 (6th)	2.04 (1st)

Last Word

The first meeting belonged to Southland because Timmins dominated the paint and the Sharks found the third-quarter burst they needed. But this rematch may not have much in common with the second week of the season.

Southland is deeper, more balanced and more dangerous than it was early in the season. Asberry has been elite, Boone adds another frontcourt weapon, Jones continues to control games, and the bench now has more size and flexibility. At home, the Sharks will back themselves to keep their form rolling.

Franklin, though, arrives with belief. The Bulls just stole a dramatic road win in Dunedin and showed they can win a tight game even when trailing late. Whitt’s shot-making, Boyd’s scoring, Carter’s production and Robinson’s physicality give them a real pathway if they can limit Southland’s efficiency.

The key battle may be the possession game. Southland shoots it better than almost anyone, while Franklin creates extra chances better than anyone. If the Sharks win the first-shot battle and keep Franklin off the offensive glass, they can take control. If the Bulls turn misses into second chances and make this messy, they can give themselves another shot at a road upset.

Southland has the depth and form. Franklin has momentum and resilience. Sunday night should test both.