Nelson beaten by Waikato

A brilliant first-half shooting display from young forward Thomas Abercrombie helped Waikato to back-to-back National Basketball league titles as they beat Nelson 94-84 in game two of the finals at Te Awamutu tonight.

Waikato had won the first game of the three-match series 81-69 in Nelson on Tuesday on the back of a Michael Fitchett shooting display but tonight belonged to Abercrombie, 21, the NBL's rookie of the year.

Abercrombie shot a clean 19 points in the first half that included four three-pointers to help Waikato take a 55-41 lead at halftime.

Speedy playmaker Justin Bailey was another big contributor with a couple of steals and double digit points, making a total of 32 in the game.

Point guard Fitchett had a more subdued game but popped in and out to sink his share of points.

Both sides were at full strength after both Tony Rampton for Nelson and Waikato's Mike Homik were cleared, on appeal, to play tonight.

The pair had been ejected from game one after a on-court tussle for the ball and faced an automatic one-match suspension.

However, on appeal, NBL judicial commissioner Barry Wilson found neither had thrown any punches and lifted their bans.

" The incident was of a straightforward tussle for position between two centres, was off the ball and no punches or other illegal actions were apparent.

"I find the issuing of `disqualifying fouls' to be excessive and the subsequent compulsory disqualification from the next game to be an unecessarily harsh penalty.''

Nelson were chasing the match right from tip off but despite the best efforts of skipper Phill Jones, Rampton and John Barber, were unable to stamp their authority on the match.

Jones was unable to shake free of a defensive blanket that Waikato clamped over him with Abercrombie and Pero Cameron prominent.

Waikato took the first quarter 28-20 but although Nelson levelled 28-28 midway through the second quarter, were unable to prevent Waikato from stretching away everytime they upped the ante.

Nelson came back in the final quarter to come within four points with seven minutes to play, but found Cameron in dominating form in defence.

NZPA