Wellington Saints eased to a 112-69 victory over Auckland Tuatara in the NBL on Friday night. The result left the visitors four points clear at the top of the table, while the hosts dropped further behind. By then the gap had widened into something uncomfortable for Auckland.
The Saints took control early and never looked back. They moved the ball with purpose, while Tuatara's defence found itself exposed at every turn. Things came to a head in the first quarter when Wellington carved them open with three-point shooting that felt almost casual.
The statistics told the story without embellishment. Saints took 37 three-point attempts and hit 13, while Auckland managed five from 25. The visitors also dominated the boards with 46 rebounds to 27, and their 23 assists against 17 for the hosts showed a clearer head. Turnovers told another tale: 16 for Auckland, six for Wellington.
What matters now is the standings. Wellington sit fourth with 18 games played and 13 wins, while Auckland remain third after 19 matches with 15 victories. The gap between them is small on paper, but on the court it looked wider. To be fair, one game does not make a season, but this one suggests the line has barely moved for Auckland.
The Saints arrive at their next fixture having ended a two-game losing skid, while Tuatara have not won since their last outing. The support of the fans could be called devoted, but that is an assessment, not a fact. The fact is the club sits top of the table and the visitors are staring at the drop.