Posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2026
Game Preview: Giants vs Bulls
The NBS Nelson Giants return to the Trafalgar Centre with their Final 6 hopes hanging by a thread, while the Franklin Bulls arrive in Nelson facing almost exactly the same pressure.
This is a game between two teams sitting outside the postseason places and running out of room for mistakes. Franklin sit at 5-10, Nelson at 4-11, and with both sides still having plenty of season to come, a win here keeps the door open while a loss makes the climb considerably steeper.
The Giants will have to do it with a heavily reshaped rotation. Tohi Smith-Milner is away with the Tall Blacks, Kruz Perrott-Hunt and Sam Dempster both out with injury.
That gives us a game with huge stakes and a clear question. Can a short-handed Giants group find enough scoring around Shane Gatling to protect home court? Or will Franklin’s established core repeat the damage they caused in the first meeting?
When: Sunday 5 July, Rapid League 2.00pm, Sal’s NBL 3.00pm
Where: Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Watch: Sky Sport 3 and Sky Open in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else
Commentary: Andrew Mulligan and Casey Frank
Last Time They Met
The Franklin Bulls defeated the NBS Nelson Giants 97-73 in Franklin on May 8.
Charging out of the gates, much like their mascot, Franklin exploded to a nine-point lead inside the opening three minutes, with every starter contributing early. Liam Judd tried to cool the Bulls’ momentum with a quick six-point run, and Nelson repeatedly worked its way back within striking distance throughout the opening quarter.
The second quarter remained competitive, with only one point separating the teams across the period, before the Giants finally grabbed their first lead of the game in the third quarter on an Eemi Luukkonen layup.
But the advantage was short-lived.
Franklin finished the third quarter with an eight-point lead before taking complete control in the fourth. Derrin Boyd, Zion Anderson, Carter Whitt and Jace Carter powered the Bulls’ offence, while costly Nelson handling errors helped Franklin pull away. The quartet combined for 73 points as the Bulls stretched the final margin to 24.
Franklin Bulls: Jace Carter 20p, 8r, 2a; Kruz Perrott-Hunt 19p, 4r, 5a; Carter Whitt 18p, 4r, 12a; Kael Robinson 18p, 8r; Derrin Boyd 17p, 7r, 6a
NBS Nelson Giants: Kruz Perrott-Hunt 19p, 4r, 5a; Tohi Smith-Milner 16p, 7r, 1a
Last Time Out
The Giants were defeated by the Jadcup Auckland Tuatara 88-82 at the Trafalgar Centre.
Nelson were facing one of the toughest stretches on the schedule after weather disruption forced them into back-to-back games against top-four opposition. Their second test came against the league-leading Tuatara, who had already edged the Giants earlier in the season.
The opening quarter was tight, with Auckland holding a one-point lead before Nelson fought back to take a three-point advantage into halftime. But the Tuatara turned the screws in the third quarter, limiting the Giants to 15 points while scoring 24 of their own.
Nelson stayed in the fight and pushed the league leaders deep into the fourth quarter, but Auckland again showed its comfort in clutch situations and closed out the result.
NBS Nelson Giants: Shane Gatling 30p, 5r, 5a, 2b; Liam Judd 19p, 3r, 2s; Eemi Luukkonen 14p, 7r
Jadcup Auckland Tuatara: Rob Loe 26p, 14r, 6a; Isaac Davidson 13p, 6r, 4a; Tom Vodanovich 12p, 12r
The Bulls were defeated by The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 93-79 in Franklin.
In the pregame interviews, the Whai made a point of trying to slow down Franklin’s import trio of Carter, Boyd and Whitt. Dom Kelman-Poto responded by stepping into the scoring void, exploding for 21 first-half points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 at the free-throw line.
The second half, however, belonged to Tauranga.
The Whai came out more connected defensively and held Franklin to only 13 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth. Taine Murray led the way with 29 points, while Reuben Te Rangi and Jordan Ngatai helped Tauranga take control down the stretch.
Franklin Bulls: Dom Kelman-Poto 23p, 6r, 2a; Jace Carter 23p, 6r, 3a, 3s; Derrin Boyd 15p, 5r, 2a
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai: Taine Murray 29p, 6r, 2a; Reuben Te Rangi 24p, 5r, 7a; Jordan Ngatai 14p, 2r, 2a
What to Expect
Projected Starters
NBS Nelson Giants
G: Alex McNaught
G: Shane Gatling
F: Liam Judd
F: Eemi Luukkonen
C: Daniel Saylor
Franklin Bulls
G: Carter Whitt
G: Derrin Boyd
F: Jace Carter
F: Kael Robinson
F: Dom Kelman-Poto
The first question for Nelson is how to replace the production missing from their usual rotation.
Perrott-Hunt has been averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists, while Smith-Milner has added 12.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Dempster has also supplied 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while helping keep the Giants connected on both ends. That is a significant amount of scoring, rebounding and experience removed from Nelson’s lineup.
That puts an enormous amount of responsibility on Gatling.
He is averaging 24.7 points per game, second in the league, and is coming off a 30-point performance against Auckland after scoring 33 against Wellington. Nelson need his scoring, but with Perrott-Hunt unavailable, they also need Gatling to help create offence for Judd, Luukkonen, McNaught and Saylor.
McNaught becomes even more important as the primary organiser. His ability to protect the ball and get Nelson into structure will be crucial against Carter Whitt and a Bulls team that wants to create pressure at the point of attack.
Franklin’s potency is obvious. Boyd averages 21.6 points, Carter adds 20.3 points and a league-leading 10.9 rebounds, while Whitt contributes 16.6 points and leads the competition by a huge margin at 9.9 assists per game. Kelman-Poto is shooting 65 percent from the field and Robinson gives the Bulls another physical scoring and rebounding option.
But the Bulls’ defensive remain a concern.
Franklin have struggled to slow down the scoring of opponents who have shot the ball with excellent efficiency against them, both from inside and outside the arc. That could be trouble against a Nelson team hitting almost 11 triples a game.
That creates a clear path for the Giants. Gatling, Judd, McNaught and the wider perimeter group need to make shots. Nelson cannot afford to turn this into a battle of depth or sustained interior scoring against Carter, Kelman-Poto and Robinson.
Franklin need to attack the paint, let Whitt control the tempo and force Nelson’s shortened rotation to defend possession after possession. If Carter and DKP dominate the glass and Boyd gets downhill, the Bulls can place enormous pressure on a Giants group missing several of its most experienced contributors.
Matchup to Watch: Shane Gatling v Franklin’s Perimeter Defence
Everyone in the Trafalgar Centre will know where Nelson’s scoring needs to come from.
Gatling is second in the league in scorine and has been picking up momentum with every outing. His arrival has given the Giants a genuine high-volume scoring threat who can create off the dribble, pull up from deep and put pressure on a defence late in the clock.
Franklin can throw multiple bodies at him. Boyd, Whitt, Robinson and Zion Anderson can all spend time in the matchup, but this may be more about the collective coverage than any single defender. The Bulls cannot allow Gatling to walk into rhythm threes or isolate against soft switches possession after possession.
With Perrott-Hunt and Smith-Milner unavailable, Franklin know the ball will find Gatling.
If the Bulls can force it out of his hands and make Nelson’s other weapons try to beat them, they can tilt the game their way. If Gatling continues his recent scoring form, the Giants can keep the pressure on the scoreboard and give the Trafalgar Centre another close one.
Matchup to Watch: Jace Carter v Nelson’s Frontcourt
Jace Carter enters this game as the league’s leading rebounder at 10.9 boards per game, while also averaging 20.3 points. He has already recorded seven double-doubles this season and was a major factor in Franklin’s first win over Nelson.
The challenge for Nelson is competing on the glass without their starting center and their captain.
Those outs leave Saylor, Luukkonen, Judd and the wider rotation needing to rebound collectively.
Saylor gives Nelson genuine size and has averaged 7.5 rebounds across his first two games, while Luukkonen is averaging 6.1 per game. With greater opportunity they should lift their impact, but Carter’s activity on both ends means the Giants cannot simply put one body on him and expect the job to be done.
If Carter controls the offensive glass, Franklin can generate the extra possessions that break this game open. If Nelson can rebound as a group and force him to work for every touch, they can get out in transition before the Bulls defence is organised.
Matchup to Watch: Alex McNaught v Carter Whitt
This is a battle between two very different floor generals.
Whitt leads the Sal’s NBL at 9.9 assists per game and has already picked Nelson apart once, finishing the first meeting with 18 points and 12 assists. He controls pace, finds shooters, gets Carter and Robinson involved and is comfortable holding the ball until the defence shows its hand.
McNaught is not asked to produce the same scoring volume, but his ball security and organisation are vital to Nelson. He averages 5.3 assists and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.8, one of the best marks in the competition.
Without Perrott-Hunt, McNaught’s role becomes even bigger. He needs to get Gatling the ball in good positions, involve Luukkonen and Saylor, and avoid the type of handling errors that hurt Nelson late in the first meeting. Defensively, he will need to be the focus at the point of attack, forcing the Bulls offense to initiate outside the arc to lower the impact of their paint attacks.
If Whitt controls the game, Franklin’s scoring balance can become difficult to handle. If McNaught keeps Nelson connected and limits live-ball turnovers, the Giants can make the Bulls defend in the half-court.
Individual Leaders
Category
NBS Nelson Giants
Franklin Bulls
Leading scorer
Gatling 24.7 / Perrott-Hunt 18.9 / Judd 13.5
Boyd 21.6 / Carter 20.3 / Whitt 16.6
Leading rebounder
Smith-Milner 8.5 / Saylor 7.5 / Dempster 6.6
Carter 10.9 / Boyd 5.6 / Robinson 5.5
Leading assists
McNaught 5.3 / Perrott-Hunt 3.9 / Gatling 3.4
Whitt 9.9 / Boyd 3.4 / Kelman-Poto 2.7
Best FG%
Luukkonen 50% / Inwood 44% / Judd 43%
Kelman-Poto 65% / Biggar 48% / Carter 47%
Best 3PT FG%
Dempster 38% / Gatling 36% / Matthews 36%
Savill 44% / Hughes 40% / Gerrand 39%
Blocks
Smith-Milner 0.9 / Saylor 0.5
Carter 0.9 / Biggar 0.3
Steals
McNaught 1.5 / Perrott-Hunt 1.2
Whitt 2.4 / Carter 1.7 / Boyd 1.5
Minutes
McNaught 32.4 / Perrott-Hunt 31.1
Boyd 35.3 / Whitt 35.0 / Carter 34.4
Stats that Matter
Stat
NBS Nelson Giants
Franklin Bulls
Points Per Game
85.9 ppg (9th)
89.7 ppg (6th)
Points Allowed Per Game
90.9 ppg (7th)
96.1 ppg (9th)
Scoring Margin
-5.0 (6th)
-6.4 (8th)
Field Goal %
41% (11th)
43% (10th)
Field Goal % Defence
45% (3rd)
51% (11th)
Free Throw %
73% (2nd)
67% (9th)
3-Point %
31% (8th)
30% (10th)
3-Point % Defence
31% (2nd)
35% (10th)
3-Point FG Made
10.9 (2nd)
9.8 (5th)
Rebounds Per Game
43.2 (4th)
40.9 (6th)
Rebounding Margin
-1.3 (6th)
+0.4 (5th)
Assists Per Game
18.5 (9th)
21.3 (4th)
Steals Per Game
6.5 (8th)
8.9 (2nd)
Blocks Per Game
2.4 (9th)
2.0 (10th)
Turnover Margin
-1.0 (7th)
+1.9 (2nd)
Assist/Turnover Ratio
1.51 (8th)
1.89 (3rd)
Last Word
This one is about two teams trying to stay afloat in the Final 6 race.
Nelson are at home, but they are missing Perrott-Hunt, Smith-Milner and Dempster, three players who normally provide scoring, rebounding and versatility across the lineup. The Giants need Gatling to continue his incredible scoring form, McNaught to control the offence and Saylor, Luukkonen and Judd to carry a much greater share of the physical work.
Franklin have fewer excuses. Their starting core is available, Whitt leads the league in assists, Carter leads it in rebounding and Boyd remains one of the competition’s leading scorers. But the Bulls have lost four straight and their defence has continued to give opponents opportunities, particularly through efficient shooting.
Nelson need shot-making and a collective rebounding effort. Franklin need paint pressure, ball movement and better defensive discipline.
If Gatling catches fire and the Giants can protect the ball, the Trafalgar Centre could drag Nelson into the fight. If Whitt controls the game and Carter dominates the glass, Franklin have the weapons to complete the season sweep and keep their postseason hopes alive.