Posted on Sunday, July 26th, 2026
Game Preview: Rams vs Bulls
The Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams enter the final game of the Sal’s NBL regular season with a top-two seed, and potentially first place. on the line when they host the Franklin Bulls at Parakiore.
Canterbury begins the day at 15-4, one win behind the 16-4 Southland Sharks and level with the Jadcup Auckland Tuatara. Auckland plays the Taranaki Airs earlier in the afternoon, meaning the Rams will know exactly what is required by the time they take the floor.
A Canterbury victory guarantees a top-two finish. If Auckland loses, a Rams win sends Canterbury to the top of the ladder. If both teams win, points percentage decides top spot, with the Tuatara holding a considerable advantage.
Franklin has been eliminated from postseason contention following Friday night’s 122-76 loss to Manawatū, but the Bulls have already beaten Canterbury once this season and can have a major influence on the final order of the top four.
Game Details
Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams vs Franklin Bulls
When: Sunday 26 July
Where: Parakiore, Christchurch
Rapid League: 5:00pm
Sal’s NBL: 6:00pm
Watch in New Zealand: Sky Sport 3
International: ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube internationally
Commentary: Nick Bewley and Adam Morgan
Box Score
Tickets
Player Status Report
The Rams’ submitted starting five features Taylor Britt, Tamenang Choh, Walter Brown, Todd Withers and Jack Andrew, but the availability of their two leading players remains uncertain.
Britt is questionable as he works through the concussion process, while Choh is also questionable with an injury. Brown, Withers and Andrew are available, with René Rougeau listed as an available restricted player.
The Bulls have named their established starting group of Carter Whitt, Derrin Boyd, Jace Carter, Kael Robinson and Dominique Kelman-Poto.
Corey Perry, Payton Hughes, Ellis Biggar, Harri Kelso, Zion Anderson, Brody Perry and Hunter Savill are available from the wider rotation.
Finals Ramifications
The final order of the top four will be determined by today’s two games.
Team
Record
Points percentage
Raw differential
Games Remaining
Southland Sharks
16-4
103
+84
Nil
Auckland Tuatara
15-4
117
+381
vs Taranaki Airs
Canterbury Rams
15-4
108
+198
vs Franklin Bulls
Wellington Saints
15-5
110
+264
Nil
Wins as a percentage are considered first, with points percentage used to separate teams finishing with the same record.
If the Rams win
Canterbury finishes 16-4 and is guaranteed a top-two seed.
The Rams would finish ahead of Southland because Canterbury already holds the stronger points percentage, and a victory would increase that advantage.
If Auckland loses
Canterbury takes the number-one seed.
The Rams would be the only team to combine 16 wins with a points percentage above Southland, placing Canterbury first and the Sharks second.
If Auckland also wins
The Tuatara and Rams both finish 16-4, with points percentage deciding first and second.
Auckland begins the day with a significant advantage, leading approximately 117 to 108. The Tuatara also holds a 183-point advantage in raw differential, illustrating the size of the gap Canterbury must overcome.
The exact required margin cannot be known until Auckland’s final score is confirmed, because points percentage is calculated using total points for and against rather than raw differential alone. Practically speaking, the Rams’ only realistic path to first is an Auckland loss followed by a Canterbury victory.
If the Rams lose
Canterbury finishes 15-5 and drops to fourth.
A loss would reduce the Rams’ points percentage below its current mark, leaving Canterbury behind the 15-5 Saints, who completed their season at approximately 110.
This means the Rams’ realistic finishing positions are:
For the Bulls
Franklin has been eliminated from the Final 6 race and enters its final game at 6-13.
A victory takes the Bulls to 7-13 and gives them the opportunity to climb as high as eighth, depending on Taranaki’s earlier result and the points-percentage tiebreaker.
More significantly, a Franklin win would deny Canterbury a top-two finish and lock the Rams into fourth.
First Matchup
Saturday 25 April: Franklin Bulls 103 defeated Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams 99
Franklin claimed its first victory of the season by producing a strong finish against a Canterbury side that entered the game unbeaten.
The contest developed into a battle between Whitt and Britt. Britt had 20 pts and 7 ast by halftime, but the Bulls remained within reach behind the scoring of Whitt and Boyd and the work of Carter on the glass.
Canterbury made a run early in the third quarter, but Franklin responded and remained close entering the final period. Kelman-Poto provided an important presence down the stretch as the Bulls executed more effectively during the closing possessions.
Franklin scored 27 second-chance points after collecting 31 offensive rebounds. The Bulls also recorded 24 ast and received 72 combined points from Whitt, Boyd and Carter.
Canterbury shot 50 percent from the field, but made only eight of its 28 three-point attempts and was unable to produce its usual closing run.
Franklin Bulls: Derrin Boyd 27 pts, 6 reb and 6 ast; Carter Whitt 26 pts, 5 reb, 13 ast and 4 stl; Jace Carter 19 pts, 15 reb, 2 stl and 2 blk.
Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams: Taylor Britt 32 pts, 4 reb and 12 ast; Walter Brown 22 pts, 6 reb and 4 ast; Jack Andrew 19 pts, 10 reb and 4 blk.
Last Time Out
Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams 91 defeated Jadcup Auckland Tuatara 80
Rams Defence Shuts Down Tuatara
Canterbury strengthened its challenge for a top-two seed by producing one of its best defensive performances of the season.
The Rams forced Auckland into eight turnovers during the opening quarter and led 17-9 after a low-scoring first period. Canterbury extended its advantage to 12 by halftime before taking a 17-point lead into the fourth.
Auckland responded with a 30-point final period, but the Rams remained composed and closed out the victory.
Canterbury held the Tuatara to 37 percent shooting and seven made threes while recording eight steals and seven blocks. The Rams also received balanced production from Choh, Andrew, Britt, Brown and Holmes.
Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams: Tamenang Choh 19 pts, 8 reb and 4 ast; Jack Andrew 18 pts, 11 reb and 4 blk; Taylor Britt 18 pts, 6 reb and 6 ast.
Jadcup Auckland Tuatara: Sean Bairstow 21 pts, 9 reb and 6 ast; Isaac Davidson 19 pts, 5 reb and 3 stl; Rob Loe 16 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast and 2 blk.
Property Brokers Manawatū Jets 122 defeated Franklin Bulls 76
Jets End Bulls’ Postseason Hopes
Franklin’s Final 6 hopes ended with a heavy defeat at Fly Palmy Arena.
The Jets established control early and continued to extend the margin behind an outstanding perimeter performance. Manawatū shot 64 percent from the field and made 15 of its 27 three-point attempts.
Franklin struggled to generate any rhythm from outside, making only three of its 32 attempts from beyond the arc. The Bulls also committed 17 turnovers and allowed 58 points in the paint.
Whitt and Carter were the only Franklin players to reach double figures as the Bulls suffered their sixth loss across their past seven games.
Franklin Bulls: Carter Whitt 13 pts, 7 ast and 2 stl; Jace Carter 12 pts, 8 reb and 2 ast; Kael Robinson 10 pts and 4 reb.
Property Brokers Manawatū Jets: Corey Webster 29 pts, 2 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl and 1 blk; Isiah Small 25 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl and 1 blk; Kazlo Evans Jr 21 pts, 2 reb, 10 ast, 1 stl and 1 blk.
What to Expect
Canterbury enters with the league’s best scoring margin and one of the competition’s strongest defences.
The Rams average 97.3 points while allowing only 84.7, giving them a league-leading margin of plus-12.6. Opponents shoot only 42 percent from the field and 32 percent from three against Canterbury.
Andrew anchors the interior defence, with Brown, Rougeau and Holmes also providing length and rim protection. The Rams lead the league with 5.2 blk per game and rank first in rebounding at 45.6 per contest.
That strength will be tested by Franklin’s offensive rebounding.
The Bulls lead the competition with 13.8 offensive rebounds per game and collect 35 percent of their available offensive boards. Carter, Robinson, Kelman-Poto and Biggar consistently create extra possessions even when Franklin’s initial shooting is inefficient.
The first meeting provided an extreme example, with the Bulls collecting 31 offensive rebounds and scoring 27 second-chance points. Canterbury cannot allow Franklin to repeat that advantage.
The Bulls’ difficulty has been converting those opportunities efficiently. Franklin shoots 43 percent from the field and a league-low 29 percent from three, while allowing opponents to shoot 52 percent overall.
Canterbury will look to attack that defence through transition, interior touches for Andrew and Choh, and the movement and shooting of Brown, Withers and Holmes.
The status of Britt and Choh could significantly change the contest. They average more than 40 combined points and almost 13 assists, giving the Rams their two leading creators. If either is unavailable, Brown, Rougeau, Holmes and Ihaka Cate will carry greater ball-handling responsibility.
Franklin must recover quickly from Friday’s defeat. Its regular starters played reduced minutes because of the margin, but the Bulls are completing a road double-header while Canterbury has had a full week since defeating Auckland.
Matchups to Watch
Taylor Britt vs Carter Whitt
The first meeting produced outstanding performances from both point guards.
Britt recorded 32 pts and 12 ast, while Whitt answered with 26 pts, 13 ast and 4 stl. Their ability to dictate pace and repeatedly place pressure on the defence shaped the entire game.
Britt averages 20.1 pts and 7.0 ast but is questionable once again. His availability would provide Canterbury with its leading ball-handler and one of the league’s most efficient decision-makers.
Whitt leads the competition at 9.5 ast per game while adding 16.7 pts and 2.2 stl. He remains the player most responsible for connecting Franklin’s scoring and rebounding threats.
If Britt is unavailable, Brown, Choh, Holmes and Ihaka Cate must share the responsibility of containing Whitt and organising Canterbury’s offence.
Walter Brown vs Jace Carter
Brown and Carter are two of the most versatile forwards in the matchup, with both capable of influencing the game as scorers, rebounders and defenders.
Brown averages 18.2 pts, 6.9 reb and 4.3 ast. His size and mobility allow him to defend across several positions, initiate Canterbury’s offence and attack slower defenders from the perimeter.
Carter averages 19.6 pts and a league-leading 11.0 reb. He produced 19 pts and 15 reb in the first meeting and remains Franklin’s most important player on the glass.
Brown must prevent Carter from creating repeated second-chance opportunities while making him defend away from the basket. At the other end, Carter will look to use his strength inside and punish Canterbury if it switches smaller defenders onto him.
Tamenang Choh vs Derrin Boyd
Choh and Boyd are their teams’ leading scorers and two of the competition’s most difficult individual covers.
Choh averages 20.1 pts, 8.2 reb and 5.9 ast while shooting 51 percent from the field. His strength allows him to attack smaller defenders, while his playmaking makes it difficult for Franklin to send additional help.
Boyd leads the Bulls with 20.8 pts per game while adding 5.2 reb and 3.3 ast. He scored 27 pts in the first meeting and remains Franklin’s primary perimeter scorer and late-clock option.
Choh must use his size to make Boyd work defensively, while Canterbury needs to prevent Boyd from establishing an early shooting rhythm. Choh remains questionable through injury, making his availability one of the key factors in the matchup.
Team Leaders
Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams
Tamenang Choh: 20.1 pts, 8.2 reb and 5.9 ast
Taylor Britt: 20.1 pts, 3.7 reb and 7.0 ast
Walter Brown: 18.2 pts, 6.9 reb and 4.3 ast
Jack Andrew: 16.0 pts, 9.6 reb and 1.4 blk
Franklin Bulls
Derrin Boyd: 20.8 pts, 5.2 reb and 3.3 ast
Jace Carter: 19.6 pts, 11.0 reb and 2.5 ast
Carter Whitt: 16.7 pts, 4.1 reb, 9.5 ast and 2.2 stl
Kael Robinson: 11.5 pts, 5.5 reb and 1.2 ast
Individual Category Leaders
Category
Canterbury Rams
Franklin Bulls
Leading scorer
Tamenang Choh, 20.1ppg
Derrin Boyd, 20.8ppg
Rebounding
Jack Andrew, 9.6rpg
Jace Carter, 11.0rpg
Assists
Taylor Britt, 7.0apg
Carter Whitt, 9.5apg
Steals
René Rougeau, 2.1spg
Carter Whitt, 2.2spg
Blocks
Jack Andrew, 1.4bpg
Jace Carter, 0.7bpg
Field-goal percentage
Jack Andrew, 63%
Dominique Kelman-Poto, 60%
Three-point percentage
Todd Withers, 38%
Hunter Savill, 41%
Turnovers
Tamenang Choh, 3.2 per game
Carter Whitt, 3.4 per game
Made three-pointers
Todd Withers, 3.1 per game
Derrin Boyd, 2.8 per game
Stats That Matter
Category
Canterbury Rams
Franklin Bulls
Record
15-4
6-13
Points percentage
108
93
Raw differential
+198
–158
Last five games
4-1
1-4
Points per game
97.3, 2nd
88.3, 6th
Points allowed
84.7, 2nd
96.0, 9th
Scoring margin
+12.6, 1st
–7.7, 10th
Field-goal percentage
48%, 3rd
43%, 10th
Defensive field-goal percentage
42%, 2nd
52%, 11th
Three-point percentage
35%, 4th
29%, 11th
Defensive three-point percentage
32%, 4th
36%, 10th
Three-pointers made
9.9 per game
9.6 per game
Free-throw percentage
73%, 3rd
67%, 10th
Rebounds
45.6 per game, 1st
41.6 per game, 6th
Rebounding margin
+6.4, 1st
+1.5, 5th
Offensive rebounds
12.8 per game, 2nd
13.8 per game, 1st
Assists
21.4 per game, 3rd
21.0 per game, 4th
Turnovers
11.8 per game
11.8 per game
Assist-to-turnover ratio
1.80, 3rd
1.77, 4th
Steals
8.1 per game, 6th
8.5 per game, 4th
Blocks
5.2 per game, 1st
2.2 per game, 10th
Final Word
The regular season ends with Canterbury’s postseason route the last domino needed to fall to complete the picture.
A victory guarantees the Rams a top-two finish and secures a direct place in the semi-finals. An Auckland loss earlier in the day would turn the equation into a straightforward opportunity to claim the number-one seed.
A Canterbury loss has a far greater cost. The Rams would fall behind Wellington and finish fourth, sending them into the elimination portion of the postseason rather than directly into the semi-finals.
Franklin has nothing left to chase on the ladder, but the Bulls have already demonstrated their ability to defeat Canterbury. Whitt, Boyd and Carter combined for 72 points in April, while Franklin’s offensive rebounding repeatedly extended possessions.
The Rams enter in stronger form and hold clear statistical advantages at both ends, but the uncertain status of Britt and Choh adds another layer to the final game of the season.
By tip-off, Canterbury will know Auckland’s result. From there, the requirement will be simple: beat the Bulls and secure a top-two seed, with first place potentially waiting.