He is predicting Canterbury (17-3) will back up their effort last season and snatch the National Basketball League championship again, and that they will beat the Auckland Tuatara (16-4) in the final.
It is a very decent call. They have been the two best teams in the league all season.
"I’m picking the Rams. I’ll go with a South Island team," he said.
Australian forward Lachie Olbrich and guard Taylor Britt shape as critical for the Rams. The more ball Olbrich gets, the harder Canterbury are to beat. And Britt is the man to get him the ball.
If import M.J. Walker can find his scoring touch, the Rams will have a strong grip on the title.
Matehaere has form. He called the first playoff game correctly.
He thought the Taranaki Airs would prevail against the Nelson Giants and they did.
American forward Elijah Minnie potted 30 points to lead the Airs to a 87-74 win in New Plymouth on Wednesday night.
The win bought the Airs another round in the playoffs — a tough semifinal against the Rams in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.
The Auckland Tuatara will play the winner of tonight’s game in the capital between the Wellington Saints and the Franklin Bulls.
"They will go at it but I’m picking the Saints. I know they had a close one in Wellington when they played each other. It went to overtime and that was without Hyrum [Harris] and I believe the Saints will be at full strength."
Whoever emerges victorious will have to fly to Auckland to play the Tuatara in the other semifinal on Wednesday night.
The Tuatara lost the final to Canterbury last year and were beaten by the Otago Nuggets in the 2022 final, so they are due.
They have a talented lineup featuring former international centre Rob Loe and Tall Blacks Corey Webster, Reuben Te Rangi and Tom Vodanovich.
Cam Gliddon completes an all-star starting five. There is depth on the bench with Charlie Dalton and Braydon Iuli shining with opportunities this season.
The NBL final is on July 28.
