BASKETBALL: Don't write off the Hawkes yet | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

A cursory glance at the National Basketball League poll on the website tells a story of its own.

Like any survey, it must have a degree of give and take but, generally, it offers basketball fans a bone to chew on.

In the 10-team league, that tipped off last night, the poll shows defending champions Waikato Pistons are the odds-on favourites to be cutting the net off the rim at the grand final buzzer of the 2010 season.

Of the 510 votes, the Pistons captured 19 per cent. In the descending order thereafter are the Christchurch Cougars (14 per cent), Nelson Giants (11), Harbour Heat (10), Southland Sharks (10), Wellington Saints (9), Manawatu Jets (7), 0800 Easy LPG Hawks (6), Otago Nuggets (6), Taranaki (4) and the fallen Auckland Stars (3).

That those in the know feel the Hawks are below the Jets and even the new kids on the block, Southland, will be the subject of some interesting debates this season.

On the road for their first three games, the Hawks last night came up a three-pointer basket shy against the Cougars at Cowles Stadium.

Up by 18 points at halftime (48-30), the visitors had to settle for a 75-72 defeat at the final buzzer.

It's difficult to start a season on a losing note but a pragmatic way of looking at that loss is to put it in perspective.

Cougars, according to poll, will be the losing grand finalists. The Hawks, languishing on the eighth rung of the ladder, were agonisingly close to claiming a draw, if not an upset victory.

Hawks head coach Shawn Dennis told SportToday last night he could not fault anyone's efforts.

"[Captain] David Langrell played his heart out. He had a tremendous game," said Dennis, lamenting the absence of key players such as injured Paul Henare, Jarrod Kenny and newcomer Josh Pace.

"But there are no excuses and we don't need those other players here," he said, also commending new signing Nat Connell, who was playing in front of his home crowd against the Andrew Gardiner-coached Cougars.

For the hosts, former Hawks skipper Paora Winitana and Jeremy Kench were "outstanding". Henare would have been playing against Winitana after the pair were Cougars teammates last season.

Henare is in Auckland recuperating after surgery on his ankle following the end of his New Zealand Breakers campaign in the Australian NBL.

"We were tremendous in the first half with backboard offensive rebounding giving us second chances.

"Then they came out all aggressive and our players didn't adjust."

Among the big rigs are 2m-plus imports Tim Behrendorff and Trent Wurtz. Add to that centre Lionel Hopgood and former Bay forward Mark Morrison.

Needless to say, Bay-born fox terrier Aidan Daly is a handful when it comes to putting his side on the front foot. His sister and former Tall Fern, Kirstin Daly, is Dennis' assistant.

"When the pressure's on we need to rely on a system and that system, tonight, was broken down and it's my job as the coach to fix that," was Dennis' frank admission as he aimed to view videotape footage with his players today to reverse their fortunes before their clash against the Sharks in Invercargill tomorrow.

He took comfort in the knowledge that his troops could have capitulated under pressure but instead they fought back last night.

No doubt, the Hawks' will be up against a relatively unknown Southland outfit who are not even up on the NBL website just yet.

Those clicky pollsters with a mouse in their hot hands to pick who will win the NBL title will perhaps freeze a little longer before writing off the Hawks.