Brendon Egan12:13, Jul 07 2021
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Isaiah Moss and the Otago Nuggets face a defining weekend in the NBL.
OPINION: Two rounds remain in the National Basketball League’s regular season. The Saints, Hawks, and Sharks are all close to securing their final four spots, while the Huskies and Nuggets are jostling for fourth place. BRENDON EGAN looks ahead to round 11.
Do or die for Nuggets Round 11 will make or break the Otago Nuggets’ season. The NBL Showdown champions face a critical weekend, fighting for their finals lives and really need to win both games. The Nuggets (9-6), who are a game behind the Huskies (10-6), could not have scripted a tougher doubleheader, travelling to Invercargill to play the Southland Sharks on Friday. They are then back in action on Monday away to the Wellington Saints. If the Nuggets have final four aspirations, they need to show they can beat the best teams in the league and there is no better platform than this round. America
NZ NBL: Slammin Sam Timmins thriving on centre stage with Otago Nuggets stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
It will be a rematch with the Nuggets, so the Jets won’t have to wait long to make up for their Saturday night loss. On Friday night the Rams were led by EJ Singler, who scored 20 points, shooting five three pointers and had eight rebounds and seven assists. The Rams led 44-39 at halftime after a scrappy second quarter, but the Rams looked more settled after the break. Guards Daishon Knight and Jayden Bezzant again did most of the work for the Jets. Knight scored 24 points, grabbed six rebounds and five assists, while Bezzant scored 20 points and had five rebounds.
Kerwin Roach scored 19 points as the Wellington Saints thumped the Otago Nuggets in Dunedin.
Normal service has resumed, it seems, as the Wellington Saints returned to the NBL in style on opening night in Dunedin. Having been one of three teams to opt out of last year’s Covid-19 induced Showdown competition, the perennial heavyweights were back to business in fine fashion on Saturday, downing the Otago Nuggets 95-73 at the Edgar Centre. Having claimed four titles, and been runners-up twice, in the six seasons prior to the unique last one – including going a perfect 20-0 in 2019 – the Saints, even with a largely new-look squad, were quick to stamp their mark and put the Nuggets feel-good story from 2020 well in the past.