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Otago Nuggets

The Otago Nuggets are a New Zealand professional men's basketball team based in Dunedin. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at the Edgar Centre. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Night 'n Day Otago Nuggets.

Otago Nuggets
Otago Nuggets logo
LeaguesNZNBL
Founded1990
HistoryOtago Nuggets
1990–2008; 2010–2014; 2020–present
ArenaEdgar Centre
LocationDunedin, Otago,
New Zealand
Team colorsNavy blue, sky blue, gold
Main sponsorNight 'n Day
General managerAngela Ruske
Head coachVacant
OwnershipSports Entertainment Network New Zealand
Championships2 (2020, 2022)
WebsiteOtagoNuggets.com

Team history

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The Nuggets entered the National Basketball League (NBL) for the first time in 1990. After finishing in the top six in five of their first eight seasons, and making the semi-finals three times in that span,[1] the Nuggets finished in the bottom four in their next 14 seasons, including being perennial wooden spooners.[2] Following a tumultuous 2008 season, where the Nuggets collected their fourth consecutive wooden spoon and had mass player turnover throughout the year,[3] Basketball Otago withdrew the Nuggets from the 2009 season, citing financial concerns.[4] They returned to the league in 2010[5][6] and subsequently finished with a winless record (0–18), becoming just the third team in NBL history to finish a season without a win (joining the 1998 Northland Suns and the 2009 Taranaki Mountainairs).[7] The Nuggets also had a 33-game losing streak that spanned April 2008 to May 2011.[8][9]

In 2013, the Nuggets made it to the post-season for the first time since 1997.[1] They finished the regular season in second place with a 12–4 record,[10] before losing 87–72 to the Nelson Giants in the semifinal.[11][12] In 2014, the Nuggets missed the finals with a 7–11 record.

In November 2014, Basketball Otago withdrew the Nuggets from the NBL for a second time.[13][14] In September 2015, Basketball Otago announced their decision to keep the Nuggets out of the NBL in 2016, looking instead to bringing them back in 2017.[15] However, in September 2016, they opted not to apply for a position in the 2017 competition.[16][17] In February 2018, plans to resurrect the Nuggets were further put on hold.[18]

In April 2019, Basketball Otago were granted approval to make an NBL bid for the 2020 season.[19] The Nuggets were granted provisional entry back into the NBL in July 2019,[20] but the following month, their formal entry was deferred to the 2021 season, with both the league and the organisation feeling an additional 12 months would help the team to better lay the foundations needed for success.[21] However, in May 2020, the Nuggets formally returned to the league in a 2020 competition that was revised and modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22][23][24]

The Nuggets had a successful return to the NBL in 2020 as they finished the regular season in first place with a 9–5 record behind Coach of the Year winner Brent Matehaere.[25][26] They went on to reach their first ever NBL final behind the likes of Jordan Hunt, Jarrod Kenny and Jordan Ngatai,[27][28] where they defeated the Manawatu Jets 79–77 to win their maiden NBL championship.[29][30][31]

In November 2021, the Nuggets were purchased by Sports Entertainment Network New Zealand (SENZ), a subsidiary of Australia's Sports Entertainment Group (SEG).[32]

In 2022, the Nuggets finished the regular season in third place with a 10–8 record[33] and went on to reach the NBL final behind the likes of Tray Boyd III, Keith Williams, Todd Withers and Sam Timmins.[34] In the final, they won their second championship in three years with an 81–73 victory over the Auckland Tuatara.[35]

Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Otago Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht.
G 0   Webster, Tai (C) 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
G 1   Russo-Nance, Dontae 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
G/F 2   Darko-Kelly, Zaccheus (I) 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
F 4   Lawrence, Kimani (I) 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)
F 5   Coman, Robert 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
G 6   Ruske, Michael 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
G 7   Bardsley, Matthew 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
G 9   Knox, Darcy 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
G 10   Henshall, Ben (I) 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
G 11   Ahie, Joseph 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
F 13   Aitcheson, Josh 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
G 14   Pyper, Matthew
C 21   Andrew, Jack 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
F 43   Freeman, Benji 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
G 44   Smiler, Caleb 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  •   Ben Peterson
  •   Sam Senior
  •   Daniel Vlahov
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (I) Import player
  •   Injured
Updated: 30 March 2024

References

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  1. ^ a b Woodcock, Fred (23 May 2013). "Otago Nuggets the new golden boys of NBL". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  2. ^ "2015 Bartercard National Basketball League Handbook" (PDF). basketball.org.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 September 2015.
  3. ^ Seconi, Adrian (11 June 2008). "Basketball: Otago Nuggets' season in review". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  4. ^ Seconi, Adrian (12 June 2013). "Basketball: Money makes the Nuggets go round". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Basketball Otago Announces New Corporate Partnership For Otago Nuggets 2010 Season". Voxy.co.nz. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  6. ^ "GOLD NUGGETS". basketball.org.nz. 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 29 October 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  7. ^ Seconi, Adrian (31 May 2010). "Basketball: Nuggets closing on unwanted record". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  8. ^ Seconi, Adrian (21 May 2011). "Otago Nuggets break 33-game losing streak". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  9. ^ Preston, Scott; Anderson, Ian (21 May 2011). "Otago Nuggets end 33-game NBL losing streak". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Ladder for 2013 Bartercard National Basketball League". SportsTG.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Basketball: Nuggets fall to Giants in semifinal". Otago Daily Times. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  12. ^ Seconi, Adrian (15 July 2013). "Basketball: Dickel - We didn't play well enough". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  13. ^ Seconi, Adrian (11 November 2014). "Nuggets pull out of NBL". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014.
  14. ^ Seconi, Adrian (11 November 2014). "Basketball: Nuggets 'right to pull pin'". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014.
  15. ^ Seconi, Adrian (19 September 2015). "Basketball: Otago Nuggets targeting NBL comeback in 2017". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Basketball: Otago Nuggets taking cautious approach to NBL return". The New Zealand Herald. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  17. ^ Cheshire, Jeff (22 September 2016). "Softly, softly in rebuilding the Nuggets". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  18. ^ Seconi, Adrian (14 February 2018). "Plans to resurrect Otago Nuggets put on the backburner". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  19. ^ Cheshire, Jeff (27 April 2019). "Otago wins approval to make NBL bid". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  20. ^ "OTAGO NUGGETS SET FOR RETURN TO THE NBL". nznbl.basketball. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  21. ^ "OTAGO NUGGETS TARGET 2021 FOR NBL RETURN". nznbl.basketball. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  22. ^ Seconi, Adrian (16 May 2020). "Nuggets could return soon to rejigged national league". odt.co.nz. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  23. ^ "AUCKLAND TO HOST 2020 SAL'S NBL, TIPPING OFF 23 JUNE". nznbl.basketball. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  24. ^ "Seven teams confirmed for NBL basketball competition in June". Stuff.co.nz. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  25. ^ "TOM VODANOVICH WINS SKYCITY MVP AT SAL'S NBL AWARDS DINNER". nznbl.basketball. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Manawatu Jets' standout Tom Vodanovich named NBL Showdown MVP". Stuff.co.nz. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  27. ^ Hinton, Marc (30 July 2020). "Sal's NBL Showdown: Otago Nuggets' golden run continues; Manawatu Jets also into final". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  28. ^ Hinton, Marc (31 July 2020). "Sal's NBL Showdown: Secret behind Otago Nuggets' golden run — Bats, banter and brotherhood". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  29. ^ "NUGGETS STRIKE GOLD IN SAL'S NBL SHOWDOWN". nznbl.basketball. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  30. ^ Hinton, Marc (1 August 2020). "Sal's NBL Showdown: Otago Nuggets grab first title as they shade Manawatu Jets in thriller". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  31. ^ Hinton, Marc (2 August 2020). "Sal's NBL Showdown: Otago's golden Nuggets hope historic title can launch bright new era". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  32. ^ "SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK SECURES OTAGO NUGGETS". nznbl.basketball. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  33. ^ Nelson, Justin (9 August 2022). "Taranaki Airs are tops for now but the race to NBL glory is wide open". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  34. ^ Egan, Brendon (12 August 2022). "Otago Nuggets outrebound and outplay Nelson Giants to make NBL grand final". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  35. ^ "NUGGETS DOWN TUATARA TO CLAIM 2022 SAL'S NBL TITLE". nznbl.basketball. 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
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