NZNBL 2024

NUGGETS COMPLETE NELSON GIANTS SWEEP

The Night ‘N Day Otago Nuggets have produced a gritty and determined road victory over Nelson on Friday night.

The undermanned Nuggets held their nerve under immense pressure from the Giants in the final quarter to seal an 88-79 win.

American imports Zaccheus Darko-Kelly (34 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals) and Kimani Lawrence (22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals) were the stars of the show, combining for 56 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

In a team missing Perth Wildcats trio Ben Henshall, Tai Webster and Dontae Russo-Nance, Darko-Kelly was particularly impressive, finishing with a season-high points tally which bettered his second-game effort of 27 against Wellington.

Darko-Kelly hit five three-points among his haul and shot at 55 per cent from the field, putting the team on his back at times.

Big man Jack Andrew was also influential with 10 points and seven rebounds, including six at the defensive end.

It was a see-sawing opening term with Otago having all the answers to everything Nelson threw at them.

Lawrence looked a man on a mission for the Nuggets, driving to the basket and throwing his body weight around on the way to a game-high 12 points and three rebounds.

With scores tied at 21-apiece at quarter-time, Zarko-Kelly enjoyed a red-hot start to the second quarter as the visitors made their move.

Zarko-Kelly hit two triples among his seven points during a four-minute purple patch.

Then it was Matt ‘The Slippery Eel’ Bardsley’s turn, following up a two-handed jam with a block at the other end before a successful drive to the basket.

But from eight points up late in the second, Otago conceded nine consecutive points to trail 49-48 at the main break.

The half-time break came at the right time for the Nuggets, who regrouped after an early onslaught and went on a hot streak of their own to turn a six-point deficit into a 65-62 lead by the final change.

It was evenly-contested final stanza until the visitors made their move midway through, with Darko-Kelly pouncing on a couple of Nelson errors to nail back-to-back threes as the Nuggets to a double-digit lead.

The margin was cut back to just four points on multiple occasions during a tense last couple of minutes.

Both sides kept fouling their opponents but the Nuggets hung on for a memorable victory after a tough few weeks.

The Nuggets finish their 2024 Sal’s NBL campaign by hosting Franklin Bulls at Dunedin’s Edgar Centre on Saturday 13 July.