Painful night for dismal Nuggets

THE Otago Nuggets put the white in anaemic with a miserable display in Tauranga last night. They slumped to a 7069 loss to an understrength, undersized Tauranga Whai.

The Whai parted ways with import Vance Jackson jun during the week and were firm underdogs. They played badly enough to lose the game as well.

But the Nuggets saw their junk and raised them rubbish.

They landed just three of their 19 threepoint attempts, and posted just eight from 17 at the freethrow line.

There was no charity there. Kimani Lawrence top scored for the Nuggets with 19 points, but had an off night. And when he is not firing, the Nuggets labour. Demarcus Holland (20) made two late drives to the basket to set up the win, and Te Tuhi Lewis (17) drilled five of his six threepoint attempts on his way to a careerhigh score. That proved instrumental.

The Nuggets’ offence was tentative early and their defence was missing as well. They give up the most points in the league.

But Jack Andrew (16) got inside for a couple of throwdowns. Whai guard Jayden Bezzant and Nuggets shooting guard Ben Henshall traded deep threes. Bezzant and Henshall traded buckets.

There were others playing but there was a game within a game for a minute or so.

The Nuggets edged ahead to lead 2521 at the break.

Dontae RussoNance made his Nuggets debut late in the quarter and made some nice touches. The second period was deeply uninspiring, or ghastly if you want to dispatch it with diplomacy.

Matthew Bardsley sold several fakes before spinning in a shot midway through the quarter to double the Nuggets’ tally in the period.

For those still awake, Lewis drained a triple to give the home team a 3633 lead. They won the quarter 158.

Yep. The Nuggets netted just eight points in 10 minutes.

The bumbling continued. Zaccheus DarkoKelly, who had an awful shooting night, hit a midrange jumper but the ball kept rattling out for the visitors. There was no hustle. No pulse. No sign of life.

Lewis hit his fourth three to stretch the lead to nine.

Webster lifted and Lawrence got a couple of layups in.

But it was another dreadful quarter on the whole.

The Nuggets could not have possibly played any worse but only trailed 5553 with 10 minutes remaining.

DarkoKelly hit a three, Lawrence drove to the hoop for a dunk and Andrew grabbed a steal and finished at the other end to give the Nuggets the lead midway through the final period.

But Holland made two nice drives to the hoop to give the home side a 7069 lead with just over a minute remaining and they defended it.

In the Rapid League game the Nuggets beat the Whai 2923.