Withers the shining light in Nuggets’ impressive win

In the space of seven days, the Otago Nuggets have knocked over both National Basketball League grand finalists from last season.

A week after toppling defending champions Wellington Saints 83-61, the Nuggets gained another significant scalp at their Edgar Centre home in Dunedin.

Sparked by a game-high 30 points, nine rebounds and four steals from American swingman Todd Withers, the Nuggets knocked over the Hawke’s Bay Hawks 94-80 on Saturday.

Withers, who was previously with the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian NBL, was critical for the hosts, draining seven threes, and shooting an efficient 10 of 16 from the floor.

He was ably assisted by leading Kiwi big man Sam Timmins, who produced a 17 point-12 rebound double-double, while American guard Keith Williams chipped in with 23 points in just under 25 minutes off the bench.

It was another impressive early season showing from the Nuggets, who had to overcome more than half their squad being bedridden with the flu earlier in the week.

Withers was one of the players struck down, but you wouldn’t have known from his standout play at both ends of the court. The 26-year-old, who hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, looks an astute signing from the Nuggets.

Forty-eight hours after a convincing 87-68 win over the Southland Sharks in Invercargill, the Hawks weren’t able to play at the same intensity, splitting their southern road trip 1-1.

Hawke’s Bay took a 47-44 lead into halftime against the Nuggets, but Otago outscored them 50-33 in the second half with the Hawks appearing to show signs of fatigue.

Both sides are 2-2 in the young NBL season.

The Canterbury Rams bounced back from a sub-par home loss to the Auckland Tuatara last Sunday, beating the Manawatū Jets 92-82 in Palmerston North on Saturday and completed an a good road trip yesterday by rolling the Mountain Airs 87-75 in New Plymouth.

Joe Cook-Green led the way for the Rams yesterday with a 21-point haul.

The Nelson Giants handed the Franklin Bulls their first loss of the season, prevailing in a lowscoring game in Pukekohe 73-56.

In a clash dominated by strong defence and some cold shooting, the Giants took an 11-point lead into halftime and were ahead by as many as 19 in the second half.

Nelson limited the Bulls to just 56 points on 22-52 shooting (42%) with no-one able to get going on offence for the home side.

Giants stalwart Sam Dempster was a standout performer with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists.