Otago Nuggets

Otago Nuggets
Leagues National Basketball League
Founded 1981
History Otago Nuggets
1990–2008; 2010–2014
Arena Edgar Centre
Location Dunedin, Otago,
New Zealand
Team colors Navy blue & gold
Championships 0
Uniforms
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The Otago Nuggets were a New Zealand professional men's basketball team that played in the National Basketball League (NBL). They played their home games at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin, Otago.

The Nuggets did not see much success upon entering the NBL in 1990.[1] They made the NBL playoffs just four times, and pulled out of the competition in 2009 and 2015 due to financial constraints.[2]

History

CBL years

Otago basketball began with the inception of the Conference Basketball League (CBL) in 1981. Otago was the inaugural CBL champion, and went on to finish runners-up in 1983, claim a second championship in 1985, and finish runners-up again in 1986.

In 1988, legendary coach Tab Baldwin made his New Zealand coaching debut with Otago in a pre-season clash with the Canterbury Rams.[3] Baldwin helped elevate Otago to the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1990.

NBL struggles

Between 1990 and 1997, the Nuggets made the NBL semi-finals three times (1991, '95 and '97), but never made it to the grand final. Following this early success, however, the Nuggets failed to make a playoff appearance in 15 straight seasons. Between 2001 and 2008, the Nuggets finished in last place every season bar 2003 (7th) and 2004 (9th, second last). They did have some individual success during this time though, with 2002 bringing in a Scoring Champion in Ron Grady, and 2006 bringing in a Rookie of the Year winner in Shaun Tilby and a Rebounding Champion in Miles Pearce.[4]

Rock bottom

Despite hiring American head coach Don Simms for the 2008 season,[5] the Nuggets finished with a 2–16 win/loss record for the second straight year. To make matter worse, guards Nat Connell and Steve Robinson were suspended mid-season for breaching the league's drug protocols.[6]

In 2009, Basketball Otago pulled the Nuggets out of the league, citing financial concerns. The Nuggets returned to the NBL in 2010, albeit with a modest budget.[7] In October 2009, Basketball Otago announced that a new partnership had been confirmed with OceanaGold, as the company became the principal sponsor for the franchise for the 2010 season, with the new name for Basketball Otago's NBL team being "OceanaGold Otago Nuggets".[8] However, despite a fresh start, new sponsor, and new coach,[9] the Nuggets once again struggled in 2010, finishing the season 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).[10]

On 21 May 2011, the Nuggets defeated the Manawatu Jets 74–67 to end the team's 33-game losing streak in the NBL. The Nuggets' last win before this game was also against the Jets, on 12 April 2008.[11][12] They managed to win one more game in 2011, finishing the season in last place again with a 2–14 record.

Franchise turning point

Mac, the Nuggets' mascot, with the Otago Dancers in 2012.

The Nuggets showed signs of life in 2012 with imports Antoine Tisby and Akeem Wright, as they finished seventh on the ladder with six wins and ten losses, recording the team's best season since 2003.[13]

In what was a turning point year for the team in 2012, the Nuggets went on to establish themselves as one of the teams to beat in 2013 as they won their first eight games and finished the regular season in second spot on the ladder with a 12–4 record. The Nuggets thus made the playoffs for the first time since 1997 with the help of B. J. Anthony, Antoine Tisby, Akeem Wright, Brendon Polyblank and Mark Dickel. The Nuggets faced the Nelson Giants in the semi-finals, where they were defeated 87–72, as the Giants moved on to face the Southland Sharks in the grand final. During the season, 15-year-old centre Sam Timmins became the youngest player to debut for the team since Mark Dickel did so in 1993 as a 16-year-old.[14]

The Nuggets' demise

After losing B. J. Anthony during the off-season to the Wellington Saints, the Nuggets took a huge step back in 2014 as they missed the playoffs with a record of 7–11. Despite Mark Dickel leading them as player/coach, the Nuggets never got going as they had mid-season import changes, bringing in Brandon Bowdry for Troy Payne, and injury problems with Marques Whippy's season-ending Achilles injury following the first game of the season.[15]

Shortly after Mark Dickel and Marques Whippy departed the team following a disappointing 2014 season, the Nuggets announced their decision to pull out of the 2015 season on 11 November 2014 due to financial reasons.[16] 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.[2] However, in September 2016, Basketball Otago opted not to apply for a position in the 2017 competition.[17][18]

2014 roster

# Pos. Player Height
New Zealand 1 PG Mark Dickel (C) 188cm
Fiji 4 PF Marques Whippy 193cm
New Zealand 6 PG Micah Lepaio 185cm
New Zealand 7 PF Sam King 199cm
New Zealand 8 SF Steven Robinson 193cm
New Zealand 11 SF Brendon Polyblank 197cm
New Zealand 12 PG Darcy Knox (DP) 186cm
New Zealand 13 SG Tony Tolovae 192cm
New Zealand 19 PG Ollie Smith 186cm
New Zealand 21 SG Damon Cleverley 190cm
New Zealand 27 SG Sheldon McGuire (DP) 187cm
United States 34 SF Brandon Bowdry (I) 200cm
United States 41 C Warren Carter (I) 205cm

References

  1. ↑ Meikle, Hayden (12 October 2011). "Greatest moments in Otago sport - Number 28". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  2. 1 2 Seconi, Adrian (19 September 2015). "Basketball: Otago Nuggets targeting NBL comeback in 2017". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Egan, Brendon (9 May 2014). "Baldwin predicts Rams ready for a winning spurt". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "2006 NBL". Basketball.org.nz. Archived from the original on January 14, 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "NZL - Otago still searching for Nuggets". FIBA.com. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Basketball: Nuggets pair get six-week sanctions". ODT.co.nz. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (12 June 2013). "Basketball: Money makes the Nuggets go round". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Basketball Otago Announces New Corporate Partnership For Otago Nuggets 2010 Season". Voxy.co.nz. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (4 November 2009). "Basketball: New Nuggets coach welcomes challenge of NBL return". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  10. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (31 May 2010). "Basketball: Nuggets closing on unwanted record". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  11. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (21 May 2011). "Otago Nuggets break 33-game losing streak". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Preston, Scott; Anderson, Ian (21 May 2011). "Otago Nuggets end 33-game NBL losing streak". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Woodcock, Fred (23 May 2013). "Otago Nuggets the new golden boys of NBL". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (15 May 2013). "Basketball: Walk, run, win: Nuggets rebound". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (9 April 2014). "Basketball: Achilles injury puts Whippy out for season". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  16. ↑ Seconi, Adrian (11 November 2014). "Basketball: Nuggets 'right to pull pin'". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  17. ↑ "Basketball: Otago Nuggets taking cautious approach to NBL return". NZHerald.co.nz. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  18. ↑ Cheshire, Jeff (22 September 2016). "Softly, softly in rebuilding the Nuggets". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
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