And that is what makes this victory even sweeter.
The Otago Nuggets held on to beat the Auckland Tuatara 84-80 in Auckland last night.
It is the Nuggets’ first victory against the Auckland side since 2023, reversing the 26-point loss from earlier this season and snapping the Tuatara’s nine-game winning streak.
The Nuggets rightly have plenty to celebrate from the victory — their second of the weekend and another promising step towards the playoffs — which was built off a massive defensive effort.
Buay Tuach had 17 points, Alain Louis had 16 points and seven assists, Isaac Miller-Jose had 16 points and eight rebounds and Ethan Rusbatch had 10 rebounds and nine assist.
Thomas Vondanovich was huge for the Tuatara with 28 points and 15 rebounds.
The Nuggets were dealt a blow when Craig Moller was a late scratching through injury.
But the Tuatara were without their own big men in Rob Loe and Chris Johnston.
Zach Riley nailed consecutive triples to get the Tuatara on the board and Isaac Davidson produced a nice floater to give the Tuatara their first lead of the game.
But Tuach was given too much room out wide and nailed a three.
Zach McKenzie rejected Dylan Wilkie’s shot off the glass and Tyson Thata-Paese finished at the other end.
The Nuggets led 22-20 at the break.
Josh Dilling had the ball on a string to Vodanovich and Bairstow slipped through as well.
The Nuggets started to run thanks to McKenzie’s triple and lay-up and the Nuggets defence continued to hamper the Tuatara.
But Dilling and Wilkie sunk consecutive threes to close the Nuggets’ lead to one and they held a 43-39 lead at halftime.
Miller-Jose caused havoc for the Tuatara, getting in the eye-line of their looks in the paint.
Tuach rolled to score a tough bucket, Louis nailed another on the reverse and Miller-Jose finished a dunk.
Tuach slammed the next, Miller-Jose added another as the Nuggets rode the momentum to hold a 53-45 lead.
The Tuatara had themselves to blame with 12 turnovers as the home side struggled to get their eye in.
But the Nuggets pride themselves on their defence and that came to the fore through the third quarter.
They extended to a 10-point lead.
Riley drained a triple to settle the home side and Vodanovich nailed another to level.
But the Nuggets held a 65-60 lead at the break.
Matt Bardsley forced a turnover — coach Jeff Sparrow jumped on him to celebrate — and then stole the Tuatara ball in transition.
Vodanovich put a stop to the Nuggets’ run from beyond the arc as the veteran stood up in a massive fourth quarter.
Rusbatch finally got on the board with a wide-open three and the Nuggets led 80-74 with two minutes left.
The Tuatara closed to within two but the Nuggets came up with a massive stop to secure the win.
NBL
The scores
Otago Nuggets 84
Buay Tuach 17, Alain Louis 16
Auckland Tuatara 80
Tom Vodanovich 28, Sean Bairstow 11
Quarter scores: Nuggets 22-20, 43-39, 65-60.
