The Otago Nuggets held a healthy 16 point lead when the Franklin Bulls mounted a mighty comeback.
The Bulls got within seven and then Carter Whitt finished off the glass, and nailed a triple – after the Nuggets spilled the ball – to get his side within two.
Experienced Nugget Craig Moller calmed things down with two free throws with less than 8sec on the clock for the Nuggets to hold on to a 92-88 victory in Pukekohe this evening.
It is a positive step towards the Nuggets locking in a playoff spot and a nice turnaround from the last encounter against the Bulls when Whitt broke the Nuggets hearts with a late bucket to win 94-93.
The Bulls are now on a seven-game losing streak – their last victory came against the Nuggets last month – and sit ninth on the table, compared to the Nuggets in fifth.
Ethan Rusbatch had the hot-hand for the Nuggets, finishing with 25 points including seven threes.
Alain Louis was a late standout with 21 points, Craig Moller snuck up with a double of 15 points and 12 rebounds and Buay Tuach added 12 points.
Tuach finally landed the Nuggets first points, Rusbatch nailed his first triple and Tyson Thata-Paese pulled up for the Nuggets to go on an eight-point run.
Louis found a nice look in to Matt Bardsley alone on the base.
Jace Carter brought the crowd to their feet with a big dunk and Hunter Savill nailed a triple.
Savill nailed another from beyond the arc and the Bulls trailed 20-19 at the break.
Isaac Miller-Jose pressured Whitt out wide, Thata-Paese drew the foul and they boxed out well.
Rusbatch fired offensively – and banked back-to-back deep triples for the Nuggets to lead 36-23.
There was no stopping the Nuggets captain.
Kael Robinson added a triple of the Bulls and Carter weaved his way through the paint and finished with a dunk to close the Nuggets lead to eight.
Robinson put it up for Carter, who smartly finished it off and Whitt showed his class in the paint for the Bulls to trail 46-40 at halftime.
Louis nailed a step-back three to restore a 12-point lead for the Nuggets.
Tuach attacked the paint to finish with a dunk and Miller-Jose stepped around.
Derrin Boyd started to come into the game for the Bulls, having a big battle with Tuach.
Tuach in a carbon-copy slipped through for another dunk, Louis finished off the glass, and the Nuggets forced the Bulls into silly errors defensively.
Dom Kelman-Poto scored on the buzzer for the Bulls to train 69-63 at the break.
Rusbatch banked yet another three and Tuach stole the ball and made a fast break to slam another dunk.
It gave the Nuggets a 13-point lead.
They led by as much as 16 but the Bulls fought back hard in the latter minutes.
The Nuggets are back in action against the Auckland Tuatara tomorrow night.
The scores
Otago Nuggets 92 (Ethan Rusbatch 25, Alain Louis 21)
Franklin Bulls 88 (Carter Whitt 22, Derrin Boyd 20)
Quarter scores: Nuggets 20-19, 46-40, 69-63.
