After opening the season 4-0, the Nuggets lost to the Hawke’s Bay Hawks 91-82 after a slow start in Napier.
The Nuggets won the second period 21-17 and the third 24-20, but dropped back 31-23 in the fourth for the Hawks to nab their first win of the season.
Jeremy McLaughlin banked 21 points for the Hawks, but Daniel Grida and Keanu Rasmussen led the charge with doubles.
Grida scored 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Rasmussen added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Buay Tuach top-scored for the Nuggets with 19, while Ethan Rusbatch added 18 and Michael Henn 16.
Isaac Miller-Jose added value off the bench with 11 points and seven rebounds and Alain Louis controlled the Nuggets and set things up with his nine assists.
But they struggled from deep, only returning four from 23 three-point attempts.
The Hawks went on a 12-2 run to open the game.
They attacked from beyond the arc as they fought to get their season on track, and led 23-14 at the break.
The Nuggets came back in the second quarter.
Miller-Jose found nice entry in the paint to finish and Tuach and Rusbatch showed their class.
Miller-Jose rejected Grida’s drive off the glass and Tuach finished it off at the other end on the fast break.
Louis dropped another floater to close the gap to six and the Hawks led 40-35 at halftime.
The Nuggets closed that to 43-42 early in the third period and Henn then bagged a triple to lock it 45-45.
The Nuggets swung the ball rapidly down the floor, catching the Hawks on the back foot, and Tuach finished to give the Nuggets their first lead of the game. They trailed 60-59 at the break.
But the Hawks lifted another level early in the final quarter to seal the nine-point victory.
The Nuggets are back home against the Auckland Tuatara on Saturday.
NBL
The scores
Hawke’s Bay Hawks 91
Jeremy McLaughlin 21, Keanu Rasmussen 17
Otago Nuggets 82
Buay Tuach 19, Ethan Rusbatch 18
Quarter scores: Hawks 23-14, 40-35, 60-59.
