The Taranaki Airs have immediately bounced back from their first loss in five games in the National Basketball League (NBL).
Just four days after a tough loss at home to the Wellington Saints, the Airs rolled the Otago Nuggets 101-88 at Dunedin's Edgar Centre in the first game of their Deep South double-header on Wednesday night.
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NZ Breakers development player Carlin Davison popped for a team-high 26 points (11/25 FG, 3/5 FT), 11 rebounds and three steals for the Airs, who won every quarter and did not trail after the first quarter.
Tobias Cameron produced 20 points (7/14 FG, 2/7 3pt, 4/4 FT), eight boards, three assists and two steals off the bench, while import forward Elijah Minnie had 16 points (6/12 FG, 2/6 3pt) and two steals.
Tall Blacks guard Flynn Cameron put up 13 points (6/13 FG), seven rebounds and seven assists, while Breakers signing Mitch McCarron finished with 13 points (6/11 FG), five boards, 10 assists and two blocks.
Australian forward Sam Froling was held to just four points and three rebounds, his lowest output of the season, hours after beating a charge from the league's tribunal for an incident against the Saints.
American forward Kimani Lawrence led the Nuggets with a game-high 29 points (13/21 FG, 3/7 FT), six rebounds and two steals, while Zaccheus Darko-Kelly produced 24 points (9/15 FG, 5/7 3pt), 11 boards and five assists.
Without young Kiwi guard Dontae Russo-Nance in the lineup, Matthew Bardsley scored 14 points (5/6 FG, 3/7 FT) and four boards, and Darcy Knox 10 points (3/7 FG, 2/3 3pt), seven rebounds and five assists.
After seven lead changes in the first period, Taranaki led by one, before opening the second quarter with eight straight points to go up by nine. The Nuggets closed within one early in the third but the Airs made a game-deciding 17-4 run either side of the three-quarter break.
The Airs (10-4) complete their Week 12 double-header against the Southland Sharks (1-13) at Invercargill's ILT Stadium Southland on Friday (tip-off 7.30pm), while the Nuggets (6-9) return to action next Wednesday (tip-off 7.30pm) away to the Auckland Tuatara (12-3).
Taranaki Airs 101 (Carlin Davison 26, Tobias Cameron 20, Elijah Minnie 16, Flynn Cameron 13, Mitch McCarron 13) Otago Nuggets 88 (Kimani Lawrence 29, Zaccheus Darko-Kelly 24, Matthew Bardsley 14, Darcy Knox 10). 1Q: 25-24, HT: 52-46, 3Q: 76-66