The Otago Nuggets have made a remarkable comeback to see off the Manawatu Jets in the National Basketball League (NBL).
The Night 'n' Day Nuggets came from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat the Property Brokers Jets in a high-emotion 108-104 Sal's NBL win that spilled over into push-and-shove after the final buzzer.
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In his final game on a short-term deal with the Nuggets, American forward Todd Withers had a monster double-double at Dunedin's Edgar Centre on Thursday night, scoring a team-high 27 points (10/12 FG, 5/7 3pt), along with 17 rebounds and three blocks.
Fellow imports Jose Perez and Donald Carey Jr were also highly influential for Otago. Perez finished with 23 points (8/16 FG, 7/12 FT), five boards and four assists, while Carey Jr added 22 points (7/20 FG, 5/7 3pt), five rebounds, 12 assists and two steals.
One-game Tall Blacks big Jono Janssen put up 15 points (6/12 FG, 3/5 3pt) in his NBL debut.
American forward Miles Gibson played all 40 minutes for the Jets, putting up a game-high 30 points (13/16 FG, 3/3 3pt) and seven rebounds, while fellow import front-courter Kenny Goins almost matched Withers with a big double-double of 24 points (10/15 FG, 2/6 3pt), 13 boards and two blocks.
Tall Blacks veteran Corey Webster managed 20 points (7/24 FG, 3/8 3pt), four boards and 11 assists, while Manawatu's third import Eric Williams Jr had 11 points and young NZ guard Dontae Russo-Nance 10 points.
In a high-scoring see-saw contest, the Nuggets dominated most the first half, leading by as many as 18 points late in the first quarter before the Jets chipped away at the lead and closed within two at the main break.
The visitors continued to surge in the third period, going ahead by nine entering the fourth and then stretching it to 14 with 7:10 to play.
However, Otago closed the game on a 17-2 run to come from 11 points down with 4:13 left, with local guard Patrick Freeman hitting two massive threes off the bench, before Carey Jr sealed the win.
The Nuggets (2-2) have some time off before facing the Indian Panthers (0-3) at Pulman Arena next Friday (tip-off 7pm), while the Jets (2-2) are back in action on Saturday (tip-off 7pm), in Invercargill against the Southland Sharks (1-2).
Forward Mac Stodart put up a season-high 17 points and Freeman scored the game-winning lay-up with five seconds remaining to lead the Nuggets to a 36-35 win over the Jets in the Sky Broadband Rapid League game.
Otago Nuggets 108 (Todd Withers 27, Jose Perez 23, Donald Carey Jr 22, Jono Janssen 15) Manawatu Jets 104 (Miles Gibson 30, Kenny Goins 24, Corey Webster 20, Eric Williams Jr 11, Dontae Russo-Nance 10). 1Q: 32-20, HT: 53-52, 3Q: 78-87