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Bruce, Le'afa guide Saints home in Nelson

  • NZ Sports Wire
  • Mar 21
  • 2 min read

The new-look Wellington Saints are on the board in the 2025 National Basketball League (NBL) season.


All five Mills Albert Saints starters scored in double-digits as the 12-time champions held on for a 94-86 road victory over the NBS Nelson Giants at the Trafalgar Centre in Thursday night Sal's NBL action.


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Australian guard Shaun Bruce starred in his first appearance for the Saints this year and first NBL game since 2018, scoring 23 points (7/13 FG, 3/6 3pt, 6/6 FT) to go with four rebounds and five assists.


Tall Blacks guard Izayah Le'afa put up 22 points (6/15 FG, 3/10 3pt, 7/9 FT), seven assists and two steals, while national teammate Hyrum Harris added 17 points (7/13 FG, 2/5 3pt) and eight boards.


American centre Nick Muszynski chimed in with 17 points (7/13 FG), seven rebounds and two blocks, with Australian forward Nick Marshall accounting for 12 points (3/8 FG, 5/6 FT) and five boards.


Nick Muszynski Wellington Saints NBL basketball
American centre Nick Muszynski had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Wellington Saints. PHOTO: SAINTS

For the Giants, American forward Brice Johnson finished with a game-high 25 points (10/22 FG, 4/7 3pt) and 11 rebounds, supported by 19 points (7/8 FG, 4/5 3pt) and five boards from Kiwi forward Liam Judd.


After taking the lead for good midway through the second period, the Saints were able to keep Nelson at arms-length. The Giants closed within three with 1:23 remaining but a Marshall dunk and Bruce free-throws sealed the deal.


Both teams finished with similar shooting stats from the floor but there was a big foul-shot discrepancy, with the Saints going 25-of-30 at the line and the Giants just 5-of-12.



The Saints (1-1) host the Southland Sharks (1-0) on Wednesday night (tip-off 7pm), while the Giants (0-2) will search for their first win against the Franklin Bulls (2-0) at home next Friday (tip-off 7.30pm).


In the earlier Sky Broadband Rapid League game, the Giants came from five points down after three quarters to win 36-34 on Aston Inwood’s game-winning layup with four seconds to play.


Wellington Saints 94 (Shaun Bruce 23, Izayah Le’afa 22, Hyrum Harris 17, Nick Muszynski 17, Nick Marshall 12) Nelson Giants 86 (Brice Johnson 25, Liam Judd 19, Sam Dempster 11, Callum Dalton 11). 1Q: 27-24, HT: 54-46, 3Q: 70-62

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