OceanaGold Nuggets

OceanaGold Nuggets
Leagues	New Zealand National Basketball League
Founded	1990[1]
Arena	The Edgar Centre
Location	Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Team colors	Navy Blue, Gold
Head coach	Mark Dickel
Website	www.OceanaGoldNuggets.co.nz
Uniforms
Home Away

The OceanaGold Nuggets, formerly the Otago Nuggets, are a New Zealand professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. They are sponsored by OceanaGold.

Current Roster

# Pos. Player Height 3 PG Mark Dickel (C) 188cm 4 PG James Ross 181cm 11 SF Brendon Polyblank 197cm 13 PF Matt Trueman 201cm 19 PG Hayden Miller (DP) 183cm 21 SG Riki Buckrell 192cm 32 C Antoine Tisby 203cm 34 SF Akeem Wright 200cm 40 PG Derek Albertsen (DP) 179cm 45 PG Tom Ingham (DP) 188cm 55 C Sam Timmins (DP) 204cm – SG Sheldon McGuire (DP) 194cm – SF Tony Fisher (DP) 195cm – Micah Lepaio (DP)

2006 season

After a series of 8 losses the then-named Otago Nuggets managed a convincing 19 point win against the Harbour Heat. In rounds 8 and 9 they had consecutive wins against two top of the table teams, but this was not enough to move them off the bottom of the table and they finished the season 3-15.

2008 season

The Nuggets were coached by American Don Simms and had another unsuccussful season. Two players, Nat Connell and Steve Robinson, were suspended mid season for breaching the league's drug protocols.

2009 season

Due to lack of funds, the Nuggets pulled out of the 2009 season.

2010 season

After backing from OceanaGold Corporation, who are a significant Pacific Rim gold producer who have a large mine at Macraes north of Dunedin, The newly named OceanaGold Nuggets returned in 2010.

Basketball Otago appointed Alf Arlidge as Head Coach of the OceanaGold Otago Nuggets for the 2010 season. Arlidge has been involved in coaching in the region for the last twenty years.

Arlidge has been involved in Basketball Otago's elite men’s program and led the Nuggets on a tour to Australia in December 2009 where they had a 4-4 record.

2011 season

The Nuggets defeated the North Island's Manawatu Jets 74-67 on Saturday, 21 May 2011, to end the Nuggets' 33-game losing streak in the New Zealand National Basketball League. The Nuggets' last win before this game was also against the Jets, on 12 April 2008.

References

External links

• OceanaGold Nuggets official website