The Sky Tower Auckland Huskies have delivered a memorable weekend with a 93-70 win over the Go Media Otago Nuggets, successfully completing the Southern Swing with two victories.
The dual victories have rocketed the Huskies into Final 4 conversations, and with it has come a rich vein of form that will have others sitting up and taking notice.
In a gripping contest across the first half, the Nuggets took a 40-39 lead into the half-time break with Sam Timmins and Chris Johnson leading their respective teams in a classic match-up.
Both big men were scoring at will and it seemed the winner of their battle would also be celebrating a win come the final buzzer.
After a 33-point game in Invercargill the previous night, Tom Vodanovich had more fouls (3) at the half against the Nuggets than he did points (2), but all that changed when the teams re-emerged for the third period when 'Tommy-Vee' went on a scoring blitz.
In one of the quarters of the season Vodanovich dropped 20 points to blow the contest open, couple with Justin Bibbs keeping close tabs on Isaiah Moss, along with young guns Zach Riley and Dontae Russo-Nance running lanes at a blistering pace.
A 30-23 third quarter by the Huskies was backed up by a head-spinning 24-7 last period, the job done by the visitors as they garbbed the win and the important head-to-head honours over the Nuggets.
Otago Nuggets 70 lost to Auckland Huskies 93 - BOXSCORE
Nuggets: Sam Timmins (21pts, 16rbs, 7ast), Isaiah Moss (19pts), Luke Aston (13pts).
Huskies: Tom Vodanovich (24pts, 12rbs), Chris Johnson (23pts, 11rbs), Justin Bibbs (16pts).
Stuff MVP Votes
Tom Vodanovich (Huskies) 10
Justin Bibbs (Huskies) 6
Chris Johnson (Huskies) 6
Sam Timmins (Nuggets) 6
Isaiah Moss (Nuggets) 2
(Photo Credit: PhotosportNZ)
