Jack Andrew

Joe Ahie

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 11 May, 2000

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Onslow College

Highest Honour – NZ U18 Team (2018)

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2021-present)

Debuted for the Nuggets in 2021 playing 6 games.

Represented NZ 3X3 Team at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

Played through the Wellington representative programme.

Josh Aitcheson

Position: Guard

Height: 1.98m

Born: 25 May, 1998

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Kings High School, Dunedin

Highest Representative Honour – Junior Tall Blacks (2017)

Previous NBL clubs – Southland Sharks (2017), Canterbury Rams (2018),  Nuggets (2020-present)

Started all 18 games for the Nuggets in 2021 averaging 6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

A member of the Nuggets NBL Championship winning team in 2020.

The former Kings High School and Otago University wing is equally adept in the 3×3 Arena having played for New Zealand at the 2019 U23 World Cup in China playing alongside Taylor Britt and Taane Samuel.

Aitcheson averaged 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game playing for the Junior Tall Blacks at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Egypt.

An accountant at Deloitte.

Danyon Ashcroft

Position: Guard

Height:

Born: 25 March, 2004

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Waitaki Boys High School, Oamaru

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Was co-captain of the Waitaki Boys Senior team in 2021.

Matt Bardsley

Position: Swingman

Height: 1.89m

Born: 8 August, 1995

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Palmerston North Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Nuggets (2020-present)

Played 12 games for the Nuggets in 2021.

A member of the Nuggets Sal’s NBL Showdown Championship winning team in 2020.

Gained notoriety after being named the 84^th and final pick in the 2020 Sal’s NBL draft.

His all-action performances were far removed from that of an 84^th pick and was deservedly rewarded with a contract for the 2021 season.

In 2019 he helped Otago University complete the Tertiary Tournaments double winning both the 3×3 and 5×5 National titles.

He was named to the Tournament Team at the 2018 Tertiary Tournament which was also won by Otago.

Tray Boyd III (Tier 2)

Position: Guard

Height: 193cm

Born: 8 December., 1998

High School: Olive Branch HS, Memphis

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Played the 2021-22 season, his first as a professional, with Kouvot Kouvola in Finland averaging 22.1ppg.

Played 2 years at East Tennessee State University (2018-20) averaging 13.6ppg in his senior year.

Prior to that played a year at Union University (NCAA Div 2) and also a year at Northwest Florida State College (JUCO).

Robert Coman

Position: Forward

Height: 200cm

Born: 12 July, 2012

Junior Association: Auckland

High School: King’s College, Auckland

Highest Honour – NZ U17 Team (2019)

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2021-present)

Played 5 games for the Nuggets in 2021.

He was the leading scorer for New Zealand at the 2019 FIBA U17 Oceania Championship in New Caledonia averaging 12.4 points per game.

Darcy Knox

Position: Guard

Height: 189cm

Born: 10 May, 1995

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Nuggets (2020-  present)

Played 17 games for the Nuggets in 2021.

A member of the Nuggets Sal’s NBL Showdown Championship winning team in 2020.

After High School Knox attended Kansas Technical College for one year (2015-2016)

Knox was the starting point guard as Otago University completed the Tertiary Tournaments double in 2019 winning both the 3×3 and 5×5 Tertiary National titles. Named to the All-Star 5 at the Tertiary Championships.

Nikau McCullough

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 7 April, 1997

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: St John’s College, Hamilton

Highest Honour: Tall Blacks 3×3 Team (2022) and NZ U18 Team (2014)

Previous NBL Clubs – Franklin Bulls (2020), Manawatu Jets (2021)

Played 17 games for the Jets in 2021 averaging 10 points per game – scored a career high 25 points against the Rams.

Played alongside Tai Wynyard, Dom Kelman-Poto and Taylor Britt as NZ won the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier Asia in March 2022.

Tai Wynyard was also a team member when winning the 2015 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup. The other team members were Matt Freeman and Sam Timmins.

Played 66 games for St Mary’s University in San Antonio (NCAA Division II) from 2016 to 2019.

Michael Ruske

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 31 August, 2002

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Played through the Otago age-group representative teams.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2021 Aon U19 National Championships

Also an outstanding cricketer playing for Otago Boys High at the 2020 Gillette Cup (Schools National Tournament).

Sister Nicole is a former Tall Fern.

Sam Timmins

Position: Centre

Height: 210cm

Born: 23 May, 1997

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Highest Representative Honour: Tall Blacks Debut – 2017 (Appearances 12)

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2013 and 2021-present), Canterbury Rams (2015), Franklin Bulls (2020)

Timmins played for the Nuggets as a 15-year old in 2013. In 2021 averaged 19.2 points and a league leading 13.8 rebounds per game.

Was a Development Player for the NZ Breakers in the 2021-22 Australian NBL season.

Played in Estonia for Kalev during 2020-21 European season.

In 2014 he was named Tournament MVP as Otago Boys claimed the Secondary Schools National title.

In 2015 crowned FIBA 3×3 U18 World Champions in Hungary playing alongside Matt Freeman, Tai Wynyard and Nikau McCullough.

Following high school Timmins played 4-yeas NCAA Division I basketball at the University of Washington where he played 128 games for the Huskies – graduating in 2020.

Keith Williams (Tier 2)

Position: Swingman

Height: 196cm

Born: 25 July, 1998

High School: Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS, New York

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

From Brooklyn, New York Williams played at the University of Cincinnati (2017-21). Averaged 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in his senior year – named to the American Athletic All-Conference Second Team.

Finished his career at the Bearcats with 1,156 career points.

In addition to it being Williams’ rookie year in the NBL it is also his first year as a pro.

Todd Withers (Tier 2)

Position: Swingman

Height: 202cm

Born: 5 June, 1995

High School: Northeast Guilford

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Played the 2021-22 season with Adelaide 36ers averaging 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Played 4 years at Queens University (NCAA Division II) before embarking on his pro career in 2018.

Played in the G League for Grand Rapids Drive followed by a season for Bologna (2020-21) in the Italian League where he averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds per game.