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)

Played 18 games for the Nuggets in 2024 averaging 2 points per game.

Named to the 2024 Rapid League All-Star Five – fourth highest scorer with 171 points. Tallied 171 points with a season high 17 points scored against Manawatu Jets.

Has made 92 appearances for the Nuggets – scored a career high 22 points against the Huskies in 2020. 

A member of the Nuggets NBL Championship winning teams in 2020 and 2022. 

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.

Danyon Ashcroft

Position: Guard

Height: 

Born: 25 March, 2004

Junior Association: North Otago

High School: Waitaki Boys High School, Oamaru

Previous NBL Clubs – Nuggets (2022)

Ashcroft is making a second attempt at playing a full season for the Nuggets. Signed for the 2022 season but was injured after playing 3 games.

A North Otago and Otago age-group representative. Named to the NZ U18 team in 2022.

Currently studying at Otago University.

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 all 20 games for the Nuggets in 2024 – Scored a season best 17 points against Southland Sharks in Round 1 of the 2024 season – 1 point shy of his career high 18 points against the Airs in 2020.

Played 10 Rapid League games – scored a Rapid League best 25 points against Taranaki Airs.

Has played 85 games in five seasons for the Nuggets prior to the 2025 season.

A member of the Nuggets Championship winning teams in 2020 and 2022.

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

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

Liam Boomer

Position: Forward

Height: 196cm

Born: 30 July, 2005

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

A graduate of the Otago Basketball and Otago Boys high programmes.

Currently studying at Otago University

Don Carey Jr

Position: Guard/Forward

Height: 196cm

Born: 21 August, 1999 in Virginia, USA

High School: Frederick Douglas High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Playing his first season outside the United States having recently played 24 games for Maine Celtics in the NBA G League.

Previously had a 5-year collegiate career.

Began with a year at Mount Saint Mary’s University then 1 year at Sienna College followed by 2 years at Georgetown University where he played 54 games for the Hoyas.

His final year (2022-23) was at the University of Maryland where he averaged 7.4 points and 2 rebounds in 35 games (32 starts) – hit a team high 57 three-pointers. 

Oak Chisholm

Position: Combo Guard

Height: 7 June, 2007

Born: 

Junior Association: North Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Student at Otago Boys High School.

Captained the Otago team at 2024 U18 National Championships – averaged 18 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Also a First XI cricketer at Otago Boys.

Patrick Freeman

Position: Wing

Height: 198cm

Born: 20 June, 2003

Junior Association: Porirua

High School: Tawa College

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2003)

Played 7 games for the Nuggets in 2003 scoring his only points (2) against Franklin Bulls.

Played the 2023-24 collegiate season in Canada at the University of Northern British Columbia.

Jono Janssen

Position: Forward

Height: 205cm

Born:  10 April, 1995 in Pretoria South Africa

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Mountain Creek State HS, Queensland

Previous NBL clubs – Canterbury Rams (2019), Hawks (2021)

Returns to the NBL after last playing in 2021 for the Hawks – averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. 

Since 2021 has played 2 seasons in the Luxembourg League and 3 seasons of NBL 1. Played the 2024 season for Rockingham Flames (NBL1 West) where he averaged 18.6 points and 8 rebounds per game. 

Scored 8 points and added 9 rebounds against Australia in his only Tall Blacks appearance in Cairns in 2021.

Following school Janssen played at Cleveland State University before moving to Hawaii Pacific University.

In 2017 he helped Hawaii Pacific University Sharks win the PacWest Conference title – played 80 games for the Sharks in three seasons.

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 all 20 games for the Nuggets in 2024 – averaged 4.4 points and 2 assists per game. 

Also played 10 Rapid League games in 2024 – scored a season high 15 points against Southland Sharks.

Scored a career high 17 points against Nelson Giants in 2020.

A member of the Nuggets Championship winning teams in 2020 and 2022, Knox had played 85 games for the Nuggets prior to the start of the ‘25 season.

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. 

Noah McDowall

Position: Guard

Height: 184cm

Born: 24 May, 2005

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Graduated from Otago Boys High in 2023, plays club basketball in Dunedin for Mid City Magic.

Played for Otago at the 2024 U20 National Championships – averaged 13.7ppg.

Christian Martin

Position: Forward

Height: 187cm

Born: 27 November, 2003

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Westlake Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Franklin Bulls (2022)

Recently named to the 3×3 All Blacks team to contest the 2025 3×3 FIBA Asia Cup in Singapore.

Played 12 games for the Bulls in 2022, his first year out of school. Scored a season best 7 points on two occasions.

Was team captain of Westlake Boys in 2021 and recipient of the Kirk Penney trophy for Most Valuable Player.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2021 U19 National Championships helping Harbour to third place.

Jose Perez

Position: Forward

Height: 191cm

Born: 14 October, 1998 in Bronx, News York

High School: Wings Academy, Bronx

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Playing his rookie professional season with the Nuggets after a 5-year college career.

Played 2 years at Gardner-Webb University followed by single year stints at Marquette University, Manhattan College and Arizona State University.

Was named on the Big South All-Freshman team in his first year at Gardner-Webb (2018-19). One of only two freshman in Division I that year to post a triple double – 17pts, 10rebs, 10 assists v Savannah State.

At Arizona State (2023-24) he averaged 13.5 points and 3.8 rebounds across 30 games.

Played for the Dominican Republic in the FIBA Americas U18 Championships in 2016 in Chile. Led the team in scoring averaging 15.2ppg.

Michael Ruske

Position: Guard

Height: 183cm

Born: 31 August, 2002

Junior Association: Otago

High School: Otago Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Otago Nuggets (2023-present)

Played 6 games for the Nuggets in 2024. 

Also played 11 Rapid League games in 2024 – scored a season high 5 points on 3 occasions.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2021 Aon U19 National Championships where Otago were beaten semi-finalists.

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

Younger brother of former Tall Fern Nicole Ruske.

Caleb Smiler

Position: Guard

Height: 191cm

Born: 26 September, 2002

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: Fraser High School

Previous NBL clubs – Taranaki Airs (2022) Otago Nuggets (2023-present)

Played 10 games for the Nuggets in 2024. Scored a career high 4 points against Franklin Bulls.

Also played 19 Rapid league games – scored a season high 7 points against Wellington Saints.

Made his NBL debut against Auckland Tuatara in 2022 – played 5 games for the Airs.

Also played 5 games for the Nuggets in 2023.

Scored 23 points for Porirua in the 2023 U23 National Championship Grand Final loss to Taranaki.

Sister Kaylee played for 2024 Tauihi champions Tauranga Whai.

Mac Stodart

Position: Forward

Height: 202cm

Born: 16 February, 2002

Junior Association: Southland

High School: James Hargest College, Invercargill then St Andrew’s College for final 2 years.

Previous NBL Clubs – Rams (2020 and 2024)

Played 7 games for the Rams in 2024 – scored a season best 3 points on two occasions.

Also played 11 Rapid League games scoring 107 points with a season best 17 points against Southland Sharks.

Stodart played over 100 games in a 4-year NCAA Division II collegiate basketball career. 

Played a year at Concordia University, Irvine and subsequently three years at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Played 94 games for the Mountain Lions with 56 starts. In the 2023-24 season averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds and had the distinction of being named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic First Team for the second year running.

He represented NZ at the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup in Argentina.

Mike Kelly (Head Coach)

Levi Cockroft (Assistant Coach)

Matheson Colquhoun (Assistant Coach)