The rebounding was cool again.
And the Otago Nuggets recorded an important 107-94 win today against the Nelson Giants in front of 1450 fans at the Edgar Center.
But this game was won halfway through the fourth quarter.
With the game locked at 90-90, the Nuggets piled up 11 unanswered points to seal the victory.
Mr. Hustle Kimani Lawrence made a one-hander of the class.
Australian teenager Ben Henshall, who starred with 31 points and 10 rebounds, scored three points on a fast break.
Zaccheus Darko-Kelly faked his opponent and knocked down an open three, and Darcy Knox also completed the run with a three from the wing.
Star guard Tai Webster had a bad fall and sat out the final quarter, so that is a concern.
But the Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak.
Henshall, 19, who had previously played a few quiet games, was back to his best.
The Nuggets rebounded poorly in back-to-back games against the Canterbury Rams, but won the battle for the boards 45-33.
Coach Brent Matehaere was pleased with the performance. It was not an easy match.
“It helps if you knock down shots,” he said.
“It was good to get our mojo back.
“To be fair it was a very good effort. They had to hold the defense and that Nelson team is a decent team – they are on the hunt.”
In a nail-biting, high-paced opening quarter, the Nuggets emerged with a slim lead of 32-31.
Webster and Henshall each scored nine points. But the Nuggets' American import duo Lawrence and Darko-Kelly had two fouls each.
That could have been a big problem, but they managed the situation well.
However, Kobe Langley and Daniel Grida (31 points) gave the Nuggets headaches. Grida reached the hoop easily enough, and Langley appeared in the passing lane in time and drilled a pair of threes as well.
Lawrence (30 points, eight rebounds) got to work in the paint and scored several points in the second quarter.
Daniel Fotu (22 points) answered at the other end. The Giants forward drilled a three and finished off a fast break on a steal from Sam Dempster.
The lead changed hands again when Henshall found the target from beyond the arc, and Webster scored two when Henshall picked off a pass and swung the ball upfield.
The Nuggets led 52-46 at halftime.
They tied it at 10 early in the third period. Darko-Kelly and Henshall connected on the outside and Jack Andrew knocked in a dunk.
The visitors rallied with their own threes, but Lawrence spun his way to the hoop for a dunk and Henshall landed a jumper to beat the buzzer.
With ten minutes left, the Nuggets maintained a six-point lead.
The game remained tied until the Nuggets' 11-point run.
In the Rapid League game, the Giants defeated the Nuggets 41-38.
In the other NBL matches this round, the Auckland Tuatara beat the Hawke's Bay Hawks 120-96, the Taranaki Airs beat the Franklin Bulls 90-76 and the Giants beat the Southland Sharks 89-79.
The scores
Otago nuggets 107 (Ben Henshall 31, Kimani Lawrence 30)
Nelson Reuzen 94 (Daniel Grida 31, Daniel Fotu 22)
Quarter scores: 32-31, 52-46, 82-76