The OCEANAGOLD Nuggets, formerly the Otago Nuggets, are a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team that play in the National Basketball League

National Basketball League (New Zealand)

The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand.There were 10 teams in the 2010 season with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North,...

. They play their home games at the Edgar Centre

The Edgar Centre

The Edgar Centre is a large multi-purpose indoor sports venue in South Dunedin, New Zealand, on the shore of Otago Harbour close to Andersons Bay Inlet. It is the home venue of the Otago Nuggets basketball team, and an alternate venue for the Southern Steel netball team...

 in Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

, Otago, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

2006 season

After a series of 8 losses the then called Otago Nuggets managed a convincing 19 point win against the Harbour Heat

Harbour Heat

The Harbour Heat are a New Zealand professional basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League . They play their home fixtures at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, Auckland Region.-Roster:-External links:...

. In rounds 8 and 9 they had consecutive wins against two top of the table teams, however this was not enough to move them off the bottom of the table and they finished the season 3-15.

2008 season

The Nuggets coached by American Don Simms have had another unsuccussful season in 2008 so far with their record sitting at 2-14. Two players Nat Connell and Steve Robinson were suspended mid season for breaching the league's drug protocols, this severely hampered the Nuggets' chances and recently American import Lamar Gayle has left the team due to differences with management. Although from a playing standpoint this has been an unsuccessful season the development of Dunedin players such as James Ross, Tom Allan, Josh O'Connell, and Tom Rowe has been pleasing and if the Nuggets players can continue to develop, and two strong imports are secured, next season could be a promising one for the Nuggets.

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 are making a comeback in 2010.

Basketball Otago appointed Mr. Alf Arlidge as Head Coach of the OceanaGold Otago Nuggets for the 2010 season. Arlidge brings a local flavour to the role and has been involved in coaching in the region for the last twenty years.

Arlidge, currently the elite men’s coach for Basketball Otago has been involved in the elite men’s program for the last two years and will led the Oceana Gold Nuggets on a tour to Australia in December 2009 where they had a 4 and 4 record.

Brimming with local talent and some outstanding imports it is hoped that they may turn the corner from regular cellar dwellers. The local talent that was developed in 2008 have signed including Junior Tall Blacks Riki Buckrell and Tom Rowe, Hayden Miller, James Ross, and former Nelson Giant and Christchurch Cougar Sam To’omata.

Joining local talent will be the outstanding import from 2008, Antoine Tisby. Tisby averaged an impressive double-double, with 24.2 points and 10.8 rebounds in 11 games. Tisby’s efforts on the boards saw him secure the Garry Pettis Memorial Trophy as the NBL’s leading rebounder in 2008.

Joining Tisby in 2010 is Tyler Amaya who is a 27-year-old, 2.00m (6 ft 7in) forward from Bellingham, Washington. Amaya has played professionally in the USA, China, Germany, and Holland and was invited to trial for the Houston Rockets last September.

Amaya is currently playing for the Seattle Mountaineers in the ABA, where he is averaging over 26 points, seven rebounds and is leading the team with 3.5 assists.

2011 season

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

Current Roster

Depth chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Bench	Reserve
C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...	B. J. Anthony B. J. Anthony Benny Anthony Jr., commonly known by the name B. J. Anthony is a New Zealand professional basketball player. He plays for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australasian National Basketball League as well as the Otago Nuggets in the New Zealand National Basketball League...
SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...	Leon Henry Leon Henry Leon Henry is a New Zealand professional basketball player. The small forward was selected to join the Tall Blacks squad on 16 July 2009 for the first time. He participated in the FIBA Oceania Championship 2009....
SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...	Mark Dickel Mark Dickel Mark Dickel is a New Zealand professional basketball player. He also holds Australian citizenship. He plays the point guard position, and played the 2011 NBL season for the Southland Sharks, which saw him play under his brother.-College career:Dickel played college basketball in the U.S...