Adrian Seconi

The Steel fans have been expecting all season finally emerged last night with a dominant 73-61 win against the Mystics in Auckland.

The Taranaki Mountain Airs beat the Otago Nuggets 86-84 last night but the score may as well have been 3-1 to Suleiman Braimoh.

Steel wing attack Wendy Frew is comfortable with criticism - she is not comfortable with losing.

Pita Sowakula has had a crash course over the last week and is ready to make his debut for the Otago Nuggets.

Grace Allan is the big unit in a small team.

Fresh concerns have been raised about the business model being used to sustain the Pulse's star-studded roster, which features 10 past or present internationals.

Promising footballer Chelsea Whittaker is off to Lebanon - Lebanon, Illinois, that is.

When it mattered the most, the Otago Nuggets found something extra on defence and a magic play from Brendon Polyblank helped seal a dramatic 97-91 overtime win against the Hawkes Bay Hawks at the Edgar Centre last night.

The first quarter times four, please.

Sam ''king-sized'' King is twice the basketballer but half the size these days.

Troy Payne did all that could be asked of hom to get the Otago Nuggets into a position to win its top-of-the-table clash with the Wellington Saints in the capital yesterday.

Former Black Cap Jesse Ryder will spend the New Zealand winter plying his trade with England county cricket side Essex but is expected to re-sign with Otago.

Ideally, the Otago Nuggets would have signed a replacement for Marques Whippy a week ago.

Five years ago, Otago spinner Mark Craig could barely get out of bed let alone rip a delivery past a batsman.

Steel captain Jodi Brown can laugh now.

Otago's plucky run chase unravelled in the space of two deliveries but all-rounder Sam Wells tried to stitch it back together with some brilliant hitting at the death.

There was nothing wrong with Jhaniele Fowler-Reid's heart.

Highlanders and former All Black lock Brad Thorn may have played his last game of rugby in New Zealand.