Adrian Seconi

The Steel could not have hoped for a better way to measure its progress than completing the season with a match against the Pulse in Invercargill tomorrow night.

The Otago Nuggets were thrashed 115-67 by a fired-up Southland Sharks outfit in Invercargill tonight.

The Steel's slim prospects of making the playoffs disappeared with a 68-56 loss to the Fever in Perth last night.

One more year. That is how long the Otago Nuggets will have to wait for another opportunity to end their losing streak in Nelson.

The Otago Nuggets booked a spot in the playoffs with a 110-102 win over the Manawatu Jets in Palmerston North last night.

The Otago Nuggets can seal a spot in the NBL finals with a win against the Manawatu Jets in Palmerston North tonight.

Money - no-one wants to talk about it but it is one of the key reasons the Otago Nuggets have transformed from no-hopers to championship contenders.

It has been 16 years since the Otago Nuggets featured in the playoffs. That drought is poised to end this season. Basketball writer Adrian Seconi looks at the run home.

Forget the rugby, Otago rules the courts.

The ''Twin Towers'', Sophie and Abby Erwood, helped power South Otago High School to a 28-17 win over St Hilda's Collegiate School in the final of the Otago secondary schools championships at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin yesterday.

The Steel went oh so close to equalling the ANZ Championship record points haul with a 79-62 mauling of the Tactix in Dunedin last night.

And they get to do it all again on Friday night.

Nuggets fans will remember the Jets fondly.

All the signs - even the ones in Addington or Merivale - point to an easy win for the Steel against the Tactix at the Edgar Centre tomorrow night.

It seemed Hungarian point guard Rita Szamosi was destined to do all the training but never take the court for the Goldrush.

Promising New Zealand junior and Otago cyclist Alysha Keith is hoping another stint in the United States will help her add an extra yard of pace.