The body language said a lot. Last week Otago Nuggets coach Alf Arlidge took long, satisfied sips from his bottle of beer. His side had just broken a 33-game losing streak.
The Dunedin Thunder clinched a dramatic victory over the Canterbury Red Devils and have goaltender Rick Parry to thank for it.
The Otago Nuggets woke up on Sunday morning still smiling but by Tuesday the grins were gone.
Steel co-captain Wendy Frew has not ruled out switching camps and joining former coach Robyn Broughton at the Central Pulse next season.
After 10 years working as a sports reporter, JP Bertrand talks a great game of ice hockey.
Kerry Goulet is passionate about spreading the ice hockey word.
It is the most famous shot in the Otago Nuggets' history, and 20 years on Brent Matehaere and Todd Marshall recall Jerome Fitchett's buzzer-beater in the quarterfinal against the Nelson Giants like it was yesterday. Basketball writer Adrian Seconi caught up with the pair.
If you give a man dying of thirst a drink his attention will immediately shift to his hunger.
When Otago Nuggets centre Lance Allred swatted away the Jets' final attempt to avoid defeat on Saturday night, he howled like someone letting go of the last ounce of frustration.
Promising 18-year-old middleweight Chase Haley broke the nose of one of his main rivals the last time they fought.
New Zealand Under-21 coach Janine Southby appears to be the short-priced favourite to replace incumbent Steel coach Robyn Broughton.
It is player transfer season with all 10 ANZ Championship franchises scrambling to put their rosters together for 2012. Money talks and netball writer Adrian Seconi speculates on how the Steel may best spend its cash.
It is "open slather" on the players, with Steel co-coach Natalie Avellino getting straight down to business in her first day in the job.
Cherine Henry, of Dunedin, added a South Island Golden Gloves title to her resume with a comprehensive 14-5 win over Canterbury rival Tasha Brown in Gore on Saturday.
It is hard to imagine anyone has contributed more to Otago basketball than John Paul.
It is the marriage Steel fans hope will yield a championship title and bring two netball communities closer together.
The message is the same this week as it was the week before that and the week before that.
One is a sleeping giant and the other a former heavyweight - both are determined this will be their winter.
The Steel should have a greater presence in Dunedin next year but the franchise will continue to operate out of Invercargill despite the appointment of co-coaches.
Nuggets forward Sam King was part of golden generation of basketballers who emerged from Otago Boys' High School and took on the world's best young players.
