No-one is giving up on resurrecting the Otago Nuggets.
But the franchise might need a buzzer-beater if it is going to go ahead with a formal bid to rejoin the National Basketball League in 2020.
The Nuggets have until the end of the month - tomorrow - to decide whether to go forward or reset their sights for the following season.
Franchise spokeswoman Angela Ruske said she was hoping to have a ''a few loose ends tidied up'' by tomorrow. She would be in a better position to comment then.
But she did offer hope in a brief text message to the Otago Daily Times, confirming the franchise was still targeting next year for its return. However, the offers of financial support have not exactly been swishing through the net.
''We have had some people contact us wanting to pledge $1000 - eight confirmed at this stage,'' she wrote.
''We have some interested in sponsorship but I can't confirm businesses at this stage.
''I am hoping by next week we will be able to formally launch our ... crowd funding appeal.''
The Nuggets, who dropped out of the league in 2014 for financial reasons, issued a call to arms earlier this month to help support its bid.
The franchise was hoping to raise a start-up fund of up to $50,000 by appealing to between 35 and 50 people to come forward and contribute $1000 each.
The money would be used to employ a person to raise a further $150,000 to $165,000.
The rest of the estimated $400,000 annual budget would come from ticket sales and basketball camps.
With just eight pledges so far, the franchise is well short of the 35 to 50 it had targeted. But with a more concerted appeal, the Nuggets will be hoping the pledges pick up.
