Now put the matches down and hear us out. The Otago Nuggets have not featured in the National Basketball League since 2014 and, remarkably, the league has continued in our absence.
With no local team to support, the best fans can do is get behind someone local and Rams coach Mark Dickel fits the bill.
Under his leadership, the Rams have won 13 of their 18 regular-season games and have topped the standings.
They have earned the right to play the Super City Rangers, who qualified fourth, in the opening semifinal in Invercargill on Friday night. The Wellington Saints will play the home team, the Southland Sharks, in the late semifinal with the winners progressing to the championship game on Saturday.
Why do we care? Well, because Dickel grew up in Dunedin and is one of the greatest players to have suited up for the Nuggets.
He made his debut for the franchise as a 16-year-old and went on to forge a wonderful professional and international career. He returned to his roots in 2012, signing a two-year deal with the Nuggets.
The following year the classy point guard helped the franchise reach the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
He was appointed player-coach in 2014 but the Nuggets were unable to reach the heights of the previous season. He accepted a head coaching role with Canterbury when it became obvious Basketball Otago was in financial trouble and was unable to continue to prop up the Nuggets.
Off the court he inspired countless youngsters in his role of director of development.
Basically, the Rams are a Canterbury team in name only ... maybe not, but there is a tangible connection.
"Obviously, it is exciting because we have a chance to win the whole thing,'' Dickel said.
"The season has been going well. We've had our ups and downs and injuries but about a third of the way through the season we got McKenzie Moore to replace one of our other imports. He got hurt and pretty much from that point on we started to win. We've won 12 of the 14 games he's played.
"He just makes it easy for the other guys to play their game and for Marcel Jones to score easier. Marcel, in turn, is playing even better defence.''
American guard Justin Graham, Ethan Rusbatch and Mike Karena round out the starting five, and players such as Gareth Dawson and former Nugget Marques Whippy are on the bench.
"We definitely go deep enough to have a chance to win,'' Dickel said.
The Rams dispatched the Rangers 116-98 last week but will arguably start as underdogs.
There is a lot of star power on the Rangers' roster. Heard of Lindsay Tait, Corey Webster or Mika Vukona? Here is another name you might recognise - Tipene Friday. He played some cricket for Otago before a back complaint scuppered his career.
Dickel's old team-mate, Dillon Boucher, still offers some spark from the bench. And they also have the competition's leading scorer, Eric Devendorf. He is averaging 25.8 points this season which is quite extraordinary.
It is no wonder Dickel thinks the Rams actually have the harder road.
"We're going to have to be at our best before we can go worrying about Saturday night's game.''
The Southland Sharks will look to Tall Blacks centre Alex Pledger to dominate under the post, Everard Bartlett is a threat from the outside, and Australian duo Mitch Norton and Nick Kay are key players as well.
The Saints finished the regular season with the same record as the Rams. Last year's MVP, Torrey Craig, is averaging 21.2 points and 10 rebounds a game. Shea Ili, Dion Prewster and former Nuggets BJ Anthony and Leon Henry have been productive as well.
NBL
Finals
When: Tomorrow and Saturday (final on Saturday).
Where: Invercargill.
Who: Canterbury Rams v Super City Rangers and Wellington Saints v Southland Sharks.
