Coach Matehaere rapt as Nuggets outplay Airs 97-79 to remain unbeaten

Defence turned into offence.

The Otago Nuggets sank their shots and grounded the Taranaki Airs, demolishing the home side 97-79 at TSB Stadium in New Plymouth on Saturday.

It was a massive statement from the Nuggets — the only undefeated team after three NBL games — which had not beaten the Airs in nearly two years and had struggled to score consistently in the first two rounds.

Still, there is no denying the defensive prowess this team holds, restricting the Airs to just 11 points in the first quarter and going up 15-0 early.

"Really impressed with the guys again defensively [Saturday] night," coach Brent Matehaere said.

Todd Withers. PHOTO: ODT FILES

"That defence turned into offence and we finally showed what we can do as an offensive unit and executed really well."

Todd Withers was an absolute monster for the Nuggets, recording a career-best 31 points and putting in the work across the floor with eight rebounds, two steals and one block.

Captain Sam Timmins had another big shift too, notching up 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

But all-round, the Nuggets’ shot selection was better, and more accurate, recording 60% of their two-pointers, 33.3% three-pointers and 62.5% at the free-throw line.

"The way we knocked down shots and took the right shots [stood out]," Matehaere said.

"[Withers] was taking wide open threes which is exactly what we want.

"Our offence, it started really well, you know, with a nice inside catch with a little wrinkle out of the offence, so yeah, pretty happy with how they flowed on from there."

The Nuggets got out early to a 15-0 lead and nothing was going right for the home side.

None of its shots fell, it left wide-open gaps on defence and the Nuggets made it pay, taking a 20-point lead at the first quarter.

The Airs came back in the second with more fight, and their shots slowly started sticking. They came within 10.

But the Nuggets’ defensive unit, as it has so far this season, withstood the test and stepped up another level to put scoreboard pressure on in the second half.

Robbie Coman. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

"Obviously takes effort and a bit of heart and so on to defend like that and they certainly locked into the system that we were doing," Matehaere said.

"[We] Kind of let it go a little bit in the second and allowed them to have a sneak peak into the game, but really important that we came out in the third with that same intensity."

He heaped praise on forward Robbie Coman who did a power of work for the Nuggets.

"The continued rise of Robbie Coman was huge for us.

"Just doing all the little things that it takes to win basketball games."

The Nuggets return home to play the Nelson Giants at the Edgar Centre on Thursday.