A huge second half was the catalyst for the Wellington Saints to defeat the Otago Nuggets 104-74 in their National Basketball League clash in the capital.
The Saints came back from an eight-point deficit at half-time to post the commanding 30-point win with their point guards doing the damage, Jason Crowe with 17 second-half points and Jeremy Kench claiming a season-high 19.
The Nuggets are now out of playoff contention with their four win-10 loss record. They play tomorrow against the Taranaki Mountain Airs, who are still in with a chance with their seven and seven season.
Saints go eight and six after their third straight victory, but their playoff hopes are still up in the air, with another team in the playoff race up next as the Wellingtonians travel to Nelson to face the Giants (six-seven) on Sunday.
Sunday night will be a big one as the Hawkes Bay Hawks (10-three) host the Auckland Pirates (11-two) in a top of the table clash, while the fourth-placed Manawatu Jets (seven-six) play the Southland Sharks (four-10) in Invercargill.
