They are basically all the same this season.
The Otago Nuggets battled hard then faded in the final stretch against [insert name].
Tonight it was Nelson Giants who pulled away late to record a 94-82 victory on their home court to help keep their playoff prospects alive.
It was the Nuggets’ 12th consecutive loss.
They only have 35 minutes of good basketball in the tank it seems.
The game was in the balance with five minutes to play.
The Nuggets had closed to within two points.
But they have struggled to keep their composure or match the intensity their opponents have been able to bring when the game has been on the line.
The Giants pushed the ball inside to Jeremy Combs for some easy points and they eased away to win by 12.
The American power forward bagged a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Hayden Jones (19 points) hit some clutch shots. Alex Robinson jun facilitated with 11 assists, and Andrew Jones added 17 points.
Jonathan Janssen led the way for the Nuggets with 26 points and 15 rebounds.
Don Carey jun (22 points, eight assists) faded in and out of the game as he does. He was brilliant in patches and invisible in others.
Janssen opened the scoring from the free throw line after he strolled past Callum McRae and picked up the foul.
Matthew Bardsley drilled a rare three to stun the home team. He seldom takes shots from that range but was left all alone, so he went for it.
There were not too many other highlights in the first quarter for the Nuggets.
Combs weaved his way to the basket for a bucket despite the Nuggets assigning two defenders.
Fellow American Andrew Jones popped in a three-pointer to give the Giants a five-point lead midway through the first.
Sam Dempster hit a late three to extend the gap to 25-15 at the end of the period.
Carey was rewarded for some hustle early in the second. He cut to the hoop, got the basket and added the extra for the foul.
He picked off a steal, lobbed in a step-back three-pointer and threaded a couple of lovely assists through to Josh Aitcheson and Jaylen Sebree.
Carey erased all of the margin almost single-handedly in a 14-4 run.
Janssen swung in a hook shot to help his side edge in front briefly.
But Hayden Jones hit a mid-range jumper to snatch a 43-41 lead at halftime.
Andrew Jones swatted away a three-point shot from Sebree and he enjoyed that. So did the crowd.
He tossed up an alley-oop to Combs moments later and he slammed it down.
McRae proved an easy target under the rim and he dropped a couple more into the cup to help give the Giants a 69-60 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
The Nuggets clawed their way back once again. Janssen popped it through the strings for three to lift his tally into the 20s.
They pinned the margin back to two points midway through the final stretch.
But the drought-breaking victory slipped away leaving only a strong sense of deja vu.
The Giants won the Rapid League game 38-26.
NBL
Nelson Giants 94 (Jeremy Combs 25, Hayden Jones 19)
Otago Nuggets 82 (Jonathan Janssen 26, Don Carey jun 22)
Quarter scores: 25-15, 43-41, 69-60, 94-82.
