RAMS NEWS: SPARKY'S NEAR TRIPLE-DUB INSPIRES NUGZ
by Piet Van Hasselt
26 July 2003

A near triple-double performance from Mark "Sparky" Dickel with 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, held the Otago Nuggets together and to a storming finish to beat the Canterbury Rams in Christchurch, 92-80.  Dickel played havoc with the Canterbury defence, and stepped up his game when it counted and slotted eight of his 15 free throws (15/20 overall) in the final quarter as he continually drew fouls on knifing drives to the hoop.  The Rams were plagued by turnovers again with 28-11 and Otago capitalised on these mistakes with 32 points.  Canterbury were not starved of point scoring opportunities, out-rebounding the smaller Nuggets, 63-34, but struggled to score down the stretch.  The battle of the Americans, ended up a stalemate of sorts with ex-Ram and Nugget Mike Pegues racking up 33 points and six rebounds, and the Rams John "Pope" Whorton amassing 25 points, 19 rebounds and five blocked shots.  Rewi Manahi was a tower for the Rams inside with 10 points and nine rebounds and was almost perfect again from the field (4/5) and line (2/3).  The game began with an "ugly" first quarter where both teams struggled to put the ball consistently in the hoop, aside from a massive two handed jam in transition from Rams veteran Andrew Gardiner, and a late three from Otago's Matt Gillan put the Nuggets ahead, 21-19.  The second quarter was better with both teams getting their offence going and the score was locked at 44-all at the halftime break.  The third meandered along until a five-point play was scored by Rams Myles Sutherland, who slotted three straight free throws and a jumper on the possession, following an unsportsmanlike and technical foul called on Otago's Hayden Allen.  In fact the Rams were able to create a 12-1 scoring run, only to have their lead enveloped by a 10-0 run from the Nuggets, of which Pegues had seven, that had the visitors up 70-67 at the third quarter break.  The fourth quarter belonged to Dickel, with the final margin ballooning to 12 points in the closing stages of a closely contested match.  The Nuggets and Rams close out their season next weekend with games against the visiting Manawatu Jets who will likely need wins from both matches if they are to qualify for the playoffs.

Otago Nuggets 92 (Mike Pegues 33, Mark Dickel 21, Dan Ryan 12, Hayden Allen 11)
Canterbury Rams 80 (John Whorton 25, Rewi Manahi 10, Andrew Gardiner 10, Tim Edmonds 10)

Halftime 44-44
BOXSCORE