The Southland Sharks extended their winning streak with a 99-89 victory over Otago in Dunedin on Sunday night.
Caleb Asberry led the charge with 29 points, nine rebounds and four assists as the Sharks withstood an early barrage from the home side to claim their latest road win.
The Nuggets came out firing behind Ethan Rusbatch's hot shooting from beyond the arc. Rusbatch finished with 29 points and eight rebounds, matching Asberry's scoring output in a high-octane clash.
But the Sharks' offensive firepower proved too much over four quarters. Rylan Jones added 18 points and seven assists, while Keylan Boone contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds in a balanced team effort.
Otago's early momentum couldn't be sustained despite strong performances from Buay Tuach, who recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Craig Moller's double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Asberry claimed MVP honours with 10 votes, ahead of Jones and Rusbatch who each earned seven votes.
The night began with a thriller in the Rapid League, where Otago turned around a disastrous start to edge the Sharks 37-34.
The Nuggets managed just one point in the opening quarter but rallied before halftime to trail by a single point, 14-13. They seized control in the third quarter and held on for the upset win.
Tyson Thata-Paese top-scored for the Nuggets with 12 points and three rebounds, while Caleb Smiler added 11 points, two rebounds and three assists to earn MVP honours with seven votes.
Quake Webster and Tobias Cameron led the Sharks' effort with seven points each, but it wasn't enough to prevent the split result on the night.
The main game result keeps the Sharks rolling in their championship chase, while the Rapid League defeat shows there's still work to do across all levels.