Presently Otago basketball is so cash-strapped they don’t have a team in the National Basketball league. The Nuggets don’t exist this year, but are hoping to make a return in 2016.

In 2014, the Otago Boys’ High School First’s won the National title. They became the first South Island school since Nelson College in 2000 to win the National title.

On Friday they were honoured at the Otago Sports Awards. They became the first schoolboy team to win the overall team of the year award.

Otago will be hard pressed to defend their National title, but Year 13 shooting guard Jamie MacDonald is optimistic about the teams’ prospects.

What was your role in the team last year?

I was a bench player for most of the season. My role was to support the starters and when I was on court create scoring chances for the big men.

Note: Jamie says his favourite player is Stephen Curry

Describe the pathway to National success in 2014?

To qualify for Nationals, you have to finish in the Top Six at the South Island regional championships. Last year we won those in Nelson with relative ease; we beat Burnside High School in the final.

We played in the Senior A grade on Friday nights and in the men’s A grade on Saturday. The men’s A grade is really tough and prepares us physically for the strong teams in Auckland.

At Nationals we won all our pool games. The toughest matches before the final were the quarter final against Palmerston North Boys’ High School and the semi-final against Rangitoto College who had Tai Waynard who has got a scholarship to the Kentucky Blue devils.

Note: In the semi-final, Otago won 77-62. Liam Aston top scored with 18 points.

What was the most memorable moment of last season?

In the national final Sam Timmins stole the ball, broke up court and made a huge slum dunk. We all stood up and pumped our fists and waved our towels like they do in the NBA. Westlake took a timeout and at that point I felt confident we would win.

Note: Otago trailed after each of the first three quarters: (21-24, 35-38, 56-57) but won, 74-69. Sam Timmins scored 26 points and collected 23 rebounds and was named MVP of the tournament.

Winning the National title isn’t the only sporting success you have enjoyed recently?

Yeah, I am an Otago under-19 rep and in December went to Las Vegas for three weeks to play with Mainland Eagles. We won most of our games before the tournament, but the tournament itself was really tough against international opponents.

I play cricket for the First XI and we are going to the Gillette Cup. We won the local competition beating John McGlashan College in the final. I am an all-rounder and am really looking forward to December.

Note: The Eagles were coached by former Tall Black Mark Dickel. While in Los Angles, the Eagles watched Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers play the New Orleans Pelicans.

Why has Otago Boys’ dropped down to the B Division of the Men’s Grade?

We have a really small team this year, were essentially all guards. We are going to pay an up-tempo game and try and out sprint teams, rather than physically dominate them like we did last year. Losing Sam Timmins and Joe Cook-Green is a major blow for us.

What do you lose without Timmins Cook-Green?

Everything (laughs). Sam is 6ft 11 and has the same reach has Steven Adams so he could dominate inside, but was a good shooter as well. Joe Cook-Green brought a lot of energy and direction.

Note: Sam Timmins and Joe Cook-Green have signed with the Canterbury Rams and now go to school in Christchurch.

What can we expect in terms of a game plan then?

We have four Year 13’s and the rest of the boys are Year 11 and 12. We lack height; the tallest boy is the team is 6ft5 and he is Year 11. We are all guards (laughs). We will play an up-tempo game and look to out sprint and out shoot bigger teams.

Note: Otago are coached by Gavin Briggs and Brent Matehaere. Matehaere is a former Nugget who has been at the school since 1999. Otago have finished in the top eight at nationals four times in his tenure.

National Rankings

2011: 19

2012: 6

2013: 4 (Equalled previous best finish in 1978)

2014: 1

Notes

• Has won 13 consecutive Otago Senior A Secondary School titles and over 150 consecutive games in the competition.

• Has won four of the last seven South Island Regional titles.

• Sam Cook-Green, Darcy Knox and Sam Timmins made the 2014 National tournament team