The Wellington Saints have booked a place in the NZNBL semi-finals after beating the Otago Nuggets 94-81 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.
The elimination final was tightly contested early, with both sides trading baskets before the Saints began to take control through defensive pressure, strong ball movement and timely scoring.
Wellington continued to build momentum as the game progressed and remained composed in the closing stages to secure a 13-point victory in front of their home supporters.
Elijah Pepper led the Saints with 33 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Carlin Davison added 17 points and 12 assists, while Akech Aliir recorded 12 points, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
Buay Tuach led the Nuggets with 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Ethan Rusbatch scored 18 points and collected eight rebounds, while Matthew Bardsley added 12 points.
The match was the Saints’ final home game of the 2026 season.
Wellington will now travel to face top-seeded Auckland Tuatara in the semi-finals.