Saints Open Southern Swing with Dominant Win in Invercargill

The Mills Albert Wellington Saints kicked off their southern swing in emphatic fashion on Thursday night, powering past the Southland Sharks 93–72 at ILT Stadium Southland. A strong opening half laid the foundation for the win, with the Saints jumping out to a 52–30 lead at halftime and never looking back.

The win was made even sweeter with the return of veteran guard Shea Ili, who made an immediate impact in his first game back with the Saints. Ili finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and a game-high 10 assists, orchestrating the offense in just 19 minuets 

The Saints had two players notch double-doubles on the night, led by big man Nicholas Muszynski, who poured in 19 points and hauled down 12 rebounds in a commanding performance in the paint. Meanwhile, both Hyrum Harris and Nick Marshall came within a whisker of double-doubles themselves, each finishing just one rebound short.

"We set the tone early and kept the pressure on," said head coach Aaron Young "It was great to have Shea back—his presence was felt immediately—and the boys did a great job staying locked in for all four quarters."

With this win, the Saints continue to assert themselves at the top of the NZNBL table, showing depth, balance, and defensive grit. Their relentless pace and ball movement overwhelmed the Sharks, who struggled to contain the Saints’ transition offense.

All attention now turns to Saturday night, where the Saints head to Dunedin to face the Otago Nuggets. While the Nuggets currently sit 8th on the ladder, the Saints won’t be taking them lightly as they look to keep their winning streak alive and finish the southern swing strong.

Tip-off is set for 4:00pm at the Edgar Centre.