NBL: United survive scare in Perth thriller

They have solid claims for having the best defence in the competition at the early stages of the campaign after beating the Wildcats 88-81 in a thriller at RAC Stadium.

And that’s with Perth knocking down 29 points in the fourth term.

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Perth averaged 94 points in their previous three games, even reaching 99 in a loss to South East Melbourne in round 2

With Melbourne’s tall timber Ariel Hukporti and Robert Loe fouling out late in the game, Keanu Pinder threatened to pinch the game for the home side.

But the cool heads of Ian Clark and Matt Dellavedova saw United home.

Perth had won eight of its previous nine home games before Friday night. But United now have a 8-2 record in Perth since the start of the 2019-20 season.

Welcome home Luke

Former Perth Wildcat Luke Travers was put off by the fiery welcome he received from the Perth crowd that cheers him so loudly only one season earlier.

The United rising star quietened the Wildcats faithful with three big dunks in the opening half.

His athleticism was an issue for his old team.

He did earn a rising cheer midway through the second term when he left the court with a cut on his nose.

His three-pointer in the third term kept Perth at bay after the home side had reduced the margin to two points.

He finished with a handy 11 points and five rebounds.

Chris Goulding top scored with 18 points including four from long range. Clark also scored 18.

Early foul trouble

Before Friday, Perth had led at half-time in every other game this season.

But they had 35 points shooting at just 33.3 per cent in the first half against United.

Nothing worked for them on offense.

They trailed by 12 points after Goulding hit his 10th point for the half midway through the second quarter.

But a couple of offensive fouls to Loe and Hukporti within 20 seconds of one another, gave the home side a little bit of momentum.

Melbourne also got into foul trouble.

The Wildcats trailed by just four points at the main break thanks to two late three pointers from Alex Sarr and Jordan Usher.

Come with me

Keanu Pinder single headedly kept Perth in a game for most of the night.

He top scored with 25 points and had seven rebounds in a powerful display. He looks close to being back to his best.

Bryce Cotton was kept to just 11 points and had only four points in more than three quarters.

Shane Ili has had some terrific game on the Wildcats star.

Cotton dropped first three pointer three minutes into the last term.

Jordan Usher also added 20 points.

Kristian doing little

Perth could be short a man for a few weeks, with starter Kristian Doolittle suffering a knee injury on Friday night.

The Wildcats import knocked his knee trying to jump over Melbourne’s Shane Ili less than two minutes into the game.

The game needed to be stopped so he could be helped from the court.

Doolittle was the last import added to the Cats roster, joining them in the week leading into their round 1 win against Tasmania.

He’s yet to hit his straps, with just 11 points and 10 rebounds in three games to open the season and he was kept scoreless against Adelaide in round 2.

He registered just one assist and one turnover on Friday night.

NBL Next Star rubs salt in Brisbane’s wounds

—Nick Tucker

Spearheaded by NBL Next Star Alex Toohey, the Sydney Kings rubbed salt into the gaping wound left by the five-match ban to Bullets star Aron Baynes with a comprehensive 113-102 victory over Brisbane at Nissan Arena on Friday.

Toohey, the first Australian player to commit to the Next Stars program since fellow NBA Global Academy alumni Josh Giddey, snuck in an efficient 18 points on 7/8 shooting, helping former league MVP Jaylen Adams (26 points) account for Brisbane.

Toohey came alive in the second half, giving the Kings’ social media team a vicious transition slam-dunk and block to choose from before finishing through contact in the final minute to put a Bullets come back to bed.

Despite strong performances from early MVP candidate Nathan Sobey (26 points), Chris Smith (21 points) and DJ Mitchell (16 points), the reigning champions surged home in a high-scoring affair where threes were flying left, right and centre.

Jaylin Galloway (16 points), Denzel Valentine (15 points), Jonah Bolden (12 points) and Kouat Noi (14 points) were strong contributors in Sydney’s 11-point-victory.

TOOHEY TERROR

Nineteen-year-old NBL Next Star Alex Toohey walked the talk with an almost perfect showing at Nissan Arena, picking apart the Bullets with 18 points on 87% shooting.

One of Australia’s most promising prospects, 201cm Toohey, who decommitted from Gonzaga to become the league’s first Next Star, was efficient, didn’t shoot a shot that wasn’t there, and looked NBA ready.

Eligible for the 2024 draft, Toohey boosted his draft stocks with a rollicking steal to spin-move-slam late in the third quarter when he plucked the ball from the grasp of his opposition and went coast-to-coast before finishing with a one-hand-jam.

This came after a crisp mid-range jump shot and was followed by an and-one moments later.

DJ MITCHELL FINDS FORM

He was overshadowed by the brilliance of Sobey and Smith but for Brisbane fans, seeing DJ Mitchell nail two-from-three triples in the first half would’ve brought a smile to their faces.

Looking sharp in Black, Mitchell made his first start of the season and looked full of confidence when letting the three-ball fly.

A highlight of his came halfway through the third quarter where he splashed a pull-up three to address an 11-point-deficit.

He finished with 16 points.

Sharpshooter Smith wasn’t afraid to shoot either but this time, doing his best work inside the arc in the first half before coming alive from deep in the second half to finish with 21.

ROCCO ZIKARSKY’S TIME TO SHINE

Brisbane’s 220cm giant gained more valuable playing experience in tonight’s loss, earning 13 minutes in the clash.

In the first quarter Zikarsky slammed home a tip-in, reeled in two rebounds and played excellent defence before a highlight-reel swat on Kouat Noi.

Baynes’ absence may well be a blessing in disguise with Zikarsky set to step up behind the shot-blocking Tyrell Harrison who performed well in the starting five.

JAYLEN ADAMS

You didn’t forget about him, did you?

The 2021/2022 NBL MVP was back to his brilliant best, an elite scorer who looked a class above.

The nifty point guard was his team’s leading scorer at the half with 14 on 6-10 shooting, was deadly from the mid-range and had a turn of pace paired with handles which kept the Bullets at bay.

He loved a swish and finished with 26.

KOUAT NOI A THREE POINT SNIPER

The 201cm forward was a laser from three-point-land, nailing three-from-five behind the arc in a strong first half showing.

By the main break, he had 11, but what stood out was his confidence letting a three-ball go.

It was as if once he got the ball, he had one mode and in the first half it worked wonders for the visitors.

Galloway and Toohey were also sinking treys at an efficient clip, making life hard for the Bullets.

The Kings’ three-point-magic did not stop at half time.

JackJumpers stamp championship credentials in Hawks demolition

-Ryan Rosendale

The Tasmania JackJumpers have continued to stamp their credentials as a NBL24 championship contender with a commanding 30-point win over Illawarra at MyState Bank Arena on Thursday night.

Clinical from the outset, the JJs were never really challenged by the Hawks and finished 103-73 winners to successfully defend the island for a second straight game and extend their winning streak to three.

Imports Jordon Crawford (17 points and six assists) and Marcus Lee (10 points, eight rebounds and two assists) both put in their best performances to date as JackJumpers while superstar Milton Doyle (19 points, nine rebounds and five assists) continued his incredibly hot start to the season.

After getting in foul trouble against both the Kings and United, Lee was far more tactical in his defence early but still finished with the four personal fouls.

The Jackies got off to the perfect start, thanks to Lee at both ends of the floor, with Doyle’s first three of the night getting them out to an early 10-point advantage.

Another to Crawford down the stretch of the first extended that to 13 before he and Hawks pair Justin Robinson and Todd Blachfield collided in the final minutes of the first.

All three were fine with Crawford slotting two free throws to give the home side a five-point lead at the first break.

Tasmania continued to dominate in the second quarter, draining six threes to finish the term up by 26 points and looking as damaging as they have done in their three-year history on offence.

The Hawks had absolutely no answers with forward Sam Frowling appearing incredibly frustrated on a number of occasions.

The visitors outscored 31-10 for the quarter with just 29 points at the half and going 2-13 from the three point line.

Despite another three consecutive long range baskets to start the third from Tasmania, the Hawks put in a much improved effort, in the third, largely thanks to forward Gary Clark’s 10 points.

The result was beyond doubt heading into the last with the JackJumpers strong defence keeping the NBL’s highest average scoring team – 97 points – to just 73, the third-straight game an opponent was kept under 80 points.

The win saw the JackJumpers go 3-1 to start the season ahead of Saturday’s away game against South East Melbourne Phoenix while Illawarra now have a 1-2 record and will face Adelaide in Saturday’s early contest.

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