IN this series each week, we take a look at the strongest performing players at each position to create the league’s Team of the Week.

The fifth round of the National Basketball League (NBL) has wrapped, and while there was only two matches throughout this time, there was still plenty for fans to enjoy. In these two games, Melbourne United completed the comeback to take down a valiant Tasmania JackJumpers side, while the Perth Wildcats were able to hold off the Cairns Taipans in a thrilling contest. There were plenty of valued contributors for all four sides, so some unfortunately missed out. However, it would have been remiss of us not to select the 10 players below.

Point Guard – Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

This man just does it time and time again. As he continues to strengthen his chances at a third consecutive league MVP award, Cotton has been on an absolute tear as of late. Against the Taipans, the guard was once again match-winning, proving a constant threat on the offensive end and producing some much-needed points during crunch time. He proved a threat from both inside and behind the arc (finishing with five three-pointers), and was also able to create scoring opportunities for his teammates by forcing the defence to collapse on him. In the end, Cotton finished with a statline of 29 points, three rebounds and six assists in what was arguably the performance of the round.

Shooting Guard – Josh Adams (Tasmania JackJumpers)

Next to Cotton in the backcourt is explosive JackJumpers guard Adams, who produced one of his best performances of the 2021/22 season against Melbourne United. Tasmania entered this clash as heavy underdogs, given United are the reigning champs and the JackJumpers poor start to the year. However, Adams was almost able to drag his side to one of the biggest upsets of the season, with 23 points and four rebounds in a truly damaging performance. His best work came inside the arc, where he made nine of his 13 field goal attempts from two-point territory. Despite the close loss, there is no denying the impact Adams produced for his side.

Small Forward – Victor Law (Perth Wildcats)

The second Wildcat in this starting lineup is Law, who has proved quite the formidable duo with Cotton so far this season. While Law did not reach the heights that Cotton did in the box score, his presence was undeniable in the win over the Taipans. The forward registered 17 points, six rebounds, two steals and a block in a typically impressive performance. Law and Cotton combined to deliver the win for their side, and without them, perhaps the Wildcats would have lost top spot on the ladder.

Power Forward – Majok Deng (Cairns Taipans)

The next forward in our starting lineup almost delivered his side an upset win over the championship fancy, with Deng producing an impressive offensive performance. The Taipans captain did about all he could as he tried to drag his side over the line against the Wildcats, and while this effort fell just short, his efforts must be recognised and commended. In a towering performance with ball in hand, Deng finished with 27 points and seven rebounds as he frequently gave Perth defenders a headache. He was also active on the defensive end of the court with four steals in a true captain’s performance.

Center – Jo Lual Acuil (Melbourne United)

The final spot in the starting lineup belongs to Melbourne United big man Lual Acuil, who has continued his impressive run of form. He was one of the favourites for the NBL’s Most Improved Player award and is certainly living up to these expectations in the opening weeks of the season. Against the JackJumpers, he was terrific as an offensive presence, finishing with 19 points, while on the defensive end, he pulled down eight rebounds from missed shots from the opposition in an eye-catching display.

Bench:

The bench point guard spot goes to Tasmania JackJumper Josh Magette, who managed to drag himself to a nice points total against the reigning champs. Despite producing some quite inaccurate shooting from the field, Magette fought his way to 15 points in what was a crucial level of production as his side looked to cause an upset against Melbourne United.

The next guard coming off the bench is Melbourne United star Chris Goulding, who appears to have slotted into this lineup in excellent fashion after missing the start of the season. Against the JackJumpers, the sharpshooter poured in 14 points and four shots from behind the three-point line as he proved extremely damaging in typical fashion from the 33-year-old.

Moving to the backup small forward position, we have selected Bul Kuol of the Cairns Taipans, who impressed with his performance against the Wildcats. In one of his strongest outings of the year, Kuol was a weapon on the offensive end, finishing with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in a well-rounded performance. If he can continue to produce these efforts in a starting role, it will go a long way towards delivering more wins for his side.

We have decided to bend the rules a little bit here, and recognise two big men off the bench in the four and five spots. At the fourth bench spot, we have slotted in Taipan Stephen Zimmerman, who was one of a number of impressive contributors for his side in their match. While he typically plays the centre position, we decided to put him at the fourth spot given the fact that he can play this position if needed. He poured in 12 points and nine rebounds in yet another strong outing as he looked to take his side to victory.

The final bench spot is given to Melbourne United centre Ariel Hukporti, who was outstanding off the bench. In United’s comeback victory against the JackJumpers, Hukporti provided a much needed spark off the bench, and was a valuable contributor in his 17 minutes on the court. He finished with 11 points and six rebounds in a performance that proved crucial when deciding the final result of the match.