IN this series each week, we take a look at the strongest performing players at each position to create the National Basketball League’s (NBL) Team of the Week.

Round 7 of the NBL concluded on Tuesday night, and there was plenty to take out of the action that took place over the six-day period. There were some big upsets around the competition, and plenty of wins were led by strong individual performances. It was a week for the veterans, with some of the competition’s experienced heads turning back the clock with classic performances to get their respective sides over the line in some tense outings.

Point Guard – Matthew Dellavedova (Melbourne United)

It was a true homecoming game for the former NBA Champion, with Dellavedova producing his strongest NBL performance to date. Against the Hawks, Dellavedova was an offensive powerhouse just on his own, driving his side to an impressive win over a fellow flag contender. Demonstrating his ability to score when needed, the guard was unstoppable at times with ball in hand, particularly from behind the arc. Dellavedova was able to drain five of his seven attempts from behind the three-point line, giving his side some serious drive on the offensive end. He finished with a whopping 33 points, six rebounds and eight assists in what was arguably the strongest performance of the round.

Shooting Guard – Tyler Harvey (Illawarra Hawks)

We may be bending the rules a little bit here, but Harvey is a dynamic guard who has played both the one and the two in the past. He was terrific against the Kings and was clearly at his best with ball in hand. Harvey’s potential to tear a game apart is well-known around the competition, and he did exactly that in the latest instalment of the Highway Series. He poured in 23 points and five assists in an impressive display. While there were many positive factors in this performance, what was most eye-catching was his efficiency, making eight of his 10 field goal attempts on the night.

Small Forward – Finn Delany (New Zealand Breakers)

The Breakers captain was inspirational in his side’s upset win over the Kings, who are one of the competition heavyweights so far this season. New Zealand claimed their second win of the season in round 7, and Delany was a massive part in getting the team over the line. In the victory, the forward poured in 21 points and nine rebounds in a true leader’s performance. He did most of his damage scoring-wise from behind the arc, sinking three shots from deep throughout the match. It was obvious that Delany was desperate to drag his side over the line, and he played this match with his heart on his sleeve, which proved a successful method.

Power Forward – Jarell Martin (Sydney Kings)

Martin was a crucial cog for the Kings over the weekend, and while they lost both of their outings, he proved quite the force in both of his side’s games. Against the Hawks, Martin fought valiantly to keep his side in the contest, and while the Kings could not get themselves over the line, the forward was still terrific with 23 points and 10 rebounds. He was a one-man show for stages of the game, and could not have done more to get his side the win. He backed this up with another double-double against the Breakers, and while he may not have been as damaging on the offensive end this time around, his work on the glass was still as strong as ever.

Center – Jo Lual Acuil (Melbourne United)

The United big man is enjoying quite the season, and is continuing that form into recent weeks. He kicked off his round 7 against the Breakers and was coming up against one of the competition’s premier big men in Yannick Wetzell, but Lual Acuil ended up taking the chocolates in this battle. He recorded 22 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks in this outing, and was the best player on the court in his side’s 11-point victory over New Zealand. He was able to follow up this effort against the Hawks, and while his offensive output dropped slightly in this time, he made up for it on the defensive end of the court. The big man finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in what was yet another commanding performance.

Bench:

The bench point guard spot goes to Jeremiah Martin of the New Zealand Breakers, who was extremely consistent in his side’s two games over the weekend. He surpassed 20 points on both occasions, and was a reliable source of scoring for New Zealand. Against the reigning champions, he poured in 20 points with four three-pointers, and he backed this up against the Kings with 22 points. His second outing saw lower accuracy, but he was still able to overcome this to be a valuable contributor in the win.

The bench shooting guard spot goes to Melbourne United veteran Chris Goulding, who exploded in one of his outings this weekend. His side came up against the Breakers, who have been performing admirably in recent weeks. However, they could not stop the scoring of Goulding, who found the bottom of the net eight times from the field to finish with 23 points in what was a vintage performance from the sharpshooter.

The next spot on the bench goes to Sydney Kings forward Xavier Cooks, who was reliable in both of his Round 7 matches. The Kings have always been able to count on Cooks to give each match his all, and he demonstrated this over the weekend. Against the Hawks, he recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and was also able to get back on defence to record three blocks. He followed this up with an 11-point, 10-rebound performance against the Breakers a few days later.

Up next on the bench is Illawarra Hawks forward Sam Froling, who was excellent in the latest chapter of his team’s rivalry with the Kings. Despite being just 21 years of age, Froling looked like a veteran of the league against Sydney, making the right plays and grabbing the contest with both hands. He finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in what was one of the strongest outings of his career.

The final bench spot goes to Cameron Bairstow of the Adelaide 36ers, who played a big role in his side’s win over the Wildcats on Tuesday night. The big man was extremely impressive in Adelaide’s upset victory making the most of his opportunity in a big way. In just 24 minutes of action, he produced 19 points and 10 rebounds in an efficient manner, making eight of his 12 field goal attempts.