ON THE eve of NBL free agency, Isaac White could not have timed a strong NBL1 North Men’s performance any better. White dominated as the Mackay Meteors proved 16 points too good for the Rockhampton Rockets in the opening round of the 2023 season.

The two teams locked horns at Mackay Basketball Stadium on Saturday night, and the Meteors got their season off to a flying start.

After a tense first half in which the Rockets were able to start strongly and take a one-point lead into the main change, the home side turned one on in the third quarter. Outscoring the opposition 39-27, the Meteors took a commanding lead and cruised home to a 106-90 triumph, starting the year in style.

There is no doubt surrounding the best performance of the match, with out of contract Tasmania JackJumpers guard White delivering the strongest statline and impact of the round.

Mackay Meteors (106) def. Rockhampton Rockets (90)

Isaac White – 40 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, two steals

White sent a message to NBL teams with a powerful showing in his debut with the Meteors, and likely boosted his interest in the coming weeks with free agency opening yesterday.

A whopping 40 points headlined his performance, far and away the most of any player on the court and an eye-opening display of his scoring ability. Having delivered glimpses of offensive excellence both at NBL and NBL1 level in the past, it all culminated in a 40-piece on Saturday.

In terms of efficiency, he reached the game-high points total on 53 per cent shooting, nailing 16 of his 30 attempts from the field. He fired off 19 more shots than the next best Mackay player, putting the team on his back with a marvellous display. Most of his points came from inside the arc, with the exception of a pair of three-pointers.

Despite not standing extremely tall in stature, White made an impact in the rebounding battle, pulling down five defensive and two offensive rebounds. He hunted the loose ball with intent and used his vertical leap to get first hands on the ball.

Although he was the game’s best scorer, the guard was still able to get his teammates involved with another match-high total of nine assists. As the defence began to collapse when he took possession past midcourt, White’s NBL experience kicked in and he often made the right play.

Expected to receive a number of strong offers from NBL sides, Saturday’s performance only sent his stock further upwards, as he treads towards a breakout year.