RETURNING after a week off, the National Basketball League (NBL)1 Central competition produced another thrilling batch of games, and although the scores were not as high as other states, the action was just as exciting.

Over the course of Round 9, several games went down to the wire, and with finals approaching at a rapid pace, the significance of each contest is continuing to grow as the weeks pass.

The big names were back at it again throughout the course of the weekend, with local and international stars alike producing showings that certainly caught the eye.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at the standout performances from both divisions, after some big numbers were posted over the weekend. This time, Magnus Richards and Lauren Mansfield stood above the rest with a pair of scintillating showings.

Magnus Richards (Central Districts Lions) vs. Norwood Flames

31 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block

Richards ran rampant for Central Districts as the Lions torched the Flames to claim a 15-point win when the two sides went head to head at The ARC Campbelltown on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions looked in control for the majority of the match, bursting out of the gates to claim an early lead and only build from there. Things threatened to get ugly for the Flames, before Norwood fought back late to reduce the margin, but it was already over as the visitors still claimed a 104-89 win.

Richards was one of the defining figures of the match, proving too much for the defence to handle with his excellent work across the board.

He top-scored for the match with 31 points on a reasonably efficient 14/24 shooting from the field at 58 per cent. Richards did most of his work driving to the rim, but also stretched the floor to knock down a three-pointer to cap off an impressive offensive outing.

The forward was also the most productive performer on the glass too, recording 13 for the match as he controlled the skies. Seven of these came on the offensive end as he chased down his own misses and made amends with several putbacks.

It was a towering display from Richards, who saved his best performance of the season for an important match for his side.

Lauren Mansfield (North Adelaide Rockets) vs. Sturt Sabres

25 points, five rebounds, seven assists, six steals

One of Australia’s premier 3×3 players did a bit of everything to lead her Rockets past the Sabres to the tune of 22 points when the two teams locked horns at Springbank Secondary College on Saturday evening.

Despite being in enemy territory, North Adelaide led all game after jumping out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and continuing to grow the margin. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the result was certain, and while the Rockets took the foot off the accelerator, they still snagged a 78-56 win.

Mansfield was the star of the show for the winning side, showing just how many ways she can impact a game if let off the chain.

Firstly, she was the leading scorer for the match with 25 points, just edging Sturt’s Tayla Brazel with 23 and North Adelaide teammate Jordyn Freer with 22. Mansfield shot 10/19 from the field and was producing baskets from everywhere.

Although she was having one of her most damaging scoring performances of the season, the experienced campaigner made sure to share the love, finding teammates in the right spot and helping set up scoring plays through others. Mansfield poured in seven assists and orchestrated the offence to perfection.

She was also a star on the other side of the ball, running riot defensively and helping produce a plethora of transition baskets for the Rockets. Active hands saw Mansfield produce six steals for the match, always keeping the opposition on edge when handling the ball.

It was a performance that lived up to her superstar status, as Mansfield displayed her class and talent in a terrific showing.