ROUND 4 of the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2024/25 season saw some excellent performances from both a team and individual standpoint as the landscape of the competition was given another shakeup with some surprising results.

There were some serious upsets across the span of Thursday and Sunday, with the standings continuing to prove as tight as ever. There is just two wins separating second and seventh, so everything could change again in the coming weeks.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look three of the top performances over the weekend, with some new and old faces catching the eye and making their mark in their respective wins.

Bryce Cotton – Perth Wildcats

35 points, four rebounds, two assists

After a quiet weekend in the prior round by his lofty standards, Cotton made a statement with a match-winning performance against the Cairns Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre on Thursday night. The Wildcats had their backs against the wall coming into the first clash of the round, having lost their three prior matches, but responded with a thrilling three-point triumph.

>>MATCH WRAP<<

As he has done so many times in the past, Cotton was the catalyst for the win, erupting on the offensive end with a vintage showing from the four-time MVP. He produced a round-high 35 points, a total that was built on the back of seven three-pointers. When given the time and space to get a good look, Cotton is unmatched in his scoring ability and showed that on Thursday night.

Tyrell Harrison – Brisbane Bullets

21 points, 17 rebounds, two steals

The stakes were extremely high for the Bullets coming into their clash against the Phoenix at John Cain Arena on Saturday night, with both sides yet to record a win in the first three and a half weeks of the season. In a tight and scrappy affair, it was Brisbane that emerged victorious and notched its first win of the fixture, largely on the back of Harrison’s strong play.

>>TYRELL HARRISON PLAYER FOCUS<<

Harrison had threatened to produce powerful performances after dominating the preseason, and Saturday’s showing certainly fit into that category. The big man was elite, posting 21 points on 10/20 shooting from the field. He particularly stood out on the offensive glass, pulling down a whopping 12 boards after a Brisbane miss, and helping keep the Bullets’ score ticking over with second-chance scoring.

Xavier Cooks – Sydney Kings

18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block

Cooks is well and truly back, helping the Kings record a vital bounce-back win over the Taipans on Sunday afternoon. The Kings were bested by Adelaide on Friday night, but had the chance for redemption with a matchup against an in-form Cairns side. Sydney was dominant en route to a 26-point thumping of the Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena, and showed why they are the title favourites.

As expected, Cooks was well and truly among the biggest factors of the match in the win over Cairns, stuffing the stat sheet with another excellent all-around performance. Although he was not the game’s leading scorer, his 18 points were all crucial, as he waited for good looks and did not force anything, while also making the right passes to his teammates.