THE FIRST half of Round 13 in the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2024/25 season took place over the weekend, as the competition began 12 consecutive days of games.

From Friday to Sunday, four games took place and there were some dominant team displays in that time as the contenders look to separate themselves from the remainder of the championship hopefuls in the back half of the fixture.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over the games that have taken place, and how the weekend’s action went down.

New Zealand Breakers (84) def. by Sydney Kings (92)

The Kings went on a 16-3 run to stun the Breakers and close out the first clash of the round with an eight-point win at Spark Arena on Friday night. The home side led for most of the fourth quarter, and had a five-point buffer with just under three minutes on the clock, looking likely to break their six-game losing streak. However, Sydney came alive in the final minutes of the match, storming home to silence the crowd and claim one of the gutsiest wins of the NBL season.

For the Kings, Kouat Noi led the way on the scoring front with 26 points on 10/14 shooting to go with four rebounds in an excellent showing off the bench. Next Star Alex Toohey shone for the Kings as well, posting a double-double of 21 points on 9/15 shooting from the field alongside 11 rebounds as well as a pair of steals. New Zealand point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright fought hard with 25 points and eight assists, while Tacko Fall continues to improve his production with 15 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes.

Top performers:
Kouat Noi (SYD) – 26 points, four rebounds
Alex Toohey (SYD) – 21 points, 11 rebounds, two steals

Brisbane Bullets (107) def. Cairns Taipans (104)

In a battle of the Queensland sides, the Bullets held off the Taipans to claim a three-point win at Nissan Arena on Friday night. Brisbane continued its charge up the standings, but was pushed by a Cairns side that has now lost 14 in a row. The match went down to the final seconds, but Rob Edwards‘ prayer on the buzzer missed as the Bullets moved into sixth spot with a win.

The import duo of Casey Prather and Keandre Cook ended up driving Brisbane to victory, with the pair putting up season-best numbers. Prather was the game’s leading scorer with 35 points on 13/21 shooting from the field while knocking down six of his nine attempts from behind the arc as he continues his ripping form of late. Cook was not far behind, posting 30 points on 50 per cent shooting from the field along with six rebounds in an explosive display.

Top performers:
Casey Prather (BRI) – 35 points, two rebounds, three steals
Keandre Cook (BRI) – 30 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block

SEM Phoenix (106) def. Adelaide 36ers (86)

In a stirring upset, the Phoenix dominated their clash against the Sixers to claim a 20-point win in the Open Air game at John Cain Arena on Saturday night. Despite Adelaide getting some key players back in recent weeks, South East Melbourne thrived under the night sky, further showcasing that the Sixers continue to have struggles defending teams on the road. The resurgence of the Phoenix over the past eight weeks has been one of the stories of the season, and they moved into fifth spot after Saturday’s commanding win.

After enduring an injury-interrupted campaign to date, former Finals MVP Derrick Walton Jr returned to form with a brilliant offensive performance in the win over the Sixers. He posted 28 points including six made threes as well as six rebounds and three assists in a vintage performance from the NBL Champion. His teammate Matt Hurt remains a pillar of consistency and delivered another 23 points and seven boards in the win.

Top performers:
Derrick Walton Jr. (SEM) – 28 points, six rebounds, three assists
Matt Hurt (SEM) – 23 points, seven rebounds

Illawarra Hawks (120) def. Perth Wildcats (88)

The potential game of the round ended up being a bit of a fizzer, with the Hawks dominating the Wildcats to claim a 32-point win at WIN Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon. Perth came into the clash having won three of its last four on the back of some historic form from star point guard Bryce Cotton. However, Illawarra was simply a class above the opposition to remain atop the standings and further its claim as championship favourites.

Hawks star Trey Kell III put up a career-best 31 points (10/16 FG, 4/7 3PT) to go with five rebounds and five assists in a tremendous offensive display from the guard. He paired well with Tyler Harvey (15 points, five rebounds, four assists), while Sam Froling was immense in the paint with 18 points and six rebounds in another rock solid performance from the big man.

Top performers:
Trey Kell III (ILL) – 31 points, five rebounds, five assists
Sam Froling (ILL) – 18 points, six rebounds

The action continues tonight with a clash between Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers.