EMERGING talent Lloyd McVeigh was a standout performer despite the South Adelaide Panthers’ 13-point loss at the hands of the Forestville Eagles in Round 7 of the NBL1 Central over the weekend.

The younger brother of current Houston Rocket and star Jack McVeigh, the 21-year-old has announced himself on the NBL1 stage over the past couple of years, stemming from his standout 32-point, 10-rebound performance against West Adelaide in 2023.

Although the result was far from ideal, he delivered another strong performance for the Panthers, coming off the bench to have a real impact as his confidence in his own abilities continues to grow with each season he plays in the NBL1.

The Panthers were playing catchup for much of the game, after allowing the Eagles to jump out to a 13-point lead at the main break. Although it was a spirited effort to cut the deficit to seven at the final change, the comeback fell short as Forestville got the job done at Mitchell Park Sports and Community Centre on Saturday.

It was still a promising showing from McVeigh who continues to shine as one of the brightest talents currently playing in the NBL1 Central Men’s competition.

South Adelaide Panthers (83) def. by Forestville Eagles (96)

Lloyd McVeigh – 18 points, three rebounds, four assists

Coming off the bench for the Panthers, McVeigh had quite the impact for South Adelaide with his aggressive mindset with ball in hand, always looking to generate scoring opportunities for himself and others.

He came into the game halfway through the first quarter, nailing his first basket a couple of minutes later, pulling up from midrange with his smooth shooting mechanic. Although it was his only make for the quarter, he still kept South Adelaide’s offence rolling with a nice pass inside to a cutting Kaleb Warner, who threw down the slam.

He started the second quarter in ideal fashion, nailing a nice turnaround jumper to cut the deficit to seven in a promising start to the term. McVeigh then tried his hand at three-point shooting, but both of his attempts were wayward, before heading to the bench for a short rest.

He came back into the match with just under two minutes to play in the second quarter, and showed his intent with a nice drive into the paint on the eve of half time, drawing contact and heading to the free throw line, where he nailed one of his two attempts.

McVeigh started the third quarter on the bench, before returning to the fray a couple of minutes into the half, and he showed his skillset in the minutes that followed. He finally got a three-pointer to fall, coming at a crucial time too to cut the margin back to 10 points. The young gun then drove inside and finished at the cup to ensure that he and the Panthers maintained their momentum in the third quarter.

He cut the margin to just seven points to close out the third quarter with a nice layup, showing that if his shots are falling, he can turn a match with quick offensive production.

McVeigh kept his strong performance rolling to start the fourth quarter, driving inside and drawing contact, and when he converted both free throws, the margin was cut to just five points and it was the Panthers that held all of the momentum. Unfortunately, McVeigh and South Adelaide went on a bit of a dry spell offensively, which allowed the Senators to reaffirm their control of the contest.

He did pop up for another three-pointer to cut the deficit down to six points and keep his side alive, but it was as close as the Panthers got, as Warwick closed out the match with class en route to a 13-point triumph.

McVeigh finished the game with 18 points, on 6/18 shooting, and although it was not his most efficient shooting night, his intent was excellent and he threatened to tear the game apart in the second half, so the signs are certainly promising.