FOUR National Basketball League (NBL) players have backed up their Round 1 efforts to make it two consecutive Draft Central Team of the Week nominations. Perth Wildcats’ guard Bryce Cotton and South East Melbourne Phoenix’s Mitch Creek returned to the starting squad in our Team of the Week, while Brisbane Bullets’ Lamar Patterson and Sydney Kings’ Jae’Sean Tate make the forward bench spots once again. Across the remaining six spots are new players for this week, with the Phoenix, Kings, Bullets and Taipans contributing two players each to make up eight of the starting 10, with Cotton the sole Wildcat, and centre Daniel Johnson the only Adelaide 36er.

Of those teams with multiple representatives, Phoenix’s John Robertson joined Creek in the starting team after 30 points, two rebounds and six assists, shooting at an accurate 71.4 per cent from the field. Sydney Kings’ Brad Newley put up 18 points, six rebounds and three assists to make the starting side to join Tate in the 10-player squad. Nathan Sobey was back to his best for his new side, sinking an average of 18 points, four rebounds and six assists across two games for the Bullets to join Patterson on the bench. For the Taipans, Scott Machado fills out the other competitive guard spot due to his 15 points, eight assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals across two matches, while Majok Deng averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists to fill the bench centre position.

It was a tough decision to leave out the Illawarra Hawks after a sensational win, but the trio of LaMelo Ball, Aaron Brooks and AJ Ogilvy all had one superb game, with the other game being quieter across the weekend. Melbourne United and of course New Zealand Breakers did not have a player due to having the bye. Other players unlucky to miss out were a host of guards, including Perth’s Terrico White, Adelaide’s Jerome Randall and Phoenix’s Ben Madgen along with the trio of Hawks.

STARTING FIVE

G: Bryce Cotton (PW) 28 points, 0 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 53.5 FG%
G: John Robertson (SEM) 30 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 71.4 FG%
C: Daniel Johnson (AD) 26 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 50 FG%
F: Mitch Creek (SEM) 25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 45.8 FG%
F: Brad Newley (SK) 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 57.1 FG%

BENCH:

G: Nathan Sobey (BB) 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 54.2 FG%
G: Scott Machado (CT) 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.5 steal, 0 blocks, 52.6 FG%
C: Majok Deng (CT) 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.5 block, 45.0 FG%
F: Lamar Patterson (BB) 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0 blocks, 51.6 FG%
F: Jae’Sean Tate (SK) 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 62.5 FG%