ALTHOUGH his side did not claim the win, Dequan Abrom delivered a magnificent two-way showing in the NBL1 West Men’s on the weekend.

Abrom’s Mandurah Magic hosted the South West Slammers at Mandurah Aquatic and Rec Centre on Friday night, looking to get a maiden victory for the 2023 season on the board. However, the Slammers had won just one game from their first 10 games of the fixture, so this was the Magic’s best chance to get things rolling.

In one of the best games of the round, the momentum went back and forth as the home side got off to a strong start, before the Slammers pulled it back in the third quarter. After a nail-biting final term, South West managed to hold on for a thrilling three-point win, after Mandurah ran out of time to produce a match-winning bucket.

The performance of Abrom was one of the big reasons as to why the Magic had a shot at winning the match, putting the team on his back at times and producing a mesmerising outing on both ends.

Mandurah Magic (89) def. by South West Slammers (92)

Dequan Abrom – 37 points, six assists, five steals

Abrom was a one-man show at times during Friday’s loss to the Slammers, doing whatever it took to get his side over the line, and although that effort fell short, his performance gave Mandurah a chance.

His 37 points was a game-high total, and the most of any player across Round 9 of the NBL1 West Men’s competition. The Magic put the ball in his hands whenever possible, and trusted the guard to produce offence, which was rewarded.

Abrom looked to generate offence from behind the arc, and cashed in from three-point territory with six made triples on 13 attempts. Long-range shooting has always been one of the strengths of his game, and his perimeter game played a major role in his individual performance.

From two-point territory, the 23-year-old was able to drive inside and attack the paint, either finishing in the lane or drawing contact. However, Abrom’s deft touch from outside the paint saw some floaters and mid-ranges find the bottom of the net too, making it hard for the defence to predict when he would put up a shot. Overall, he shot 13/24 from the field and 5/6 from the free throw line.

Abrom was also a handy playmaker for the Magic, getting involved in pick and roll actions and pushing the ball around the perimeter to find the open man for Mandurah. In one of the Magic’s highest scoring games of the season, he was at the forefront of ensuring things kept rolling on this side of things.

Defensively, Abrom was always alert and looking to cut off any sloppy passes from the Slammers or poke the ball from the opposition’s dribble. His five steals allowed transition opportunities for the Magic and interrupted the flow for South West in the process.

Abrom could not have done much more for Mandurah in a close loss, exploding on the offensive end for a terrific scoring performance and almost getting his side to their first win of the season. Should he continue to deliver performances at this level, the Magic’s maiden victory will not be too far away.