IT was two of the most successful sides of the modern era that took home wins in Thursday’s action at the National Basketball League (NBL) Blitz, with the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United emerging victorious in their respective clashes.

Thursday saw marked one week until the season opener at Hoopsfest in Perth, and with just three days remaining at the Blitz, there is not much time for teams to finalise their preparations for the 2024/25 fixture.

Although it looks to be a different landscape in the NBL this season with some big off-season moves, some things could stay the same, with two postseason mainstays racking up wins last night.

NBL Blitz – Thursday, September 12

Melbourne United (106) def. Illawarra Hawks (100)

Last season’s minor champions delivered a magnificent comeback victory over the Hawks to emerge six-point winners in the first of Thursday’s games at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre.

Illawarra looked set to take out an impressive win to close out its Blitz campaign, leading by 12 points in the second quarter and seven points with just under four minutes remaining in the match, with some of the big names firing.

However, United’s stacked roster came to the fore, with Matthew Dellavedova giving Melbourne the lead with just over a minute to play, and it held on for a resilient win to close out a solid campaign on the Gold Coast.

Returning star Jack White was the star of the show for Melbourne, showing just how crucial he will be to the team’s title hopes in the upcoming fixture. The NBA champion delivered an influential performance and posted 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and looked back to his brilliant best.

For the Hawks, it was the trio of Tyler Harvey (22 points, four assists), Darius Days (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Lachlan Olbrich (22 points, 9/9 FG) that did the heavy lifting, showcasing how balanced the team can be on any given night.

Cairns Taipans (76) def. by Perth Wildcats (89)

The second match of the day was an eventful clash, with the Wildcats proving 13 points too good for the Taipans after a fire alarm break in the third quarter saw the match evacuated.

Despite missing star point guard and reigning league MVP Bryce Cotton the Wildcats came home like a wet sail, with the unexpected match break proving a defining point in the contest. Cairns was leading by 13 in the third quarter, but Perth came back from the evacuation looking a different side.

From there, the Wildcats completely outplayed the Taipans, outscoring the opposition 57-35 in the second half and snagging a strong comeback victory, and apparently needing the fire alarm break to regain their composure.

One of the biggest positives for the winning side was the performance of Next Star Izan Almansa, with the NBA hopeful delivering 15 points and eight rebounds in an encouraging performance. Tai Webster top-scored for Perth with 16 points while sharpshooter Elijah Pepper had 15 points of his own.

For the Taipans, import guard Rob Edwards was the leading scorer with 16 points and Pedro Bradshaw posted 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, with Cairns’ new imports sharing the spotlight.