ROUND 11 of the National Basketball League (NBL) has wrapped, with another batch of excellent contests taking place over the weekend.

The state of the competition remains as tight as ever, with some results from the round carrying heavy significance in the context of the season. The ladder was given another shake-up as the top four changed once again. Even the ladder-leaders were made to work by the side on the bottom of the table, showing just how even the NBL is proving to be. With just nine rounds remaining until the postseason, every game is important in shaping the race for the championship.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will continue its As It Stands series, unpacking all the action from the round and what it means moving forward.

As It Stands

SEM Phoenix (78) def. by Melbourne United (105)

The championship favourites started the round with a bang, producing a statement performance to hand the in-form Phoenix a 28-point loss at John Cain Arena on Thursday night. The latest instalment of the Throwdown had plenty of hype coming in, but in the end, United were simply too good for South East Melbourne and furthered their title credentials.

Perhaps the most ominous sign to come out of the match was the balance of scoring that Melbourne delivered, with a whopping six players delivering double-digits in the points column. Having built a star-studded roster over the offseason, United showed that when fully healthy, they are nearly impossible to stop.

Cairns Taipans (82) def. by New Zealand Breakers (111)

The biggest win of the round came at Cairns Convention Centre on Friday night, with the Breakers delivering a bit of an upset as they thumped the Taipans to the tune of 29 points. Despite seemingly turning their offensive woes around in the last few weeks, Cairns could not keep up with its scoring output as the Breakers delivered their most damaging performance of the season.

Three of New Zealand’s starters produced 20 or more points remarkably, as the team had multiple consistent scoring options. Leading the way was Anthony Lamb with 29 points (11/20 FG, 4/9 3PT), followed by Next Star Mantas Rubstavicius, who delivered a career-best performance with 21 points (9/9 FT) to go with eight rebounds. Rounding out the top scorers was Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who nearly had a double-double with 20 points and eight assists.

Perth Wildcats (89) def. Tasmania JackJumpers (88)

The Wildcats delivered a marvellous comeback at home on Friday night, elating the fans at RAC Arena with a one-point win over the JackJumpers. Perth bounced back in a big way, coming back from 15 points down to take the lead in the final minute of the game. Tasmania was unable to answer in time and the Wildcats completed the turnaround.

Star guard Bryce Cotton recovered from a poor performance last week to deliver 28 points and eight rebounds. The three-time MVP was the catalyst for his team’s comeback, and gave the Wildcats the go-ahead free throws in crunch time. For Tassie, Jordan Crawford led from the front with a match-high 29 points.

SEM Phoenix (72) def. by Illawarra Hawks (100)

The horror weekend for the Phoenix continued, suffering another crushing defeat, this time at the hands of the rejuvenated Hawks by 28 points at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium on Saturday evening. Illawarra appears to be thriving under Justin Tatum, snagging its third win in four games and bringing opponents undone with arguably the most potent offence in the NBL of late.

After a disappointing start to the season, star guard Tyler Harvey produced a telling scoring performance in the win on Saturday. 22 of his 25 points (10-15 FG) came in the first half, which is more than he scored in any game this season in a superbly efficient showing. Gary Clark had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Sam Froling had 16 points of his own.

Melbourne United (107) def. Adelaide 36ers (96)

It might not have been pretty at times, but the ladder-leaders did enough to make it past a brave 36ers side at John Cain Arena on Saturday night. Despite leading by as much as 18 points throughout the match, a 13-0 run in the third term saw Adelaide trim the deficit down to as little as four points. However, Melbourne snatched the momentum back late to go four games clear at the top of the table.

It was another balanced scoring performance from Melbourne, with seven players producing 10 or more points to showcase the extreme depth the team possesses. It is the the fifth consecutive game that United have hit triple-figures on the scoreboard, which is the first time a team has done that in over a decade. For Adelaide, Dejan Vasiljevic was the spark for a second-half comeback, and was responsible for 10 of his side’s first 15 points in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, when he went down with a nasty cramp, United got back control of the match.

Tasmania JackJumpers (82) def. by Sydney Kings (90)

The Kings pulled off an impressive road win to return to form on Sunday afternoon, completing the tough task of handing Tasmania a loss at MyState Bank Arena. The reigning champions broke out to a lead in the second term, and although Tasmania got some stops in the final term, the JackJumpers could not find the bottom of the net when it counted, and Sydney’s ability to draw contact meant the score kept ticking over.

Having returned from injury, forward Jaylin Galloway delivered a magnificent two-way performance in his side’s win. Coming off the bench, he delivered 22 points on 8/12 shooting from the field and 2/3 shooting from behind the arc, while also guarding Tasmania’s most damaging players. He is in the midst of a serious breakout campaign, and appears to be a star in the making.

Brisbane Bullets (101) def. by Cairns Taipans (102)

The final game of the round turned out to be another thriller, with the Taipans holding on for a one-point win at Nissan Arena on Sunday afternoon. Cairns led by as much as 22 points throughout the match, but Brisbane appeared to have one final push in the tank and got within striking distance in the closing seconds. Mitch Norton landed a buzzer-beating three-pointer that would have given the Bullets a remarkable win, but he released the ball too late as the Taipans held on.

For the Taipans, Tahjere McCall starred once again with 25 points and nine assists as he puts his name in the MVP race with some ripping performances of late. Brisbane skipper Nathan Sobey almost dragged his side over the line with 24 points, but his efforts fell just short.

Ladder

1. Melbourne United (13-3)
2. Sydney Kings (9-6)
3. Perth Wildcats (9-6)
4. Tasmania JackJumpers (9-7)
5. SEM Phoenix (8-8)
6. Cains Taipans (7-9)
7. Brisbane Bullets (7-9)
8. Illawarra Hawks (5-8)
9. New Zealand Breakers (5-9)
10. Adelaide 36ers (4-11)