OVER the last week, the National Basketball League (NBL) has held its preseason Blitz competition, with sides able to get some run into their players heading into the season opener next month. The competition is being played across three states, with Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria all hosting some action over the coming weeks. This weekend kicked off the first batch of the 22-game fixture, with plenty of close contests keeping fans around the country engaged for the week thus far. Saturday night proved to be one of the most entertaining of the tournament to date, with the evening’s first match arguably the best we’ve seen.

New Zealand Breakers (92) def. South East Melbourne Phoenix (90)

NBL fans were treated to an absolute classic on Saturday night, with the New Zealand Breakers taking down the South East Melbourne Phoenix at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The game looked all but decided when the Phoenix hit the lead with a second to go, but Breaker Finn Delany delivered one of the most memorable game-winners the league has ever seen to give his side an unlikely victory.

The Breakers opened the game in strong fashion, taking a six point lead into quarter time, with New Zealand’s Yannick Wetzell particularly impressive in the first term. Their offence looked to be firing on all cylinders, but the second quarter saw a reversal of this, with the Phoenix finally getting their mojo going as they ended up turning the game around to steal the lead off their opponents and head into half time with a one-point advantage.

The third term ended up as a demonstration of how close the two teams were performing in this match, with the lead never reaching more than two points for the entire quarter. The lead went back-and-forth as the sides traded baskets to try and gain an advantage over their opponents. The Breakers ended up taking the slimmest of margins into the final break, with the Phoenix trailing by just one point.

The final term saw more of the same contested action that entertained fans in the third quarter, with neither side able to break away to create a match winning lead. The match went down to the wire, and it looked like Breakers fans were set for heartbreak when Phoenix skipper Mitchell Creek hit a massive three-pointer with just one second to go to give his side a two-point lead. The Breakers were able to use their timeout to draw up a play in one of the most stunning finishes in recent memory.

New Zealand inbounded the ball to Delany who was tucked in the corner with minimal wiggle room. With no time remaining, Delany shot the ball with a double-clutch action to avoid two defenders and threw up a circus shot in hope, and miraculously was able to see the ball bank in from the backboard as he delivered his side a one-point triumph in stunning fashion.

For the Breakers, there is no doubt that they would not have won the match if not for the heroics of Delany, but there were a number of strong contributors who deserve credit too. NBL Next Star Ousmane Dieng certainly caught the eye of the nation with his impressive play off the bench. One of the league’s most exciting prospects, Dieng will be looking to boost his NBA draft stock this season, and performances such as this will do just that. For the Phoenix, Kyle Adnam and Xavier Munford combined for 41 of the team’s 90 points in what was a dominant scoring display for the duo.

Melbourne United (90) def by. Illawarra Hawks (97)

The second match of Saturday night saw the Illawarra Hawks continue their strong preseason form with another win, this time coming in the form of a seven-point triumph over Melbourne United at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Despite Melbourne jumping out to a strong lead in the first half, the Hawks were able to claw their way back into the contest and storm home in the second half to claim their second victory from their two preseason clashes to date.

The opening half saw a high-scoring contest keep fans entertained, with both sides bringing potent offensive displays. The first term saw the sides separated by very little, as both teams were able to score with ease with a combined 58 points for the quarter. The Hawks took a slim two-point lead into the second term, but this did not last long, with United coming out hot to start the quarter. Melbourne were dominant for the entirety of the term, outscoring their opponents by 11 in the quarter to take a nine-point lead into the main break.

The second half kicked off with the Hawks delivering the strongest quarter of the match, holding their opponents to 10 points while scoring 23 themselves. United simply could not generate any offensive flow as the game slowly slipped out of their hands, coughing up the lead to head into the final term down by four points. The final term was much more contested, but Illawarra’s lead continued to grow, as they snuck away from United to claim a hard-fought victory built off a dominant third term.

For the Hawks, new recruit Antonius Cleveland delivered his strongest game for the club, pouring in 21 points in just his second outing for the team. With NBA experience under his belt, Cleveland looks set to be a crucial piece for the Hawks in their campaign this season. Despite the loss, United were well served by Jo Lual Acuil and his 20 point contribution.