THE NATIONAL Basketball League (NBL) resumed hostilities over the weekend, with another batch of games producing some entertaining action. It was a round which saw some defensive efforts shine through in the big games.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at the key individual stats, to see which players are excelling in the most crucial of areas over the course of the season.

POINTS PER GAME

Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats) – 22.5
Mitch Creek (SEM Phoenix) – 22.27
Barry Brown Jr. (New Zealand Breakers) – 20.25
DJ Hogg (Cairns Taipans) – 18.22
Keanu Pinder (Cairns Taipans) – 18

Three-time NBL MVP Cotton remains the cream of the crop, topping the points count once again with the competition passing the one-third mark of the season. At 30 years-old, the guard still has plenty of basketball ahead of him, and remains a huge task for any defence he faces. Creek has played a big role in the Phoenix’s gradual resurgence, and has shot 51 per cent on the season. His consistency over the course of the fixture has been vital for South East Melbourne, as his ability to cut to the hoop remains a damaging weapon. Brown Jr. continues to thrive in his role, and showcased his scoring ability with the dagger against the 36ers; a three that somehow banked in to secure a stirring home win. Hogg has continued to come into his own on the Taipans, as he and Pinder form the best big man combination in the NBL. The duo will be crucial for Cairns’ finals hopes and if their inside scoring continues, they could just get the job done.

REBOUNDS PER GAME

Keanu Pinder (Cairns Taipans) – 9.8
Sam Froling (Illawarra Hawks) – 8.9
Aron Baynes (Brisbane Bullets) – 8.7
Alan Williams (SEM Phoenix) – 8.3
Xavier Cooks (Sydney Kings) – 8.3

Pinder has cemented his title as the competition’s king of rebounding, and although he dropped below double digits for the first time this season, he is still nearly a board a game clear of the next best. With pure strength and reach, Pinder is as good as it gets at hustling for the loose ball, and Cairns has reaped the rewards. Young gun Froling has continued to emerge as one of the best big men in the competition in terms of rebounding, while Baynes and Williams have only gotten better as the year has gone on.

ASSISTS PER GAME

Peyton Siva (Illawarra Hawks) – 8.67
Gary Browne (SEM Phoenix) – 8.57
Shannon Scott (Cairns Taipans) – 7.44
Derrick Walton Jr (Sydney Kings) – 6.3
William McDowell-White (NZ Breakers) – 5.18

Siva has made an immediate impact since joining the Hawks in the last few weeks. Although he has been unable to get the Hawks to a win, the side looks much better with the import leading the offence. Browne has also made life better for his side since returning from injury, with South East Melbourne producing a much more fluent offence with the guard at the helm. He has frequently posted a double-double and the likes of Creek and Williams. Scott has been a key cog for the Taipans, but it will be interesting to see how the addition of Tahjere McCall affects his output and how the team’s sets look.