IN ONE of the highest-scoring weekends of the entire NBL season, there was no shortage of strong individual performances as Round 14 took place around the country.

Most teams appeared to be firing on all cylinders with plenty of big guns firing in some back-and-forth contests from a scoring perspective. Points totals were at a season-high as a few clubs pushed their way to triple-digits in some smooth-moving offensive sets.

As is the case every week, Rookie Me Central will be highlighting the three strongest individual outings, with plenty making quite the impact in their respective outings.

Dejan Vasiljevic (Sydney Kings)

Vasiljevic exploded for the third 40-point performance of the 2022/23 season against the Phoenix at Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday night. On a night where both sides scored over 100 points, it was the Kings’ guard that led the way for the winning team. He had a whopping 42 points on 14/24 shooting from the field to go with six rebounds and five assists, playing a massive role in the Kings’ offensive sets. As he did in the 2021/22 grand final series, Vasiljevic fired from behind the arc, nailing a stunning 10 three-pointers on 14 attempts in an outstanding shooting display. With a quick jump-shot and plenty of confidence in his own ability to drain a shot, he was able to put it all together as the Kings took down South East Melbourne 118-102.

Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

The league superstar was back at his best again, delivering yet another 30+ point performance as the Wildcats fell to the Breakers by just three points on Wednesday. Cotton gave it his all and led a late charge as Perth attempted to claim an extremely unlikely comeback victory, although it fell devastatingly short. Although his team did not get the win, Cotton was the most impactful player on the court, finishing the match with 32 points, nailing 10 of his 15 attempts from the field. With a healthy balance of inside and outside scoring, the three-time MVP was almost impossible to stop, despite New Zealand’s best efforts. He drained some clutch shots to give Perth a chance, and essentially kept the Wildcats in the match on his own.

Mitch Creek (SEM Phoenix)

Still a genuine contender for the Most Valuable Player award come season’s end, Creek had another pair of strong scoring performances for the Phoenix over the weekend. Despite losing to the Kings on Wednesday, the veteran forward was still a shining light for the Phoenix, producing an impressive statline of 32 points, nine rebounds and five assists while shooting 13/21 from the field (61.9 per cent). He then backed it up with 25 points and seven rebounds a few days later, once again dragging the Phoenix into a competitive position in a one-man show at times. Although South East Melbourne fell short, Creek’s performances were the reason why it was a chance of claiming a win or two in the first place.