ROUND 10 marked the halfway point of the 2023/24 National Basketball League (NBL) season, as the race for the postseason heats up with a number of sides in flying form at the moment.

The weekend saw 10 games of action take place from Thursday to Sunday, with some memorable moments in there. There were upsets, power outages and ladder changes as the pinnacle of Australian Men’s basketball continued to deliver on a weekly basis.

The race for the finals is as tight as ever, and every game carries a fair amount of significance. This means the big guns of the league are not holding back, delivering some eye-catching performances each game. Huge numbers are being posted every round and those who do it consistently are often leading their side to victory.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central‘s weekly stat series continues, taking a look at the leading contributors in some of the key statistical categories that impact the game most.

Points per game

• Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats) – 20.6
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers) – 20.4
• Mitch Creek (SEM Phoenix)/Patrick Miller (Cairns Taipans) – 20.1
• Anthony Lamb (New Zealand Breakers) – 19.4
• Dejan Vasiljevic (Adelaide 36ers) – 18.8

Despite a quiet game in the loss to the Hawks on the weekend, star guard Bryce Cotton remains at the top of the scoring column. Cotton was held to just seven points on 1/9 shooting from the field, but just edges ahead of Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who had 25 points in the loss to the JackJumpers. Mitch Creek exploded for 33 points to lead his side to an upset over the Kings, while Patrick Miller continued his good form with a pair of strong outings for the Taipans.

Rebounds per game

• Alan Williams (SEM Phoenix) – 11.1
• Sam Froling (Illawarra Hawks) – 8.2
• Jacob Wiley (Adelaide 36ers) – 7.9
• Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United) – 7.8
• Jonah Bolden (Sydney Kings)/Jo Lual Acuil (Melbourne United) – 7.7

‘The Big Sauce’ was again a considerable force on the glass in the Phoenix’s win over the reigning champions at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon. Alan Williams pulled down 15 rebounds (five offensive) and clearly won the battle with Sydney’s bigs on the boards. Although Sam Froling did not light the world on fire on the glass, his scoring work was outstanding as he led the rejuvenated Hawks to a win over the Wildcats.

Assists per game

• Patrick Miller (Cairns Taipans) – 6.2
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers) – 5.8
• Matthew Dellavedova (Melbourne United) – 5.4
• Jaylen Adams (Sydney Kings) – 5.1
• Will McDowell-White (New Zealand Breakers) – 4.8

Not much movement in the assists column over the weekend, with many of these names cementing their spot as some of the best passers the league has to offer. Miller had 12 assists over two games to go with his exquisite scoring run, while Jackson-Cartwright was also impressive in both facets of offence. Matthew Dellavedova helped feed a firing Chris Goulding in the big win over the Bullets on Sunday at John Cain Arena and perfectly orchestrated the offence.

Steals per game

• Tahjere McCall (Cairns Taipans) – 2.3
• Shannon Scott (Brisbane Bullets) – 2.2
• Jaylin Galloway (Sydney Kings)/Parker Jackson-Cartwright (NZ Breakers) – 2.0
• Will Cummings (SEM Phoenix) – 1.7
• Keanu Pinder (Perth Wildcats)/Jordan Crawford (Tasmania JackJumpers)/Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)/ – 1.6

There is a new leader at the top of the steals column, with Tahjere McCall delivering an impressive weekend for the Taipans on both ends of the floor. In the tough loss to the Kings, he recorded four steals and helped spark the team’s comeback with his disruptive defence. He racked up another four in the win over the 36ers to go with 19 points and 15 assists in one of the two-way performances of the season. His availability has played a big role in Cairns’ success over the last couple of weeks, and his work on the defensive end is a reflection of that.

Blocks per game

• Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne United) – 1.8
• Will Magnay (Tasmania JackJumpers)/Tyrell Harrison (Brisbane Bullets) – 1.6
• DJ Hogg (Sydney Kings) – 1.4
• Jordan Hunter (Sydney Kings)/Alexandre Sarr (Perth Wildcats) – 1.1
• Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United – 1.0

A reasonably quiet weekend on the blocks front, Jo Lual Acuil still remains at the top of the list despite not recording a block in Melbourne’s big win on Sunday, showcasing just how far ahead he was heading into the round. In that same game, Tyrell Harrison recorded a block of his own, getting a piece of Shea Ili‘s jumpshot. Will Magnay stepped up and played some big minutes for Tasmania, Next Star Alexandre Sarr‘s two blocks were a highlight on a tough night for Perth, while Ariel Hukporti had a pair of swats off the bench for United.