THE sixth round of the National Basketball League (NBL) took place over the weekend, with the action stretching from Thursday to Monday.

Once again, the landscape of the competition changed, and although there were still some expected results, a fair chunk of upsets shook things up for the second week in a row. Some more contenders bounced back, and the ladder-leaders were handed their second loss of the season, evening things up towards the top of the standings.

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

• Nathan Sobey (Brisbane Bullets) – 20.5
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers) – 20.4
• Zylan Cheatham (New Zealand Breakers) – 18.8
• Anthony Lamb (New Zealand Breakers) – 18.4
• Jordan Crawford (Tasmania JackJumpers)/Mitch Creek (SEM Phoenix) – 18.3

There were plenty of team performances on the offensive end, and that meant another change in the competition’s leading scorers. Nathan Sobey continues to defy his age with some excellent showings, and took top spot in the scoring race.

The Breakers have some of the most damaging scorers in the NBL, with three of the top six players on New Zealand’s list. However, this weekend belonged to Anthony Lamb, who produced his two best offensive performances since joining the team as an injury replacement player. He had 19 points against the Taipans on Friday night, before backing it up with 29 points against the Kings, announcing himself as one of the best scorers in the league.

Rebounds per game

• Alan Williams (SEM Phoenix) – 10.8
• Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United) – 8.7
• Sam Froling (Illawarra Hawks) – 8.4
• Josh Bannan (Brisbae Bullets) – 7.8
• Jacob Wiley (Adelaide 36ers) – 7.7

‘The Big Sauce’ continues to be the league’s best rebounder, producing another outstanding performance on the weekend. Although he was well-held against the Bullets, Alan Williams bounced back with 15 boards in the win over the Bullets. He remains leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the competition on this front and will be had to catch.

The biggest surprise on this front is inclusion of Josh Bannan, with the talented youngster making a name for himself at the Bullets. The power forward has broken onto the scene in the past couple of weeks, and had a strong performance in the win over the Phoenix, with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Assists per game

• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers) – 5.9
• Patrick Miller (Cairns Taipans) – 5.8
• Justin Robinson (Illawarra Hawks) – 5.4
• Shannon Scott (Brisbane Bullets)/Will McDowell-White (New Zealand Breakers) – 5.3
• Jaylen Adams (Sydney Kings) – 5.2

Although he had a quieter weekend on the scoring front, Parker Jackson-Cartwright still had a consistent weekend as a playmaker. He helped Lamb produce a pair of big scores, and had seven dimes in the win over the Taipans on Friday night. His ability to impact the game in more than one way makes him one of the most dangerous players in the competition.

16 assists over two games was enough to see former MVP Jaylen Adams jump into the top five, with the gun point guard playing a huge role in Sydney’s return to form over the weekend.

Steals per game

• Shannon Scott (Brisbane Bullets) – 3.2
• Jaylin Galloway (Sydney Kings) – 2.5
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (NZ Breakers) – 2.3
• Keanu Pinder (Perth Wildcats) – 2
• Will Cummings (SEM Phoenix) – 1.9

Neither Shannon Scott nor Jaylin Galloway suited up for their respective sides on the weekend, with their numbers unaffected as a result of this. Jackson-Cartwright had a pair of steals in the tough two-point loss to the Kings, while Pinder’s five steals for the round were huge in getting Perth over the line against the 36ers and United in a crucial result for the Wildcats.

Blocks per game

• DJ Hogg (Sydney Kings) – 2
• Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne United)/Tyrell Harrison (Brisbane Bullets) – 1.8
• Jordan Hunter (Sydney Kings) – 1.6
• Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United) – 1.2
• Alexandre Sarr (Perth Wildcats)/Isaac Humphries (Adelaide 36ers)/Mangok Mathiang (New Zealand Breakers) – 1.1

Another strong defensive performance from DJ Hogg sees him remain at the top of the list, with the star forward recording two blocks in both of Sydney’s wins over the weekend. He is showcasing a serious ability to protect the ability and use his athleticism on both ends of the floor. He forms a strong defensive partnership with Jordan Hunter to make the Kings one of the hardest teams to score in the paint against on a weekly basis.