ROUND 15 has come and gone, with some big scores posted across a bumper round of NBL action for season 2022/23. There were a whopping 11 games in Round 15 across the span of six days, with no shortage of action for fans to enjoy. It also meant there were plenty of opportunities for players to post big scores and help their side to victory.

As revealed on the Got Next Podcast, which chats all things NBL and WNBL, Rookie Me Central names a Team of the Week, and the 11th round of the fixture had plenty of stars making an appearance.

Point Guard – William McDowell-White (New Zealand Breakers)

McDowell-White showed his importance to the Breakers with an outstanding performance against the Taipans on Sunday afternoon. Often a player who simply does what is required for the team, the rising star was fantastic on the offensive end, posting a career-high 29 points to lead the match in scoring. He looked much more confident in his shot and looked to take on the defence whenever he could. Also delivering five rebounds and five assists, it was his best performance of the year, impressing after returning from injury last week.

Shooting Guard – Milton Doyle (Tasmania JackJumpers)

The import guard has made an appearance in this team more often than not, and once again justifies his selection here. Doyle had an excellent offensive performance in Round 15, playing a crucial role in Tasmania’s win over the 36ers with an equal game-high 28 points, working his way into the game to chime in for some vital buckets down the stretch. Despite copping suffocating defence on a weekly basis, the ‘silent assassin’ keeps getting it done and should have a big say in Tassie’s performance in its last handful of games.

Small Forward – Rayjon Tucker (Melbourne United)

Although our starting five might be a bit smaller this week, it is hard to keep Tucker out of the starting line-up after his performance against Brisbane. In the win over the Bullets, the explosive guard was simply outstanding offensively, producing 30 points, which was the most of anyone on the court. He is finally starting to play to his strengths and attack the rim when going downhill. At his best, Tucker puts plenty of pressure on the rim, and shot accurately on the weekend.

Power Forward – Robert Franks (Adelaide 36ers)

Franks has been a shining light for the 36ers in a bit of a form slump, providing a spark on the offensive end with a pair of strong offensive performances. The import forward was the main reason Adelaide was in the match against the JackJumpers, and although it lost in the end, he was outstanding with 24 points, before backing it up a few days later with 25 points against Perth. Although many of his teammates found themselves shooting wayward from the field, Franks has been as aggressive as ever and can still score at all three levels.

Center – Dererk Pardon (New Zealand Breakers)

Pardon has been one of the most impactful centers in the competition so far this season, and produced one of his best performances in a Breakers uniform against the Wildcats. Despite the Breakers falling at RAC Arena, Pardon was immense as he went head to head with another member of our Team of the Week, and ultimately took the chocolates in the individual battle. He finished the match with a stirring double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds on 12/15 shooting from the field.

Bench

Point Guard – Tyler Harvey (Illawarra Hawks)

Harvey has been working his way into form throughout the season and had scores of 25 points against Cairns, and 24 points against the Kings.

Shooting Guard – Jason Cadee (Brisbane Bullets)

The Bullets were able to pull of one of the best wins of the season over the Phoenix, and Cadee’s 28-point performance was a telling factor in that outcome.

Small Forward – Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Melbourne United)

United have enjoyed a resurgence over the past month, and Rathan-Mayes has been at the forefront as he was with 20 points (7/11 FG) in the impressive win over New Zealand.

Power Forward – Jack McVeigh (Tasmania JackJumpers)

McVeigh had a season-best performance in the triumph over Adelaide, delivering an equal game-high 28 points that was boosted by six threes on seven attempts.

Center – TaShawn Thomas (Perth Wildcats)

Thomas faced off against Pardon in one of the best frontcourt battles of the season, and although he may have been slightly outperformed, he still held his own with 23 points and 10 rebounds.