THE SECOND round of the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2024/25 season has come and gone, with some big results giving the ladder a bit of a shakeup.

Just two sides remain unbeaten after two weeks of play, and the championship favourites were handed their first loss of the fixture, while other clashes had plenty of tension as several sides had to be separated as games got physical.

As is the case every week, Rookie Me Central will be providing a game-by-game rundown of the weekend’s action and how it has affected the race for the finals.

NBL – Round 2

SEM Phoenix (84) def. by Melbourne United (96)

Melbourne United reigns supreme in the Throwdown series, after defeating the Phoenix by 12 points at John Cain Arena on Thursday night. In a spirited clash to open the round, United overcame a slow start to chase down the Phoenix’s opening quarter lead and prove too good to start the season with two wins from two games.

Star point guard Matthew Dellavedova produced his second consecutive strong performance, delivering 18 points and 10 assists in another vintage outing from the NBA Champion and Olympian. Coming off the bench for the second game in a row, skipper Chris Goulding had a game-high 19 points.

SEM Phoenix | 28 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 84
Melbourne United | 21 | 25 | 21 | 29 | 96

Top performers:
Matthew Dellavedova (MEL) – 18 points, 10 assists
Chris Goulding (MEL) – 19 points

Illawarra Hawks (113) def. Brisbane Bullets (101)

A fast start from the Hawks helped them to a 12-point win over the Bullets at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night. The home side posted 38 points in the first quarter, and although Brisbane did lift later in the match, the damage was already done as the Hawks joined Melbourne with a record of two wins and no losses.

It was a match-winning performance from Trey Kell III, who delivered his best performance in the NBL to lead his team to victory. He had a game-high 30 points on 11/20 shooting along with four rebounds and three assists, showing just how many stars this Illawarra team has, with several players capable of posting numbers like his.

Illawarra Hawks | 38 | 21 | 30 | 24 | 113
Brisbane Bullets | 25 | 35 | 20 | 21 | 101

Top performers:
Trey Kell III (ILL) – 30 points, four rebounds, three assists
Tyrell Harrison (BRIS) – 16 points, 10 rebounds

Perth Wildcats (87) def. by Sydney Kings (88)

The Kings held on in a thriller to snag a one-point win over the Wildcats at RAC Arena in the second of Friday’s matches. Sydney was in control for much of the match, leading by as much as 15 as a comfortable win loomed. However, Perth caught fire from behind the arc and even hit the front in the fourth quarter. However, the Kings’ big names stood up when the game was on the line, and the team did enough to hold off the home team.

It was an MVP level performance from former winner Jaylen Adams, who was back to his best in a crucial duel with fellow star point guard Bryce Cotton. Adams stepped up with 27 points and six assists and showed he is still more than capable of taking over a match, especially with a lot of eyes on the game.

Perth Wildcats | 11 | 29 | 18 | 29 | 87
Sydney Kings | 27 | 16 | 24 | 21 | 88

Top performers:
Jaylen Adams (SYD) – 27 points, three rebounds, six assists
Kristian Doolittle (PER) – 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists

Cairns Taipans (101) def. Adelaide 36ers (97)

The Taipans pulled off an impressive win to kickstart their 2024/25 campaign, defeating the Sixers by four points at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night. Despite the match being tied at three quarter time, Cairns snuck away in the fourth term, largely thanks to former Adelaide player Kyrin Galloway, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the final period as Cairns claimed its first victory of the fixture.

Taipans import Rob Edwards starred in his second game for the club, posting a game-high 31 points and showcasing himself as a serious offensive talent for the northernmost team in the NBL. He shot 12/19 from the field but most impressively 6/8 from behind the arc in a blistering scoring performance to put his name on the map.

Cairns Taipans | 28 | 30 | 19 | 24 | 101
Adelaide 36ers | 32 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 97

Top performers:
Rob Edwards (CAI) – 31 points, four assists
Sam Waardenburg (CAI) – 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists

Tasmania JackJumpers (81) def. Melbourne United (72)

The second game of Saturday saw the JackJumpers get revenge for Round 1, defeating Melbourne United by nine points as the two teams clashed for the second time in as many weeks. The JackJumpers celebrated last season’s championship for the first time at MyState Bank Arena and did so in style, getting the better of their Victorian rivals to grab their first win of the season.

Fresh off an Olympic campaign with the Australian Boomers, big man Will Magnay showed why he is considered one of the best two-way big men. He had 18 points, 10 rebounds and a whopping five blocks, including a highlight swat on former teammate Marcus Lee‘s dunk attempt that brought the crowd alight.

Tasmania JackJumpers | 20 | 24 | 17 | 20 | 81
Melbourne United | 14 | 19 | 16 | 23 | 72

Top performers:
Will Magnay (TAS) – 18 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks
Jack White (MEL) – 21 points, 12 rebounds

Sydney Kings (89) def. by Illawarra Hawks (96)

The Kings have been handed their first loss of the 2024/25 season, after falling to the Hawks in the latest installment of the Highway Series. Sydney allowed the opposition to get out to a 12-point lead by quarter time at Qudos Bank Arena, and that was too much for the Kings to overcome, as the Hawks furthered their championship credentials and moved to the top of the ladder with a record of 3-0.

Guard Tyler Harvey was the hero for the Hawks, posting a team-high 21 points and the game-winning three in the final minute of the game. He is typically the barometer for Illawarra, and once again he stepped up when the game is on the line for a massive triple when the game was tied.

Sydney Kings | 15 | 32 | 20 | 22 | 96
Illawarra Hawks | 27 | 21 | 27 | 21 | 89

Top performers:
Tyler Harvey (ILL) – 21 points, one rebound, two assists
Xavier Cooks (SYD) – 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists

New Zealand Breakers (81) def. SEM Phoenix (79)

The Breakers have defied the naysayers to start their season with two wins from as many outings after a win over the Phoenix at Spark Arena in the final game of the round on Sunday afternoon. The Breakers had a slow start and trailed by 10 at quarter time, but won the final three quarters to move to the top two in the standings with a record of 2-0 to remain unbeaten.

Import point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright showcased his importance with a tremendous offensive performance for the second game in a row. He led New Zealand in scoring with 19 points, but was also his typical creative self, dishing out seven assists in an important showing.

New Zealand Breakers | 11 | 22 | 27 | 21 | 81
SEM Phoenix | 21 | 15 | 23 | 20 | 79

Top performers:
Parker-Jackson Cartwright (NZ) – 19 points, seven assists
Nathan Sobey (SEM) – 24 points, four rebounds, four assists