ROUND 5 of the National Basketball League (NBL)1 East has wrapped, with another batch of games providing some elite performances from an individual standpoint.

Another 22 games took place over Saturday and Sunday, with all teams in action as the race for a spot in the top eight heats up. It seems as if there are several sides vying for a finals appearance after a strong start to the season, making each matchup intriguing in its own way.

Both the men’s and women’s competitions are stacked with big names, and it was the guns of the competition that delivered the best showings throughout the course of Round 5 of the 2024 season.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at the standout performances from both divisions, after some big numbers were posted over the weekend. This time, Matthew Eldridge and Lauren Jackson were the strongest in their respective competitions, with some massive statlines produced from the pair.

Matthew Eldridge (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) vs. Central Coast Crusaders

27 points, 14 rebounds, one assist, one steal

Eldridge’s massive work as a scorer and on the glass sparked the Sea Eagles to a big win over the Crusaders at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday evening.

The victors had to fight for the result, after Central Coast delivered a strong finish to the first half to lead by six points at the main change. However, the Sea Eagles flicked a switch after half time, outscoring the visitors 62-35 in the final two quarters to claim a 21-point victory.

Eldridge was everywhere for Manly Warringah in the win, putting up an eye-catching statline and having a real impact on the result.

He was the game’s top scorer with 27 points, shooting 9/14 from the field in one of his most efficient scoring performances of the 2024 season. The difference in this match was his ability to consistently knock down the three-ball, making four triples on five attempts in a tremendous shooting display.

On the glass, Eldridge was also the premier presence with a game-high 14 rebounds, playing to his strengths and getting first hands on the ball. Four offensive boards showed that even when the defence looks to get best position and box out, he is still too good to not snag the possession.

It was another solid outing for Eldridge, who is putting together a strong 2024 campaign to try and lead the Sea Eagles to a finals berth.

Lauren Jackson (Albury-Wodonga Bandits) vs. Maitland Mustangs

43 points, 22 rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks

In the performance of the round across any NBL1 competition, Jackson exploded for an enormous performance as the Bandits dealt with the Mustangs at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Saturday evening.

The Mustangs looked no match for the Bandits from the get-go, as the home side stormed out to a commanding lead on the back of a 23-8 opening quarter of action. Despite Maitland improving in the second quarter and cutting the deficit back to 10 at the main change, Albury-Wodonga controlled the remainder of the match, en route to a 34-point victory.

Jackson was undoubtedly the star of the show, posting one of the biggest statlines of the 2024 season in a vintage showing from Australia’s greatest ever player.

Her 43 points were clearly the most of any player on the court, shooting 15/24 from the field and a near-perfect 10/11 from the charity stripe in an unstoppable scoring performance. Despite the defence’s best efforts, she could not be stopped, and was seeing the basket better than anyone, as emphasised by a perfect 3/3 shooting from behind the arc.

On the glass, she was just as destructive, pulling down a whopping 22 for the match, which was only eight less than Maitland’s figure as a team. She split her efforts on the offensive and defensive end, with 11 coming on each, demonstrating just how damaging she was on the boards.

It was another outstanding performance from Jackson, who continues to defy age and prove a match-winning factor for her side.