THE THIRD round of the National Basketball League (NBL) saw some more twists and turns take place over the weekend, with some upsets seeing the ladder have some big changes once again.

Multiple games went down to the wire, and it seems a new batch of stars are making a name for themselves over the first three weeks of the season.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look three of the top performances over the weekend, with some new and old faces catching the eye and making their mark in their respective wins.

Kendric Davis – Adelaide 36ers

32 points, three rebounds, four assists

The Sixers recruited Davis over the off-season on the belief that he could be a match-winner for the team over the course of the 2024/25 season, and he delivered on that promise with a win over the Illawarra Hawks on the weekend, handing them the first loss of the fixture and moving Adelaide up the standings as a result.

Davis was a huge influence on the game, showing his offensive capability with a dominant display that demonstrated to the rest of the NBL exactly what he can do. The import guard delivered 32 points on 13/21 shooting from the field and 5/9 shooting from behind the arc. He knocked down some big shots down the stretch and was a central figure in the result of the match.

Xavier Cooks – Sydney Kings

23 points, seven rebounds, five assists

The recruitment of Cooks was one of the biggest stories of a busy off-season and the former MVP justified why he claimed the NBL’s top gong in the past with a key role in the win over the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday night. With the Kings set to be one of the contending sides for the 2024/25 season, Cooks will be a major cog in the team’s success.

He was at his all-around best against Brisbane, posting 23 points on an accurate 8/9 shooting from the field, while also pulling down seven boards and dishing out five assists. He used his unmatched motor to outwork the Bullets’ bigs and was unstoppable at times.

Taran Armstrong – Cairns Taipans

20 points, four rebounds, five assists

After plenty of hype surrounding his importance to the team in the lead up to the fixture, Armstrong delivered in his first game of the season in a big way. Head coach Adam Forde was full of praise in the preseason, in a call that proved correct.

The crafty point guard was electric in the win over the Tasmania JackJumpers on Friday night, and worked past the defending champions’ defensive structures. He had 20 points and five assists, and was vital in Cairns recording its second win in a row with his inside scoring and court vision.