THE FIFTH round of the National Basketball League (NBL) delivered in a big way, with some boilovers shaking up the standings in yet another buzzing weekend of action.

The games took place from Thursday to Sunday, and there were several surprising results throughout the weekend, while multiple clashes went down to the wire in another extremely close season in Australian basketball.

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 5

Brisbane Bullets (84) def. New Zealand Breakers (73)

The Bullets recorded their second win in a row on Thursday night to open the round, defeating the Breakers by 11 points at Nissan Arena. After finally getting on the board in Round 4, Brisbane outlasted a travel-worn New Zealand side that ran out of legs in the dying stages of the match, allowing the home side to run away with win number two on the fixture.

For the victors, James Batemon was the star of the show on the offensive end, posting 21 points and five rebounds, while Josh Bannan almost posted a double-double of 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The Breakers were well-served by a tremendous solo performance from point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who had 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, all of which were team-high figures.

>>MATCH REPORT<<

Brisbane Bullets | 17 | 22 | 19 | 26 | 84
New Zealand Breakers | 13 | 20 | 17 | 23 | 73

Top performers:
James Batemon (BNE) – 21 points, five rebounds
Parker-Jackson-Cartwright (NZ) – 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists

Tasmania JackJumpers (71) def. by Sydney Kings (80)

The Kings moved up to second spot in the standings after defeating the JackJumpers at the Silverdome on Friday night. Sydney travelled down to Tasmania looking to make life worse for the reigning champions, with the JackJumpers struggling to post a winning score throughout NBL25. Although the home side impressed in the first half and were in the box seat with two quarters to play, Sydney’s depth came to the fore in the fourth en route to a nine-point win.

It was an extremely balanced performance from the Kings, with Xavier Cooks leading the way by stuffing the stat sheet. The former MVP posted 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in another demonstration of his impressive skillset. The JackJumpers’ success in the first half was largely due to the performance of Jordan Crawford, who delivered 18 points in the first half and finished the game with 25.

Tasmania JackJumpers | 21 | 24 | 8 | 18 | 71
Sydney Kings | 13 | 20 | 16 | 31 | 80

Top performers:
Xavier Cooks (SYD) – 15 points, 12 rebounds, six assists
Jordan Crawford (TAS) – 25 points

New Zealand Breakers (89) def. Perth Wildcats (85)

The Breakers got their campaign back on track, defeating the Wildcats by four points at Spark Arena on Saturday. To add salt to the wound for Perth, the Wildcats lost four-time MVP Bryce Cotton to broken ribs midway through the game, and he is expected to spend time on the sidelines. The visitors simply could not atone for his loss, as New Zealand snuck home to a vital result after Sydney’s win on Friday.

The Breakers were led by Matt Mooney, who erupted on the offensive end to post 28 points on 7/10 shooting from behind the arc in a tremendous sharpshooting performance. It was a statement performance from the guard, who displayed his ability to put the team on his back and carry them to victory.

New Zealand Breakers | 24 | 17 | 27 | 21 | 89
Perth Wildcats | 18 | 21 | 19 | 27 | 85

Top performers:
Matt Mooney (NZ) – 28 points, 7/10 3PT
Tai Webster (PER) – 20 points, six rebounds, six assists

Cairns Taipans (75) def. by Illawarra Hawks (87)

The Hawks did enough to make it past the Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night, pulling a 12-point win out of a scrappy contest. Although it was not the team’s best offensive showing, Illawarra kicked things up a notch when it mattered most, overcoming an undermanned Cairns team that showed plenty of heart on the defensive end.

Star guard Tyler Harvey was at the forefront, posting a game-high 20 points and getting to his spots in the final period, knocking down some crucial floaters that allowed the Hawks to get some breathing space. Taipans import Pedro Bradshaw was the best in a losing side, posting 18 points and 14 rebounds as he stepped up in the absence of some of his teammates.

Cairns Taipans | 24 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 75
Illawarra Hawks | 17 | 23 | 19 | 28 | 87

Top performers:
Tyler Harvey (ILL) – 20 points, four rebounds, three assists
Pedro Bradshaw (CNS) – 18 points, 14 rebounds, three assists

Melbourne United (84) def. by SEM Phoenix (93)

In the upset of the round, the Phoenix are finally on the board for NBL25, defeating their cross-town rivals by nine points in the Throwdown at John Cain Arena on Sunday afternoon. Fresh off a coaching change, South East Melbourne delivered with its back against the wall, shocking United with its best offensive performance of the season in a transformed team. Most impressively, the Phoenix did most of the work without star point guard Derrick Walton Jr, who hurt his hamstring early in the piece.

Big man Jordan Hunter was the man of the hour for the Phoenix, delivering his best performance in a South East Melbourne uniform after joining the team over the off-season. He was everywhere and withstood some serious physical pressure from United’s stars, who were putting a body on him both within and outside the rules, and he finished with 20 points and nine rebounds.

Melbourne United | 18 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 84
SEM Phoenix | 16 | 32 | 18 | 27 | 93

Top performers:
Jordan Hunter (SEM) – 20 points, nine rebounds, one block
Ian Clark (MEL) – 19 points, four rebounds, two assists

Adelaide 36ers (77) def. Tasmania JackJumpers (73)

In their first game with both Montrezl Harrell and Jarell Martin in the team, the Sixers did enough to defeat the JackJumpers by four points at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the round. Tasmania got off to a flying start and led by double-digits in the first quarter, but the home side steadied and broke away late in the third term and early in the fourth to secure an important result.

Import guard Kendric Davis was a serious spark for the Sixers, posting 23 points, six assists and four steals in a tremendous display on both sides of the ball, while Harrell was too much for the Tasmania defence to handle with 22 points of his own. Milton Doyle was the JackJumpers’ best with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Adelaide 36ers | 13 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 77
Tasmania JackJumpers | 22 | 17 | 11 | 23 | 74

Top performers:
Kendric Davis (ADL) – 23 points, six assists, four steals
Milton Doyle (TAS) – 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists