IT WAS a magnificent team performance from the Southern Tigers in their win over the North Adelaide Rockets in the NBL1 Central Men’s over the weekend, and rising young gun Isaiah Oste-Pinder was certainly one of the standouts.

The two teams came into the clash having performed quite similarly throughout the fixture, with both sides having won a single match from their three outings, and Saturday’s clash at Morphett Vale Basketball Centre was an opportunity to climb the standings and reach parity once again.

Although they had similar records coming in, it was a completely one-sided affair, with the Tigers dominating from start to finish in an emphatic display. Southern simply looked much stronger than North Adelaide, not allowing the Rockets to hit the front or gain any momentum whatsoever, cruising home to a massive 36-point win.

Oste-Pinder was one of the better performers for the Tigers in a balanced performance, showing why he is considered one of the brightest young talents on the roster.

Southern Tigers (111) def. North Adelaide Rockets (75)

Isaiah Oste-Pinder – 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, three blocks

It was a tremendous two-way showing from Oste-Pinder, who was clearly one of the hardest working players on the floor and played a big role in a percentage-boosting win for the Tigers.

He entered the game with just under three minutes to play in the first quarter, and it didn’t take him very long to get involved, nailing his first attempt from the field with a smooth three-pointer to put his team up by as much.

Oste-Pinder then forced a turnover, stealing the ball from Jaxon Sangster before dishing to his captain in Jarrod Molnar, who nailed a triple of his own in a huge play in the context of the quarter and momentum in the match. He stole the ball again a couple of minutes later and played a key role in getting the Tigers on top.

The guard showcased his offensive arsenal with a nice stepback triple to open the second quarter, before finding Molnar again with a nice pass on the very next possession. Oste-Pinder then nailed his third triple of the match a couple of minutes later, looking extremely confident in his shot and capping off an excellent first half performance in style.

He was subbed back into the match late in the third quarter, and again displayed his passing ability by dishing it out to Jarvis Summers on the perimeter. Oste-Pinder recorded his first block of the match by swatting away Koop McCalop‘s attempted layup, before working hard down the other end to tip the ball back in on the eve of three quarter time.

The guard opened the fourth quarter with his third swat of the game, showing his ability to play taller than his position, before getting reward in transition with a nice midrange jumper. He capped off his night with a nice drive into the basket and finish as it was party time for the Tigers in the final quarter, having built an enormous lead.

Oste-Pinder put himself on the map with an excellent performance on both sides of the ball, and will certainly get more opportunities as a result of his efforts.