THE Adelaide 36ers had a massive round, clean-sweeping their two games, while the Perth Wildcats were again on the opposite end of victory in one of their games. The Breakers also struggled on the court in an overtime loss, while Melbourne and Brisbane both got crucial wins heading towards finals.

Adelaide 36ers (97) defeated Perth Wildcats (84)

The 36ers managed to score more than 20 points in each quarter, while the Perth Wildcats dropped below that number in the first and third quarters. Daniel Johnson continued his great season for Adelaide, racking up 17 points and seven rebounds, while Demetrius Conger made a statement with 18 points and four boards. Jacob Wiley was unusually quiet on the boards with just two rebounds, but still managed to rack up double figures for the 36ers. Nathan Sobey was the other player to score in double figures with 11 points to fo with his seven rebounds. Terrico White stepped up for Perth with 24 points and four rebounds, while Angus Brandt racked up 11 points and two rebounds. Rhys Vague and Bryce Cotton each scored 10 points for the Wildcats as well, but it wasn’t enough.

New Zealand Breakers (96) defeated by Illawarra Hawks (107)

Not even a 33-point quarter could get New Zealand over the line, as Illawarra bounced straight back in the next period with 34 points to steal the game. The Hawks outscored the Breakers 34-11 in the final period, completely outplaying them on the offensive end. Todd Blanchfield was enormous for the Hawks with 27 points and seven rebounds, while AJ Ogilvy was also busy with 14 points and six rebounds. Jordair Jett also contributed 14 points while David Andersen scored 10. Brian Conklin stood out with 20 points, continuing his consistent season. Jarrad Weeks gave his all for the Breakers, amassing 22 points, two rebounds and three assists in the loss. Tom Abercrombie was also busy under the rim, pulling down seven boards to go along with his 20 points. Shawn Long was also solid with 17 points and five rebounds.  

Adelaide 36ers (119) defeated Sydney Kings (99)

A massive 33-point third quarter followed by a 32-point last quarter gave the 36ers a big leg-up to beat the league ladders. Sydney had no answer for Adelaide’s extra edge, despite scoring over 20 points in each period. Nathan Sobey was the dominant force with 16 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Jacob Wiley top-scored with 21 points to go along with his four rebounds, while Conger played another great game with 15 points and seven rebounds. Jerome Randle gave his all for the Kings, amassing 23 points, two rebounds and three assists. David Wear was also important with 14 points and four rebounds. Brad Newley led the way on rebounds with six rebounds to fo with his nine points.  

Brisbane Bullets (99) defeated Cairns Taipans (68)

Cairns was completely outplayed in this match, having no answer for Brisbane’s dominance at home. The Taipans only scored more than 20 points in a quarter once, which was in the fourth period, highlighting Brisbane’s defensive prowess. Jason Cadee led the way for the Bullets with 18 points, while Adam Gibson also chipped in with 17 points. Lamar Patterson was influential as well with a double-double, racking up 15 points and 12 rebounds to go along with his five assists. Melo Trimble was up to his usual antics for Cairns, scoring 23 points to go along with his three rebounds. He was complemented by 19 points and seven rebounds from Robert Loe, but the duo alone couldn’t salvage a win for the Taipans.

Perth Wildcats (84) defeated Melbourne United (79)

This game swayed in momentum, with each team outscoring the other in two periods of the game. The Wildcats managed to score 19 points in three consecutive periods in a consistent game for their scorers. Bryce Cotton was back to his best with 27 points, three rebounds and six assists. Nicholas Kay was even more dominant with 18 points and 13 rebounds, racking up a double-double. They were the only two players who scored in double figures for the Wildcats, yet remarkably, they still got the win. All five of Melbourne’s starters recorded double-figure points, with Mitch McCarron leading the way on 21 points. Josh Boone also impressed with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Casper Ware managed 15 points and six assists in the loss.

New Zealand Breakers (98) defeated by Cairns Taipans (106)
This match went right down to the wire, with the game heading to overtime on a Monday night thriller. It was a high-scoring encounter, with New Zealand opening up a 31-26 point lead from the outset. The Breakers then went on to outscore the Taipans in the next two periods, but Cairns overran them in the fourth, and crucially, the fifth period. The Taipans outscored the Breakers by just one point in the fourth to complete their regulation comeback. But they were able to kick it up another notch in overtime, keeping New Zealand to single figures with just seven points compared to their 15. Trimble was again enormous for Cairns with 32 points and five rebounds, while Nate Jawai scored 18 points and seven rebounds. Shawn Long and Tai Wesley led the way for the Breakers with 20 points each, while Long added 10 rebounds to his name as well. Weeks also continued his good form from New Zealand’s last game with 17 points and nine assists.