PLENTY of talent shone throughout Round 16 of the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Kings’ Ray Turner a standout in the closing weeks of the season with career-highs aplenty. Kings teammate Brian Bowen, as well as AJ Davis, Finn Delaney and Jack McVeigh were all impressive. Fabijan Krslovic returned for the Taipans, while an MVP favourite from that team may have lost his mojo a bit, but Melo Trimble is still contributing a lot of points for the last-placed Cairns.

Sydney Kings – #15 Ray Turner

Turner is a revelation for the Kings in the back-end of the season, He had career-highs over the course of this round with nine points on Friday, followed by another six on Sunday. He doubly improved on his rebounds, four in the Kings’ first game of the round and six in the second at home where he had his first assist of the season too. He had one block in each game also, continuing to highlight a defensive prowess.

Cairns Taipans – #1 Melo Trimble 

The league’s top scorer hit below 20 for the first time since Round 12 when he made 13 points against Brisbane. Trimble made 13 points against Illawarra, but continued his hot form with 21 points two days earlier. Also against Adelaide, he had five rebounds, four assists and two steals. On Monday, Trimble had another four rebounds and a whopping 11 assists with another two steals. Unfortunately for the MVP candidate, he five turnovers in each game this round and has shot below 39 per cent for the last three games. 

New Zealand Breakers – #3 Finn Delaney 

In the Breakers double-header against United, Delaney shot 21 combined points (10 and 11 points on Friday and Sunday), each at 60% from two point range. He had two rebounds with the first game and followed it up with five (three offensive) in the away game on Sunday, where he also had three assists.

Brisbane Bullets – #11 AJ Davis

Davis had a very nice weekend, even though the Bullets lost both games this round to the Kings. The forward had six points on Friday, and went better on Sunday with four of five for eight points. He had three rebounds in the first hitout, and none in the second, although had an assist, with one block in each game too.

Sydney Kings – #20 Brian Bowen

After his scoreless game last round, Bowen hit back with 13 points on Friday against Brisbane at 66.7 per cent. It was an equal-second season-best score for the 20 year-old who also had two rebounds. In the second match, Bowen had a low three points, but made up for it with four rebounds and one assist.

Illawarra Hawks – #11 Daniel Grida

Grida played two games this weekend and after a three-point outing in Perth, he backed that up with 11 points when hosting the Taipans. His first match consisted of two rebounds and he added another three to his season tally on Monday night, where he too had a steal.

Adelaide 36ers – #9 Jack McVeigh

McVeigh put up some good numbers in the 36ers clash with Cairns, the forward netting his third consecutive double-digit score with 10 points. He kept his almost-perfect free throw percentage in tact with four from four as he also pulled down a rebound in Adelaide’s win.

Cairns Taipans – #20 Fabijan Krslovic

Krslovic returned to the fore this round with two massive games. Against the 36ers, he managed 11 points at 71.4 per cent, which included a three pointer. In his extended game time, he also managed seven rebounds. Against the Hawks, he went one of one for two points with two rebounds.

Adelaide 36ers – #11 Harry Froling

Just the one game this round for the 36ers and Froling shot 100 per cent on his way to just four points against the Taipans. In that game he also had three rebounds and three assists.

Melbourne United – #52 Venky Jois

Jois performed really well when he played more than five minutes on Friday night against New Zealand. He filled all the columns with a two pointer, one assist and four rebounds, three of which were offensive. 

Sydney Kings – #7 Tom Wilson

Wilson got on the court again this round, but it was not for long. In his minute and half, he did convert two free throws within the last 40 seconds of the game.