NBL23: Adelaide playoff hopes stay alive while Cairns may have blown their top two spot

Catch up with all the round 16 NBL action.

36ers alive as Taipans fumble second spot

The 36ers have kept their hopes of a miraculous post-season berth alive with a 99-96 win against a Taipans team now staring down the barrel of the inaugural Play-in tournament.

Antonius Cleveland and Robert Franks combined for 47 points to lead the 36ers to a triumph in the tropics which has kept their ultra-slim playoff hopes alive.

Adelaide needed a miracle to finish in the top six, needing to win their last three games and hope other results go their way of being any chance to feature beyond next week.

And they have ticked the first box, overcoming a Taipans team which was fighting for the top two and a guaranteed semi final berth.

It’s a less-than-ideal outcome for Cairns, who needed to win their last two games to lock in a top two finish.

The Snakes started cold, missing seven straight field goal attempts to trail by 11 within three-and-a-half minutes of tip-off.

They rallied, and led by 10 at one stage, but Adelaide simply finished stronger.

DJ Hogg dropped 20 points or more for the 11th time this season, as he underlined his importance to the Taipans’ success this season.

Hogg, who, pre-game, coach Adam Forde said had a sore back due to “carrying the team” these past few weeks, finished with 26 points and seven rebounds to add to his case for berth in an All-NBL team.

Sam Waardenburg hit a career-high 26 points, while Bul Kuol successfully navigated foul trouble to finish with 15 points.

But Cairns now must rely on the league’s bottom two teams if they want to seal a semi-final spot.

Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland can hold their heads high after keeping the 36ers in the contest.

Cleveland landed important buckets at crucial times, including several from range as the teams traded three-point bombs down the stretch.

He finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal, and was a monster presence off the ball to show why he is among the three finalists for the Damian Martin Trophy for Best Defensive Player – and might just be the favourite to go back to back.

Franks had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and was a constant presence guarding McCall, who gritted his teeth to pay through an injury from Saturday night’s win against the Bullets.

Sam Waardenburg showcased the full suite of skills which had the former University of Miami Hurricane pursued by several NBL clubs before the Taipans secured the big New Zealander.

Waardenburg has that been good, and that consistent, throughout his maiden NBL campaign that he was all but a lock for Rookie of the Year – until the gong was scrapped and replaced.

On the day he was announced as a finalist for the NBL’s inaugural Next Generation Award, Waardenburg fired his team into a halftime lead with 19 second-quarter points – at 100 per cent from the field.

He finished with a new season high of 26 points to underscore his standing as the league’s best rookie, and reinforce his position as a key member of this Taipans team’s success – especially in the absence of the injured Keanu Pinder.

Both teams are back in action on Friday night, when the 36ers host the Kings followed by the Taipans’ final game of the regular season against the Wildcats in Perth.

Kings reign supreme, Phoenix in limbo

-Martin Gabor

The Kings have locked in a top-two finish and have all but secured this season’s NBL minor premiership after outlasting the Phoenix 111-106 in a game that leaves the visitors’ finals chances in limbo.

And it was a history-making performance by Xavier Cooks (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) who has just about wrapped up the MVP award after the most complete performance by anyone in the league this season.

It was the first triple-double in the NBL since Josh Giddey in 2021 and the first by a Kings player in 15 years and shows why he’s being tipped to go to the NBA next year.

“It’s a really cool achievement,” Cooks said.

“It’s something I’ve been trying to get for a little while now and I’ve been knocking on the door for so long.”

Cooks was a beast at both ends but fouled out in the final few minutes with the Kings only up by four, but his teammates picked up the slack to secure their 19th win of the season.

“He (Cooks) was great, but it honestly doesn’t surprise me,” Kings coach Chase Buford said.

The defending champs have now skipped two wins clear at the top and have a major percentage advantage over the Taipans, with both teams set to play the 36ers and the Wildcats in the final round.

One more win by the Kings or a Taipans loss would be enough for Sydney to finish first after a thrilling victory that saw the Phoenix miss several chances to tie things up in the final 30 seconds.

Sunday’s result was a warning shot to the rest of the league as Sydney’s stars stepped up in front of 13,273 fans for their final home game before the playoffs.

The hosts dropped 28 points in each of the first three quarters and then held on in the final term thanks to a raucous crowd that will be a major advantage in the post-season.

Derrick Walton Jr (22 points) and Dejan Vasiljevic (21) also drained clutch buckets, with the latter dropping seven points in the final quarter to continue his hot form.

But it was an unlikely hero who came up with a couple of huge plays, with Kouat Noi hitting back-to-back threes in the third quarter to open up a seven-point buffer despite playing with four fouls.

SIMON GETS NASTY

The Kings have wowed fans with some of the most explosive plays this season, with Cooks all but guaranteed dunk of the year honours for his monster slam against United.

But he could have some competition with teammate Justin Simon joining the party with a filthy dunk on Mitch Creek to put the Phoenix star on a poster.

The crowd at Qudos Bank Arena could sense something unfolding in the second quarter as Simon galloped down the court on the fast break, and he didn’t disappoint with an epic wind up to produce a dunk the fans in the front row will never forget.

“If I was going to give it to anyone, I’m glad it’s Justin,” Cooks said.

“That was a monster dunk.”

PHOENIX IN FINALS LIMBO

The visitors took it to the Kings for the entire 40 minutes but they have to rely on results to go their way now if they want to qualify for the play-in tournament.

While the teams around them on the ladder have the chance to improve their position, the Phoenix are done for the season given they don’t have any games in the final round.

They are one win clear of the Wildcats and United, and have a slightly superior percentage so they will be watching on nervously hoping one of the teams in the chasing pack slips up.

Should they sneak in, the Phoenix will be fresh and should get some troops back to support Mitch Creek (29 points and nine rebounds) who was again outstanding.

“It sucks to have 12 days between games,” said Creek, who joked he’d go on holiday to the Gold Coast or Bali.

The Phoenix will train as normal this week but it’s a situation that they don’t want to be in ahead of the play-in.

“Historically those layoffs are hard to come back from,” Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell said.

“It’s a tough scenario for us to be in.”

Jackies can taste playoffs after comeback triumph

The JackJumpers almost guaranteed they’ll be a part of playoff action for a second successive season after a thrilling final quarter comeback win against the Perth Wildcats at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon.

After holding strong leads throughout the first half the JackJumpers were forced to save their best for last as they came back from nine points down with eight minutes left to storm home to an incredible and highly emotional 102-94 win.

Despite being up by as much as 13 in the second term, the JackJumpers found themselves down 85- 76 with 8:39 left in the final term as the red-hot Wildcats looked destined to register another crucial finals-shaping win.

It wasn’t to be however as the Jackies, spurred by their emotional ‘Teal Game’ initiative, remarkably finished the match on a 25-8 run to record their 15th win of the season and one of the best in their short history.

Wearing special teal uniforms in support of local gynaecological cancer foundation S.H.E., it was clearly more than just another win for the JackJumpers with coach Scott Roth storming the sidelines in celebrations following the final buzzer before embracing with JackJumpers board member Scott Harris and his wife Jo who is currently battling stage four ovarian cancer.

The win moved the Jackies to 15-12 on the season to sit fifth on the NBL table with one match remaining against the Hawks in Illawarra on Saturday.

If the Jackies can beat the Hawks they’ll guarantee themselves a ticket to the playoffs but a loss would leave the door slightly ajar for Melbourne United (14-13) to leapfrog Tassie and replace them in the finals.

But with Tassie holding a better percentage over their Bass Strait rivals, United would have to win their final game on Sunday against Adelaide by a monster margin and rely on Tasmania losing to Illawarra in order to replace the Jackies in the postseason.

Injuries mount for Taipans after win over Bullets

– Matthew McInerney

Controversy turned to concern for two star Taipans on a night which should have been a celebration for the Cairns club.

The Snakes clinched a post-season berth courtesy of the Breakers’ win against Melbourne United earlier in the night, then drove home the point with a 94-87 win against the Bullets – their eighth-straight Sunshine State triumph.

Tahjere McCall battled what looked like a tough injury to post 23 points, while Bul Kuol (23pts) and DJ Hogg (23pts, 6 assists) both had big nights.

Cairns was under the microscope all week after the players’ decision to not wear the pride-themed jerseys to protect the handful of players who did not want to on religious grounds, but the potential injury to star import McCall could do more damage.

McCall landed heavily after contact from Brisbane’s Rasmus Bach as the Taipans star attempted a lay-up, and while he played on afterwards, he clearly did not look comfortable.

It’s the worst-case scenario for Cairns who are already missing MVP candidate Keanu Pinder, and face two must-win games to seal a semi final berth.

The news got worse, as uncrowned Rookie of the Year Sam Waardenburg left the court with five minutes to play with what appeared to be a leg injury.

He returned to the bench after a quick check-up and was on the floor less than a minute later, but Taipans coach Adam Forde would prefer to not have these few headaches in the last week of the regular season.

Nathan Sobey dropped a game-high 27 points for the Bullets while Tyler Johnson had 20pts as Brisbane blew an early lead to slump to 8-19 for the season.

THE WHOLE HOGG

DJ Hogg must be considered for All-NBL First Team honours.

The Columbus, Ohio, native has been immense for this Taipans team in his first season in the NBL, and he showed again just what a diamond find he was for coach Forde.

Hogg has gone about his business, often overlooked in discussion about the Taipans by the likes of MVP candidate Keanu Pinder and star import Tahjere McCall, but the man has been unreal.

He’s fourth overall in three-pointers made, eighth in points and third in blocks, while the ease with which he can slot into the four position has helped keep Cairns in that race for the top two.

He’s been a severely underrated member of this Taipans roster, and on Saturday stood up and delivered, as he has so often this season.

SOBEY SURGE

Nathan Sobey sent a timely reminder as to his brilliance in enemy territory.

Sobey had 14 of his side’s 27 first-term points, and was cooking from deep as he kept Brisbane on top.

The last time he played in Cairns he was off-target (22 per cent from the field) but had his team’s second-highest scoring contribution.

On Saturday, the radar was locked on early.

Cairns’ defence locked down the Boomers guard in the third, but couldn’t stop the Boomer’s flow of points as he ended the night with 27 points.

BUL’S BUNNIES

Kuol scored the Taipans’ first seven points, a mix of successful shots from either side of the arc and the charity stripe, on his way to 12 by quarter time.

He finished with 23 points, at 53 per cent from the field.

There is something about Brisbane that makes Kuol a totally different beast.

Where he’s had plenty of games where he hasn’t troubled the scorers too intently, instead being deployed on the defensive end, he always seems to fins his mark against their Sunshine State rivals.

It was against Brisbane Kuol shot his name into lights, landing eight three-pointers in his best shooting performance of his rookie campaign.

That game uncovered a glimpse of what he was capable of, with Kuol setting a new standard of threes for a NBL rookie (64) on his way to the now discontinued Rookie of the Year award.

And he’s repaid Forde’s faith since playing his way into the starting line-up.

POST-SEASON CLINCHED

They might not have known it when they took to the floor but Cairns are heading back to the post-season for the second time in the past five seasons.

Written off by most of the NBL public at the start of the season, the Snakes have used that underdog status to put together one of the most exciting campaigns by the Far North club in years.

While a post-season berth is clinched, their goal is to at least finish in the top two, avoid the inaugural Play-in Tournament and punch their ticket straight to the semi finals.

It won’t be easy – they must beat the 36ers and Wildcats in their final two games, or rely on the lowly Hawks of Bullets to knock off the surging Breakers.

The Taipans are back in action on Monday when they host the 36ers, with Cairns needing to win all remaining games to lock a top two finish.

Brisbane has a week to recover then prepare for a clash with the Breakers, who are pushing the Bullets’ Sunshine State rivals for that crucial second spot.

Kings snap losing streak in Tassie

– Ryan Rosendale 

The Tasmania JackJumpers playoff ambitions are hanging by a thread following a 14-point loss to the Sydney Kings at MyState Bank Arena on Friday.

Returning to Hobart for the first time since last year’s grand final series, the Kings responded from a rather uncharacteristic first quarter to dominate the final three stanzas and end its two-game losing streak with a 91-77 victory.

Superstar Dejan Vasilijevic couldn’t be contained after a scoreless first term with the Kings sharp shooter finishing with 24 points much to the dismay of the loud and proud Tasmanian crowd.

Coming off a seven-day break after defeating the Cairns Taipans last Friday, the JackJumpers controlled play from the outset with Kings star Xavier Cooks drawing two early personal fouls as the Jackies work on the defensive end of the court stifled the visitors every time they went inside the paint.

Kings coach Chase Burford was his usual animated self-early as his side failed to respond to the JackJumpers pressure on both ends of the court.

After the home side scored 12 of its first 25 first quarter points from turnovers to take an 11-point lead into the break, the switch flicked in the second for the Kings who dominated from the outset.

Guard Derrick Walton Jr and Cooks combined for 12-points while Vasilijevic put up 10 of his own in a dominating display.

The Jackies had no answers throughout and ended the half at just 13/41 from the field following a 37-14 quarter.

Quarter three was a much tighter affair despite Vasilijevic taking control with another 11 points including a long-range triple that sucked the air out of the home crowd.

Facing a 20-point deficit at the final change, the JackJumpers were able to drag the margin back and win the quarter 23-17 but it was too little too late with the Kings eventually winning their 18th game of the season.

Issac White top scored in a relatively low night of individual performances at the rim with 11 points while big-man Fabijan Krslovic was strong on both ends of the court and finished with nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

The JackJumpers won’t have long to lick their wounds with an important clash against the Perth Wildcats on Sunday at home before their final game of the regular season against the Illawarra Hawks next Saturday at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Breakers end Bullets’ late-season revival

– Marco Monteverde

The Brisbane Bullets’ late-season revival came to a crushing end at Nissan Arena on Thursday night.

Aiming for a fourth successive win in a bid to add some respectability to their otherwise ordinary campaign, the Bullets were smashed 99-71 by the impressive New Zealand Breakers.

It might have been Australia Day, but it was only the Kiwis who were celebrating as the third-placed Breakers maintained their push for a top-two finish with their 15th win of the season.

The Breakers’ American forward Jarrell Brantley hit a game-high 22 points, and was well supported by Dererk Pardon, who finished with 17 points and nine rebounds

For Brisbane, guard Tyler Johnson hit 20 points, while Aron Baynes and Nathan Sobey each had 13 points on a tough night for the hosts. And it won’t get any easier for the Bullets – who have now lost 18 of their 26 matches this season – when they travel to Cairns for a clash against the second-placed Taipans on Saturday night.

The Bullets started well enough against the Breakers, leading 14-7 with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter when the Breakers called a time-out,

However, from then on it was one-way traffic, with the visitors taking total control of what ended up being a one-sided contest.

The Breakers fought back to lead 22-20 at quarter time, before showing their class with an imposing second-quarter display that ensured the Bullets weren’t going to stretch their winning run to four matches

At one stage, the Kiwi outfit led by 17 points leading into halftime as Brisbane went to sleep defensively.

While the hosts temporarily stemmed the bleeding, the Breakers were still in total control at the main break, leading 55-40.

Brantley had 17 points at halftime, while teammate had 10 points and five rebounds.

For Brisbane, Sobey had 11 points after two quarters, with DJ Mitchell and Baynes chipping in with 10 and nine respectively in the same period.

Star Brisbane centre Baynes’ frustrations with Brisbane’s plight led to him having a push and shove with Brantley early in the third quarter as the Breakers increased their lead.

By three-quarter time, the Beakers led 74-54 in what had become a procession.

The Bullets were without experienced guard Jason Cadee, who had concussion symptoms.

Also missing from Brisbane’s line-up was Tanner Krebs (ankle) and Harry Froling, who is recovering after being assaulted in Wollongong last weekend following Brisbane’s 103-86 win over the Illawarra Hawks.

SEM Phoenix edge out Taipans in last quarter mayhem

-Lance Jenkinson

South East Melbourne Phoenix has produced a huge fourth quarter to overcome a gutsy Cairns Taipans in an 85-80 win in an NBL blockbuster at the State Basketball Centre on Wednesday night.

The Phoenix took full advantage as the Taipans were forced to play without MVP candidate Keanu Pinder in the final period after he checked out of the game bruised and bloodied after copping an errant elbow from Phoenix back up big Dane Pineau.

Blood was streaming out of Pinder‘s right eye, also from his mouth and a cut on his forehead.

After their third win in a row, the Phoenix have moved up to fifth.

DJ Hogg, arguably the best player on the night with 24 points, came out breathing fire for the Taipans.

He raced to 10 points in the first six minutes as part of 14-point half.

The Taipans held a 24-14 lead with young centre Sam Waardenburg making an impact as Phoenix big Alan Williams was benched with foul issues

. Just when it appeared as though the Taipans were taking control, the Phoenix showed some grit to work their way back into the contest.

Point guard Gary Browne was influential, taking on a leadership role from the point guard position.

Browne was the Phoenix‘s answer to Hogg, doing it all at both ends in a huge first half.

Despite a high turnover rate, 10 in the first half, and a heavy foul count, the Phoenix dug deep to take an unlikely 44-43 lead into half time.

Williams was still able to make an impact in limited first half minutes with 11 points and six rebounds in the first half.

With a slender lead, the Phoenix came out of the gates in the third period on a 7-0 run and stretched their lead to 10 at one point.

Taipans MVP candidate Keanu Pinder showed why he is a star of the league, helping the Taipans on a 7-0 run of their own and giving the visitors hope.

The Taipans capitulated in the fourth.

When Mitch Creek, who had 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists, hit a huge three, the Phoenix was on a 9-0 run and were well on their way to victory.

Browne super aggressive

A big question heading into the game was which Phoenix starter would take on extra scoring responsibility with Ryan Broekhoff missing with a groin injury and the point guard was the most proactive.

The Puerto Rican struck the right balance between facilitating for his teammates and getting a taste of the scoring action of his own.

The 29-year-old was involved in everything in the first half, particularly when Williams was off the court with foul trouble, finishing with 15 points and five assists.

Trey steps up

With Broekhoff out, there is no better time for Trey Kell to step up.

His night was a slow burn, but Kell quietly built a big game.

His shooting was crucial with 17 points and six rebounds.

Williams was a game changer with a double double 17 points and 13 boards.

Pride Jersey

The Taipans took a collective decision to opt out of wearing the special Pride Round jerseys, announcing their decision pre-game.

Creek, however, donned rainbow coloured sneakers in his support for the LGBTQ community and his teammates wore a rainbow-themed jersey.

“This is special for us,” he said pre-game about the chance to play his part in the NBL‘s Pride Round, which celebrates inclusivity and diversity in sport.

Scoreboard

South East Melbourne Phoenix 85 (Creek 21 Williams 17 Kell 17) d Cairns Taipans 80 (Hogg 24 Waardenburg 14 Pinder 11)