To The South: A Dramatic Start to 2021 Season

With Canadian basketball still scarce for the time being, other content will be making appearances on TTN in the interim.

The 2020-21 NBL season tipped off down under this week and proved to be dramatic from the very outset. The first three games proved to be unpredictable grudge matches, most of which came down to the final moments.

Adelaide 36ers vs Melbourne United

Chris Goulding got Melbourne off to the best start, scoring seven of their first twelve points while Adelaide struggled to begin with, before taking their first lead of the game at the end of the opening quarter. That lead came under threat regularly from their opponents when play resumed, Daniel Johnson and Jack McVeigh kept coming up with points to ensure the lead stayed with Adelaide

Midway through the third period, Scotty Hopson began a 13-0 run for Melbourne which saw the game change dramatically. The now-floundering Adelaide were limited to just 26 points in the second half while their opponents ran rampant on offence. With far superior defence and more accurate, high-percentage offence, Melbourne United ran home to what in the end would be a comfortable 89-65 win.

Jo Lual-Acuali impressed off the bench with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the victors, while Adelaide’s Daniel Johnson had some consolation with a game-high total of 27 points.

Brisbane Bullets vs The Hawks

Brisbane had many leads at the start of the game, but Harry Froling and Justin Simon ensured the Hawks ended the first quarter level with the Bullets, with Simon later giving them their first lead of the game. The Hawks later went up by seven shortly after the start of the second half.

After Anthony Drmic briefly restored Brisbane's lead, the Hawks took it back once again courtesy of a three from Emmett Naar. They then had to fight to hold on to their lead, with the Bullets regularly getting to within one point of going back in front. In the last ten seconds Harvey made a statement dunk and added two free-throws to ensure the Hawks finished the game ahead 90-84.

Nathan Sobey was Brisbane’s leading scorer with 19 points while Victor Law had 17 along with 10 rebounds in the loss. A team-high 19 points was achieved from Sam Froling while Emmett Naar’s 17 points came off the bench in the Hawks' victory.

Cairns Taipans vs Sydney Kings

Sydney had the advantage throughout the first half, the Kings' early damage in the paint outdoing Cairns’ three-point scoring. The Taipans started to close the gap in the second quarter and ended the first half behind by just a point and when play resumed, Cameron Oliver put them ahead with a three. Five lead changes followed, at the end of which Sydney were ahead by six points.

The Kings remained ahead until midway through Q4, when Scott Machado tied the scores, then putting them up by one with 2:30 to go. Jordan Hunter then put Sydney ahead by one, only for Oliver to do the same for Cairns. Both teams tried to get another shot off but fell short. Casper Ware tried to save the game for the Kings with a final three, but it fell short.

Ware had a game-high 18 points for Sydney, who saw three bench players finish in double digits, while Cairns saw double-digit finishes from all of their starters, Scott Machado leading with 17 as they outlasted the Sydney Kings to get their season started with a win, 87 to 86.