To The South: The Throwdown and OT Finish Cap Round Three

As the NBL season rolls on, it just seems to be getting better and better. The three-game weekend that finished the third round of the regular season featured the latest instalment in Australia's newest rivalry, another high-scoring, high-quality show from a team riding high and a clash that went all the way down to the wire.

Brisbane Bullets vs Cairns Taipans

The first half of the weekend's highlight game belonged to Cairns – their early eight-point lead became fifteen by the end of the first half, the Taipans starting five making big strides for them.

Brisbane made their first attempt at a comeback in the third quarter, which proved unsuccessful but then, beginning the fourth quarter thirteen down, they went two points in front with four minutes to go. With the lead still in reach for Cairns, Jarrod Kenny made a three-point jump shot that tied the scores with thirty seconds to go. A last-ditch attempt from both teams falling short, requiring an extra five minutes.

A three-point lead changed hands between the teams throughout the extra period, Jason Cadee making it Brisbane’s with fifteen seconds left. Scott Machado responded in kind for the Taipans, tying the scoreline with seconds left. A thunderous dunk from Victor Law put the game to bed and the Bullets went to the locker room the winners.

Cameron Oliver finished with 21 points, behind Machado with 23 points and 10 assists in Cairns’ fifth straight loss, while Victor Law had double-double of his own, 29 points and 11 rebounds, second in the game for scoring behind Sobey with 30 in Brisbane's 105-103 OT win.

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Adelaide 36ers vs Sydeny Kings

After trailing Sydney at the start, Adelaide went up by thirteen points in the second quarter. The Kings then trailed, getting to within three points midway through the third before the 36ers restored their double-digit advantage shortly after.

The Kings threw everything at Adelaide in the final period to turn it around, but nothing their leading scorer, Dejan Vasiljevic (27 points), nor the late efforts of Casper Ware or Jarrell Martin could save the game for Sydney. Led by Isaac Humphries with a stupendous show for the 36ers, 27 points and 9 rebounds, the 36ers keep their hot run alive with another W, final score 85-80.

Melbourne United vs South East Melbourne Phoenix

The closest rivals in all of the league faced off for the first time this season and the first game of 2021 to be held in the city. After the teams could not be separated during the first quarter, the Phoenix held the lead to begin the second quarter. Jack White responded, scoring eleven straight points for United, at the end of which they led by six and rode that wave to reach a double-digit gap shortly after the start of the second half.

The Phoenix kept closing the gap throughout the third, but each time they did a sudden flurry of points on the other end restored United's much bigger advantage. SEM once again got to within three on the final stretch of the game, but six successive points from Jock Landale put United up seven with a minute to go - too little time for the Phoenix to mount a late comeback.

Keifer Sykes had a consolatory game-high 24 points for the Phoenix, but led by 22 points from White, Melbourne United stay unbeaten in the NBL with the 96-90 defeat of their rivals.