To The South: Two Teams Stay Perfect, Last Quarter Thriller Out West

Round three of the 2021 NBL season followed the trend of the first two, with plenty of action and high-scoring shows in the first four games, some of which came down to the pulse-pounding final seconds.

Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings

Sydney had the advantage in a back-and-forth first half where Henry Froling and Victor Law kept putting Brisbane in front, only for the lead to be taken back by the Kings. While on the back foot for the first half, the Bullets asserted themselves in the second, reaching a double-digit buffer and fighting off the Kings' comeback attempts with accurate scoring from the field.

Brisbane held a seven-point lead ahead of the final 1:30, Sydney got that down to three but no more. Casper Ware tried to save the game at the death for the Kings, but it would be for nought. Jarell Martin led Sydney with 26 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. For Brisbane, Nathan Scobey had 26 and game leader Victor Law had 27 and was one rebound shy of a double-double of his own in the 90-87 defeat of the Kings.

Adelaide 36ers vs New Zealand Breakers

The 36ers looked in control after a 9-0 start, but Finn Delany soon had the Breakers within two points of their opponents. Adelaide immediately responded and, midway through Q2, led the Kiwis by double their score. With Colton Iverson and Corey Webster both finding plenty of scoring opportunities in the paint, the Breakers scoreline surged and ten minutes of regulation time later they were within a point of the 36ers.

Isaac Humphries quickly restored Adelaide’s double-digit advantage and even with a constant flurry of points from the Breakers throughout the remainder of the game, tenacious offence from the 36ers would see them secure the win at the end.

Delany was the Breakers’ leading scorer with 19 points, while Corey Webster finished with 17 and Iverson 12, both off the away team’s bench. All of Adelaide’s starting five would end the game in double-digits, Humphries the leader with 21 while Josh Giddey had 13 to go with 10 total rebounds in his team’s 88-78 takedown of the team from New Zealand.

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Cairns Taipans vs The Hawks

Cairns led by six early on but the Hawks went ten points in front after a 16-0 run, though Djeric and Oliver kept trying to close the gap for the Taipans, the Hawks were on fire from all distances in possession.

Three-point shooting from Justinian Jessup, Deng Deng and Tyler Harvey, the Hawks’ top scorer with 21 points, 15 of which coming from beyond the arc, as well as a perfect performance in the field from Froling, who had 14 points in the game, the Hawks proved unstoppable in their visit to the Gold Coast, prevailing 90-70. Cameron Oliver scored 20 points and grabbed 11 total rebounds for the Taipans in the loss.

Perth Wildcats vs South East Melbourne Phoenix

The Phoenix managed to untangle themselves late in the first quarter and went ten points in front of the Wildcats, who every time they tried to cut down the gap, scoring bursts from SEM saw them go further into the lead. Perth's John Mooney kept the scoreline tight throughout the third and early in the fourth his team mate, Jesse Wagstaff gave them a one-point lead.

Seven lead changes followed throughout the final period, the last of which coming from Keifer Sykes with a late jump shot for SEM. With seconds left Wagstaff tried to save the game for the Wildcats, but his attempt came up short and Mitch Creek caught the rebound to seal the dramatic one-point win for the Phoenix.

Creek was the leading scorer for South East Melbourne with 24 points, while Bryce Cotton led all with 32 for the Wildcats and Mooney managed 19 points and 13 rebounds in Perth's first loss of the season.