Off-Season Player Wrap Week 12

Monday is here, and it is time to check how our contracted players performed across the weekend in NBL1 and New Zealand.

Gorjok Gak – Willetton Tigers – NBL1 West

Gorjok Gak bounced back from a quiet game last round producing big numbers in both his games on the weekend.

The Willetton Tigers went down to the Rockingham Flames by 32 points in their first game for the round on Friday night. Gak contributed 19 points and nine rebounds for his side.

The Tigers and Gak bounced back on Sunday with a 30-point victory over South West Slammers. Gak was instrumental for the Tigers, producing his tenth double-double for the season with 27 points and 21 rebounds. 

Tigers 83-115 Rockingham Flames
Gak: 19 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Tigers 119-89 South West Slammers
Gak: 27 points, 21 rebounds, 6 assists.

The Tigers sit fifth on the ladder and hope to return to the top four when they take the Goldfields Giants on Saturday.

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Matt Kenyon – USC Rip City – NBL1 North

Matt Kenyon and Rip City returned to the winner’s list after a 16-point triumph over the Sunshine Coast Phoenix. 

Kenyon was one of the main contributors for his side, collecting his seventh double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. He was influential defensively, with four steals for the game.

Rip City 100-84 Sunshine Coast Phoenix
Kenyon: 16 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals.

Rip City and Kenyon return to the court this weekend for back-to-back games against North Gold Coast Seahawks and Brisbane Capitals.

(Kenyon collected his seventh double-double for the season.)

Reuben Te Rangi – Auckland Tuatara – NZ NBL

Nothing is stopping Auckland at the moment, as they had their seventh win in a row on Saturday against the Southland Sharks.

Auckland had a fightback over the Sharks after being down by as much as 10 points in the third quarter, eventually taking out the game 101-86. Reuben Te Rangi was massive for his side with a 20-point, four rebounds, and five assist game. He also fashioned a nice half-court shot on the three-quarter time buzzer.

Auckland 101-86 Southland Sharks
Te Rangi: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal.

Auckland remains a game clear on top of the ladder as they look for their eighth win in a row when they take on the Nelson Giants on  Friday night.

Ben Ayre – Sandringham Sabres – NBL1 South

The Sandringham Sabres held onto a 12-point win over the Casey Cavaliers on Saturday, with Casey making it challenging for the Sabres by out-scoring them in the second half 30-23.

Ben Ayre may not have had an enormous number game, but he was still influential for his side scoring 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds and was 8/8 from the free throw line.

Sandringham 74-62 Casey Cavaliers
Ayre: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal.

As Sandringham sit third on the ladder, every game is crucial to keep their finals hopes alive. They will look to keep the momentum going when they take on the Ringwood Hawks on Friday night.

(Ayre and the Sabres collected 12th win for the season. Photo: Ian Knight Photography)

Owen Foxwell – Eltham Wildcats – NBL1 South

With no games last week due to the long weekend, Eltham returned to the floor to take on the top-of-the-ladder Frankston Blues. 

Unfortunately, Frankston was too strong for the Wildcats, as they went down by 12 points. Owen Foxwell still had a decent game scoring 15 points. 

Foxwell didn’t lace up for the second game for the Wildcats against the Bendigo Braves, which they lost by eight points.

Eltham 78-90 Frankston Blues
Foxwell: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals.

Eltham is currently sitting fourth on the ladder and hoping to work their way back up the standings when they take on Austin Rapp’s Knox Raiders on Saturday night, before another game on Sunday against the Geelong Supercats.

(Frankston was too strong for Eltham on the weekend. Photo: Travis Palmieri)

Anzac Rissetto – Taranaki Airs – NZ NBL

The Taranaki Airs ended their weekend going 1-1 in New Zealand.

For the first time this season, the Airs had their first back-to-back win and fourth victory on Saturday against the Manawatu Jets by nine points. Anzac Rissetto contributed 11 points in the win. 

Sadly, the Airs could not back it up the next day when they took on NBL23 Phoenix players Kyle Adnam and Tohi Smith-Milner’s Wellington Saints. The Airs put up a fight, only going down by six points. Rissetto continued his growth at both ends of the court with 19 points and five rebounds.

Airs 92-83 Manawatu Jets
Rissetto: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.

Airs 91-97 Wellington Saints
Rissetto: 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals.

The Airs look to bounce back when they take on the Southland Sharks on Saturday.

Austin Rapp – Knox Raiders – NBL1 South

Our newest development player signing in, Austin Rapp, is lacing up with the Knox Raiders in the NBL1 South. 

Knox had a massive 34-point win over the Keilor Thunder on Saturday, as they sit second on the ladder. Rapp had decent minutes in the game, tallying up 12 points and eight rebounds to assist his team in the W.

Knox 103-69 Keilor Thunder
Rapp: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist.

Knox return to the floor on Saturday to take on Owen Foxwell's Eltham Wildcats.

(Rapp had 12 points in Knox's 34-point win on the weekend.)

That’s it for this week’s wrap; check back next week to see how Phoenix’s contracted players are going locally and internationally.

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Phoenix Media (19/06/23)