18 years old, 13 points, eight boards, three blocks

Eighteen-year-old Brisbane Bullets NBL Next Star Rocco Zikarsky added starter to his ever-growing resume despite being on the wrong side of a Round 10 117-89 blow out (Game Centre) against the Perth Wildcats in Perth on Friday, November 2024.

The 7'3" (220cm) centre, a projected as 2025 NBA first-round pick, was in the Bullets' starting line because front-court starters Tyrell Harrison (sickness) and Josh Bannan (ankle injury) were both out as well as Jarred Bairstow (ankle injury), Tohi Smith-Milner (concussion protocol), and Deng Adel (broken hand).

But any notion that Zikarsky hadn't deserved the opportunity is misinformed. He had 13 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks against the Wildcats in the Bullets Round Nine 105-84 win two weeks ago and followed that up with 13, eight and three blocks in 34 minutes, which included with a monster block on Wildcats big Keanu Pinder and then a dunk at the other end.

But Wildcats head coach John Rillie's game plan was simple: Stop James Batemon. The Bullets guard lit up Perth for 51 in Round Nine (Game Centre).

Rillie sent 6'7" (201cm) small forward import — a former two-way player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers — Dylan Windler at the 6'1" American point guard.

It worked, Batemon went just 4-for-10 from the field and 1-for-4 from three. Two weeks ago, he was 19-for-28 from the field and 9-for-15 from three.

"You don't just pick anyone for that job, he was the right guy for the job and I challenged him (Windler) with it and he responded very well," Rillie said.

"What everyone is starting to see with Dylan is that he's starting to understand the league, he's getting healthy and you can see he's a really good player which is the reason he was a first round draft pick (in the NBA).

"He can play both ends of the floor and he can impact the game in many different ways. Some nights it's rebounding, scoring, moving the ball and just making great basketball plays.

"I think his teammates understand him a lot better as who he is as a player now too and have a lot of confidence in him as well."

Windler was effective on both sides of the ball, finishing with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"He (Rillie) just asked if I could handle Batemon tomorrow and I told him that I could, no question," Windler revealed.

"I'm always up for a challenge and obviously when your coach comes to you and gives you that assignment, you look forward to it and you step up to the occasion.

"I felt good tonight and that was my main focus going into the game ... to be solid on the defensive end and making him work, and making it a long night for him. I think I did a good job of that and making him earn every shot he had."

Brisbane head coach Justin Schueller name-checked Josh Kunen, Kye Savage and Tristan Devers in the Bullets' short-handed line-up.

"I'm proud of our young guys who came in and just gave us something as in their effort and energy after they've been doing the hard yards day in, day out," he said.

"We had a lot happen to us this week and for them to come in and get that exposure and experience, that's the positive I take out of it.

"It's still frustrating that midway through that second quarter we're right there and it's an eight-point game, and I didn’t think we closed the half out the way we needed to and it was execution errors, and a lack of discipline and that pushed the game out."

The Wildcats led 31-24 at quarter time, 63-46 at the half and 91-93 after three.

Eight Wildcats finished in double figures with Kristian Doolittle top scoring with 17. Bullets forward Casey Prather was outstanding, with 31 points, seven boards and three assistants in less than 30 minutes.

Next up for the Wildcats (7-7) is another home game against the (7-4) New Zealand Breakers — and new import, 7'6" Tacko Fall — on Sunday, November 31, 2024 (Game Centre) while the Brisbane Bullets (4-7) take on the (6-5) Adelaide 36ers (Game Centre) at home on Friday, December 6, 2024.

— additional reporting Chris Pike, NBL.com.au

About the Author

Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women’s Youth League team in the Waratah Basketball League in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women’s team in the NBL East Conference. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory’s senior men’s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA. Basketball is his passion — and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au with feedback. Any email feedback on articles sent to Peter can be published on basketball.com.au for others to read.