Blitz team-by-team analysis (Part 2): SuperCoach NBL Classic

Cash Cows and Cheapies – just like Part 1 – stack Part 2 of our SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis after the NBL27 Blitz in Bendigo.

>> See the full Blitz breakdowns at basketball.com.au

It makes brutal decisions for SuperCoaches:
- Build around two-time MVP runner-up Kendric Davis ($436,000)
- Cash Cow import guard Skylar Mays ($277,000), Elijah Pepper ($202,700) or NBL Next Star Dash Daniels ($115,000).
- Bank on points per minute and points per cost.

Part 1 is Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans, Illawarra Hawks and Melbourne United.

Part 2 is New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats, South East Melbourne Phoenix, Sydney Kings and Tasmania JackJumpers.

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New Zealand Breakers – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

American point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200) is another key decision point for SuperCoaches. If you choose Jackson-Cartwright, you have to build around him. The 31-year-old Californian point guard is the third most expensive player in the league, behind only Bryce Cotton ($473,900) and Sydney's Kendric Davis ($436,000). He played 50 minutes at the NBL27 Blitz and compiled a very healthy 68 points (1.35 per minute). PJC averaged 31.5 minutes per game last season and 38.6 SC points per game.

The Breakers have a double-header in Round 1 – six in the first 10 – which is the extra carrot for SuperCoaches hovering over the "Buy" button. It brings Breakers FWD/CTR Sam Mennenga ($303,100) into the action as well. Mennenga didn't suit up at the Blitz but runs on the board counts. The dual-position Kiwi averaged 28.5 SC points in 28.3 minutes last season and, when healthy, is one of the best bigs in the league.

PJC and Mennenga are the two primary choices from the Breakers roster, but there are Cheapies to consider: FWD Reuben Te Rangi ($97,100) and GRD Preston Le Gassick ($69,000). Te Rangi had 37 SC points in 49:35 minutes, while rookie Le Gassick had 18 in 36:29. SuperCoaches can take veteran Te Rangi on trust, but how many minutes Le Gassick earns under World Cup champion coach Gordon Herbert is a $28.1K decision between the two.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright – 68 SC, 34.0 avg, 2 games, 50:11 mins, $405,200
Charles Bediako – 54 SC, 27.0 avg, 2 games, 48:08 mins, $277,000
Reuben Te Rangi – 37 SC, 18.5 avg, 2 games, 49:35 mins, $97,100, Cheapie
Carlin Davison – 30 SC, 15.0 avg, 2 games, 55:52 mins, $121,600
Dejan Vasiljevic – 29 SC, 14.5 avg, 2 games, 53:05 mins, $144,000
Josiah-Jordan James – 27 SC, 13.5 avg, 2 games, 34:23 mins, $277,000
Preston Le Gassick – 18 SC, 9.0 avg, 2 games, 36:29 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Kouat Noi – 9 SC, 9.0 avg, 1 game, 4:14 mins, $185,100
Anzac Rissetto – 13 SC, 6.5 avg, 2 games, 31:55 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Kael Robinson – 8 SC, 4.0 avg, 2 games, 27:08 mins, $58,500
Tukaha Cooper – 2 SC, 2.0 avg, 1 game, 9:06 mins, $58,500

Perth Wildcats – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Bueller, anyone, Bueller. Perth still doesn't have a marquee point guard, with Round 1 about to smash the Wildcats in the face. But they do have a potential Cash Cow: shooting guard Elijah Pepper ($202,700) alongside a SuperCoach starting centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr ($318,100) and a rock-bottom Cheapie candidate Cameron Huefner ($58,500). NBL1 scoring machine and Australian Boomer Pepper scored at almost a point-a-minute rate at the Blitz (62 points in 65:40 minutes) and can shoot the three-ball as good as anyone. He'll become even more effective as a catch-and-shoot option in the Wildcats starting rotation when Perth actually signs a point guard.

JLA is one of the league's elite centres, and his Blitz numbers simply reinforce that. He put up 54 SC points in 49:02 minutes and can influence the whole box score: points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. His starting price is slightly unders, so he should increase in value. Perth has four double-headers in the first nine rounds, which, similar to Mennenga, will influence SuperCoaches to hit that "Buy" button.

Former Arizona Wildcats and now Boomer Anthony Dell'Orso ($100,000) is intriguing at his price point. Right on the Cheapie bubble, but an excellent bench option. He put up 44 SC points in 54:13 minutes and, like Pepper, will benefit from an elite passing point guard.

John Rillie has great depth across the roster, but not so much at primary ball-handling. Son Jaron Rillie ($177,100) is out, and development player – a rising star – Marley Sam ($58,500) still isn't old enough to vote. The clock is ticking, not just for SuperCoach NBL but for NBL27.

Elijah Pepper – 62 SC, 31.0 avg, 2 games, 65:40 mins, $202,700, Cash Cow
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr – 54 SC, 27.0 avg, 2 games, 49:02 mins, $318,100
Kristian Doolittle – 47 SC, 23.5 avg, 2 games, 61:37 mins, $317,500
Anthony Dell'Orso – 44 SC, 22.0 avg, 2 games, 54:13 mins, $100,000
Angus Brandt – 27 SC, 13.5 avg, 2 games, 26:22 mins, $100,000
Dylan Windler – 11 SC, 11.0 avg, 1 game, 21:56 mins, $271,100
Cameron Huefner – 15 SC, 7.5 avg, 2 games, 34:05 mins, $58,500, Cheapie
Alex Higgins-Titsha – 14 SC, 7.0 avg, 2 games, 35:28 mins, $164,800
Tana Kopa – 12 SC, 6.0 avg, 2 games, 45:32 mins, $58,500
Jesse Wagstaff – 6 SC, 6.0 avg, 1 game, 6:17 mins, $84,700

South East Melbourne Phoenix – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

SuperCoaches rushed into FWD/CTR Hunter Goodrick ($69,000) like shoppers into Myer for Boxing Day Sales. The Sydney Kings NBL26 champion moved to South East Melbourne Phoenix, and his dual-position price tag has meant 44 percent of SuperCoaches have smashed the "Buy" button already. Only Mennenga (47%) is owned by more SuperCoaches. On the floor, the Phoenix are stacked, and Josh King has assembled one of the deepest rosters in the league.

Import guard Skylar Mays ($277,000), import FWD D'Shawn Schwartz ($277,000), veteran shooting guard Nathan Sobey ($379,600), microwave Angus Glover ($191,700), improved NBL Next Star Dash Daniels ($115,000), dual-position FWD/CTR Akech Aliir ($125,300) before we even get to point-a-minute Tanner Krebs ($150,300) and import Yannis Morin ($277,000).

SuperCoaches are spoiled for choice out of the Phoenix line-up. South East Melbourne has six double-headers in the first 11 rounds, and none are cap-breakers that you'll need to build around. Sobey's $379,600 is borderline manageable.

Daniels, the younger brother of NBA star Dyson, spent time in Atlanta in the NBL off-season. He left Melbourne United after NBL25 and already looks like he has more tools. His 55 SC points in 44:28 minutes puts him into Cash Cow territory – and he'll get minutes. All Next Stars do. Mays, 29, went at more than a point-per-minute in 51:00 minutes at the Blitz.

Skylar Mays – 57 SC, 28.5 avg, 2 games, 51:00 mins, $277,000
Dash Daniels – 55 SC, 27.5 avg, 2 games, 44:28 mins, $115,000
Akech Aliir – 46 SC, 23.0 avg, 2 games, 33:11 mins, $125,300
Nathan Sobey – 42 SC, 21.0 avg, 2 games, 46:20 mins, $379,600
Angus Glover – 40 SC, 20.0 avg, 2 games, 41:37 mins, $191,700
D'Shawn Schwartz – 39 SC, 19.5 avg, 2 games, 47:16 mins, $277,000
Tanner Krebs – 36 SC, 18.0 avg, 2 games, 36:44 mins, $150,300
Yannis Morin – 27 SC, 13.5 avg, 2 games, 29:40 mins, $277,000
Jordan Hunter – 20 SC, 10.0 avg, 2 games, 30:41 mins, $224,800
Hunter Goodrick – 13 SC, 6.5 avg, 2 games, 27:55 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Sam Davidson – 12 SC, 6.0 avg, 2 games, 11:22 mins, $69,000

Sydney Kings – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Bryce Cotton ($473,900), Kendric Davis ($436,000), Cotton, Davis, Davis Cotton, Cole Anthony ($300,000), Cotton, Davis, Anthony, Arnas Velicka ($277,000), Anthony, Davis, Cotton, Velicka … it's head-spinning for SuperCoaches. Hitting the "Buy" button, Davis means building around the two-time MVP runner-up back to defend the Kings' NBL26 championship and his Championship Series MVP. What we do know is: Davis will stack points – against anyone. We also know he wants the league MVP. He missed the Blitz because of a passport issue States-side but 1,228 SC points in 32.4 minutes per game last season is really all you need to know. The only decision is whether you're building around him. The Kings have five double-headers in the first 11 rounds, but the first doesn't come until Round 5. That's a ton of cash for a player early in the season who only plays once until Round 5.

Former Missouri Tigers guard Jayden Stone ($100,000) absolutely showed out at the Blitz. Stone, 25, went more than a point-per-minute, clocking 58 points in 55:37 across two games. Cheapie Alert Jason Spurgin ($69,000) put up 49 points in 37:36 minutes, while NBA veteran Torrey Craig ($290,400) and former NBL MVP Xavier Cooks ($308,000) both were right around a point-per-minute. Everyone is talking about the Adelaide 36ers avenging their NBL26 Grand Final loss, but Brian Goorjian has quietly gone about retooling around his core in search of his eighth NBL title. It'll be tough for Davis to increase his SuperCoach value, but to the Kings inside Qudos Bank Arena, he's invaluable.

Jayden Stone – 58 SC, 29.0 avg, 2 games, 55:37 mins, $100,000
Xavier Cooks – 27 SC, 27.0 avg, 1 game, 25:08 mins, $308,000
Torrey Craig – 25 SC, 25.0 avg, 1 game, 24:47 mins, $290,400
Jason Spurgin – 49 SC, 24.5 avg, 2 games, 37:36 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Makuach Maluach – 42 SC, 21.0 avg, 2 games, 36:43 mins, $134,500
Andrew Carr – 41 SC, 20.5 avg, 2 games, 39:40 mins, $277,000
Will Johnston – 35 SC, 17.5 avg, 2 games, 48:25 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Tyler Robertson – 26 SC, 13.0 avg, 2 games, 45:07 mins, $106,800
Matthew Dellavedova – 11 SC, 11.0 avg, 1 game, 19:27 mins, $221,300
Harry Wessels – 16 SC, 8.0 avg, 2 games, 30:40 mins, $100,000
Lachlan Bofinger – 15 SC, 7.5 avg, 2 games, 27:10 mins, $69,000
Peitok Machar – 12 SC, 6.0 avg, 2 games, 10:01 mins, $58,500

Tasmania JackJumpers – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Taran Armstrong ($304,700) is back home in Tasmania, and he has the reins on Scott Roth's JackJumpers. Armstrong, 24, will be the focal point of Tasmania's offence with import Bryce Hamilton ($293,100) out indefinitely with a knee injury. The former Golden State Warriors two-way guard spent somewhat of an exile in Dubai last season and was forwarded a qualifying offer by the Warriors this off-season. Armstrong will influence every part of the box score for the JackJumpers. He averaged 33.5 SC points per game at the Blitz in just under 32 minutes.

The JackJumpers have four double-headers in the first nine rounds; their first comes in Round 3, but at $304K as Roth's primary option, Armstrong is a legit starter for any SuperCoach team.

Dual position FWD/CTR Ben Gold ($69,000) worked himself into Cheapie territory at the Blitz. The Kiwi big put up 46 points in 56:13 minutes, while starting centre Will Magnay ($269,300) missed the pre-season tournament.

Taran Armstrong – 67 SC, 33.5 avg, 2 games, 63:57 mins, $304,700
Nick Marshall – 49 SC, 24.5 avg, 2 games, 55:01 mins, $203,400
David Johnson – 24 SC, 24.0 avg, 1 game, 23:30 mins, $232,900
Ben Gold – 46 SC, 23.0 avg, 2 games, 56:13 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Dakota Mathias – 41 SC, 20.5 avg, 2 games, 48:07 mins, $145,200
Josh Bannan – 20 SC, 20.0 avg, 1 game, 27:08 mins, $317,500
Majok Deng – 14 SC, 14.0 avg, 1 game, 18:53 mins, $214,500
Jed Richardson – 19 SC, 9.5 avg, 2 games, 46:17 mins, $58,500, Cheapie
Ryley Haywood – 11 SC, 5.5 avg, 2 games, 19:45 mins, $58,500
Nicholas Stoddart – 5 SC, 2.5 avg, 2 games, 41:24 mins, $69,000

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