Where There's a Will ...

Saturday, March 4, 2023

It was the type of performance reserved for the all-time greats - Will McDowell-White putting himself in the same company as Darryl McDonald, Robert Rose and Ricky Grace as he surged towards a Championship Series triple-double.

It was the type of performance reserved for the all-time greats - Will McDowell-White putting himself in the same company as Darryl McDonald, Robert Rose and Ricky Grace as he surged towards a Championship Series triple-double.

Ultimately, the Breakers' star fell just short statistically, with 19 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but there was absolutely no doubting the facts - this was one of the best post-season performances you'll see.

And consider this - McDowell-White was only a single rebound and a single assist assist away from achieving a Championship Series triple-double in the 40-minute era ... that's something no one has achieved.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Will McDowell-White is on triple-double watch ?<br><br>He's got 17 points, six boards and eight assists at three quarter time ?<br><br>Catch the final quarter live on ESPN via Kayo Freebies 10 Peach and 10 play/Sky Sport & Prime in NZ ? <a href="https://t.co/zXAjUpZ9rX">pic.twitter.com/zXAjUpZ9rX</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1631597272344539137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Leading his New Zealand Breakers to a one-nil lead on the road, McDowell-White and the Breakers now head back to New Zealand to host their first Championship Series game since 2016.

While the likes of Barry Brown Jr, Dererk Pardon and Jarrell Brantley often steal the headlines, McDowell-White is quietly becoming one of the stars of the NBL.

There's little wonder his signature is in such hot demand ahead of the league's Free Agency period.

“He’s not bad aye,” Breakers coach Mody Maor said.

“Maybe you guys can publish another article," he joked.

Earlier in the week, NBL Analysts Pete Hooley wrote that McDowell-White will be the Breakers’ main x-factor, if they are to claim the trophy.

“If you look deeper into the way this team operates, everything revolves around what Will McDowell-White does at the point-guard position,” Hooley explained.

“If the Breakers want to dethrone the Kings, McDowell-White will have to control the show.”

That analysis was spot on. McDowell-White was the main man throughout, and Sydney simply had no answers.

The 24-year-old explained he wasn’t nervous heading into his first Championship Series, leaning on his father, three-time AFL Premiership player Darryl White for advice before Game 1.

“I was speaking to dad, he’s done it before. He gave me a few tips, so yeah it was pretty good.”

While Breakers fans may be tempted to look ahead to what could be in the coming week, Maor said he's desperate to keep his team calm and collected.

He explained that Game 1 was just the “first quarter” of the series and New Zealand will have to "stay within the lines" to maintain this lead. It was a sentiment his star player was quick to echo.

“Obviously it does (provide confidence), but we know it’s obviously not over,” McDowell-White said.

“We need to win two more and obviously going home up one-nil is a good feeling.”

It wasn’t just McDowell-White who controlled the game, with 19 points off the bench from Sixth Man of the Year, Brown Jr.

Maor praised the toughness the Breakers brought to the game.

“It’s not about one player, everyone who stepped on the floor competed; Cam Gliddon competed, Rob Loe competed, Dererk Pardon competed, everyone competed. It’s how we do things,” he said.

Catch Game 2 of the Championship Series live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies, 10 Peach and 10 play on Sunday at 4pm AEDT/6pm NZDT. Watch live on SkySport and Prime in New Zealand.