Matching up with one of the NBL’s best centers, Brisbane Bullets Next Star Rocco Zikarsky had a fair shake of good and bad moments in his NBL Blitz debut. Given the matchup, this performance gives room for optimism for the season ahead.
Rocco Zikarsky and the Brisbane Bullets tipped off their NBL Blitz campaign against the reigning champion Tasmania JackJumpers. Tasmania is without last season’s NBL Finals MVP Jack McVeigh who left for a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets but McVeigh’s fellow Boomers Olympic teammate, center Will Magnay, is still with the squad and posed a tough test for Zikarsky in the opening game of this season’s NBL Blitz.
Zikarsky did not start for the Bullets but ended up playing roughly 16 minutes and put up eight points, three rebounds, one assist and two blocks on 3-for-6 shooting from the field. He was plus-8 in his time on the court. Zikarsky had a mix of matchups in this one but primarily went head-to-head with Magnay. He impressed as a play finisher and rim-protector while also running the floor very well.
Rocco Zikarsky throws down the poster on Will Magnay. Huge finish over arguably the best shot blocker in the NBL.Zikarsky ran the floor well, getting into a sprint right away after his team secured possession and helping draw opposing defenders' attention, and opening up the transition game for the Bullets. This helped create some easy opportunities that they capitalized on. On the defensive end, he protected the rim well.
On the flip side, Zikarsky’s pick-and-roll defense wasn’t the best. Twice in drop coverage, he got caught too high and with his hands down, making it easy for the opposing guard to throw a lob over him. Zikarsky got caught in some non-ideal switches as well. On one early in the second quarter he tried to switch out of it with a teammate and seemed to communicate it properly, but the teammate missed the call and they got burned for an open three.
The biggest concern coming out of this opener was Zikarsky’s screening and dribble handoffs. Something we flagged in a piece earlier this summer, is how Zikarsky doesn’t get his teammates enough separation with his screen setting. His physicality in that area of the game needs to improve and it did not get off to a good start, opponents worked through his screens easily and he was pushed into disadvantageous positions on a couple of handoffs as well.
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