Crazy NBL statlines you may have forgotten

Last season the NBL saw an offensive explosion, with 12 instances of players scoring 40 points or more, including two 50-point games produced by Bryce Cotton and James Batemon.

While the numbers were impressive last year, it certainly isn’t the first time that the league has seen some impressive performances.

While there are certainly better statistical outputs than the ones listed below, NBL Media has compiled a list of some of the craziest stat lines we’ve ever seen.

Al Green: 71 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists - West Adelaide, 1984

It was Round 15 in 1984 where the legend Al Green took full advantage of the added three-point line, when he erupted for an all-time scoring effort of 71 points.

Despite his best efforts, Green’s Bearcats lost to Frankston by 28-points.

The 30-year-old hit 25 of 51 shots from the floor, which included just four threes, but did some damage at the free-throw line as he dropped in 17 of 22 at the stripe.

Derek Rucker: 24 points, 24 assists, 3 steals - Newcastle 1994

He was a league MVP for a reason and Derek Rucker’s 24 assists in a win over Geelong still holds the record for most in a game and will prove hard to beat.

While he scored over 40 points 25 times in his NBL career, on this night Rucker did it all to help his team come away with a dominant 24-point win over the Supercats.

The floor general played almost 47 minutes and only turned the ball over twice, enroute to his record setting 24 assist night.

John Dorge: 26 points, 14 rebounds, 14 blocks - Geelong 1991

It may have come in a heartbreaking three-point loss to the Giants, but John Dorge did everything he could to try and squeeze out a win for his Supercats team.

The 6’10” big man had 14 blocks in this big triple-double, in a game where Geelong played just seven players in Round 2 of the 1991 season.

Shane Heal and Bobby Locke again did a lot of the scoring damage, while Dorge battled down low to add eight offensive rebounds for his team.

Darren Rowe: 25 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists, 11 blocks - Geelong Supercats 1990

In Round 18, 1990, Darren Rowe produced the first and only quadruple-double in NBL history.

The Supercats big man averaged a double-double per game in two of the three seasons he played for Geelong, quickly establishing himself as one of the best rim protectors in the league. In fact, Rowe had already notched up a triple-double with blocks earlier that season against Nunawading.

While Shane Heal and Bobby Locke ticked the scoreboard over in this game with 31 points each, it was Rowe who did everything to help come away with the win.

LaMelo Ball: 32 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds - Illawarra Hawks 2019

He may have only played half the season, but LaMelo Ball left a lasting impact for the Hawks and the NBL.

His clutch three to help send the game into overtime set the crowd alight as Ball would go on to finish the game with 32 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in one of the best individual performances we have ever seen.

The heroics were enough to get the eight-point win over the Taipans, as Ball hit 11 of 20 from the field, including four threes and had just two turnovers.

‍Bryce Cotton: 59 points, 7 assists, 7 made threes - Perth Wildcats 2024

No one will be forgetting this game anytime soon as the five-time MVP put the Wildcats on his back and dropped 59-points in a win over New Zealand.

Cotton made 18 of 28 from the floor, including seven threes and just one turnover.

The star guard could smell something in the air that night as he exploded for 20 points in the first quarter, on his way to a 31-point opening half.

Other notable crazy stat lines:

Dan Clausen 40 points, 25 rebounds, 5 steals, 5 blocks

Scott Fenton 19 points, 18 rebounds, 11 steals, 6 blocks

Shane Heal 37 points, 20 assists, 6 steals, 5 threes

Steve Carfino 46 points, 15 assists, 7 rebounds, 6 threes, 5 steals

Ian Davis 47 points, 13 threes, 4 rebounds