"He's taken his game to another level"

Through the first 19 rounds of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 season, forward Zylan Cheatham has been one of the main reasons the Adelaide 36ers sit on top of the ladder.

The American forward is averaging career-best marks in rebounds (9.9), assists (four), blocks (0.8) and field goal percentage (52.5), while also contributing 11.4 points per contest.

His play hasn’t gone unnoticed, though, with former Breakers teammate Tom Abercrombie, whose number was raised to the rafters by New Zealand on Friday night, believing Cheatham, 30, is playing the best basketball of his career.

“I love the way that Zylan's been playing. He's taken his game to another level this year,” Abercrombie said on Friday’s episode of NBL Now.

“He’s embraced his role as the connector for Adelaide, who are a side with so many weapons like Bryce [Cotton] and DJ [Vasiljevic].”

Cheatham and his Sixers, fresh off booking their spot in the inaugural NBL Ignite Cup Final on the Gold Coast, have now shifted gears and are focused on finishing the season on top of the ladder.

To do so, they will need to overcome a red-hot South East Melbourne outfit, who sit in third, on Saturday evening.

But that will be no easy task, with Abercrombie comparing the Phoenix’s defence, led by John Brown III, to one of his Championship Series Breakers sides.

“I really like the way South East Melbourne plays. How they defend reminds me of the Breakers teams with Mody Maor,” he said.

“The defensive pressure and intensity at all times, picking guys up full court and never letting anyone be comfortable.

“I appreciate the way that they play at that end, knowing you need to wear teams like Adelaide down.”

Saturday’s blockbuster at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre tips off at 5.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.