NBL1 Team of the Week (October 26/27 2024)

We have another batch of D1M standouts as the Team and Player of the Week is announced following a busy weekend of basketball.

Hemel Storm moved to 4-0 and find themselves alone at the top of the standings after their 85-75 road win against Loughborough Riders (1-2) on Saturday - and there was plenty more high-octane action.

Have your say on this week's choices and give a shout-out to the players you think deserve one using the hashtag #NBL2425. Don't forget to tag us!    

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How it works 

We'll pick a Player of the Week and four other selections to round out the Team of the Week, paying attention to the following criteria:

• Efficiency  
• Stats  
• Team and opposition strength  
• Periods of influence in the game 
• Being on a winning team (exceptional performances from players on losing teams will be considered for TOTW)

Other players will also receive a shout out as honourable mentions at the bottom of the piece.

The Team of the Week

PLAYER OF THE WEEK 

Tra'michael Moton - Hemel Storm, guard

31pts/8rbs/3ast/35eff

The Storm's guard is a big part of why they remain the only unbeaten team in D1. The American is relishing his first season of English basketball and shot 11/17 from the field, exploding for 31 points as Hemel swept aside Loughborough.

Elvisi Dusha - Bristol Hurricanes, guard

25pts (80% 3pt)/7ast/34eff

The experienced guard announced himself to Bristol with a bang, scoring at an 80% clip from three-point range to rack up 25 points on his club debut. The former BBL man was also busy on the boards and handed out three assists, as the Hurricanes beat MK Breakers 90-83 for their second win of the campaign.

Ty Nsangu - Reading Rockets, forward

22pts/10rbs/28eff

The Rockets forward - pictured below - helped himself to a nice double-double against his former club Worthing, as the Rockets picked up their second win of the weekend, shooting an impressive 90% with all his points coming inside the arc.

Justin Hopkins - Reading Rockets, forward

24pts, 5rbs, 21eff (v Newc)
21pts, 4rbs, 3ast, 24eff (v Worthing)

The second Rockets man to make the top five, Hopkins shone in almost equal measure against former team Newcastle on Saturday and then at Worthing on Sunday. He dropped 24 points on his old team-mates in the North East and 21 against Worthing in a productive weekend that saw him score 21 and 24 in efficiency respectively.

Leighton Elliott-Sewell - Derby Trailblazers, forward

21pts, 18rbs, 20eff

Derby's consistent big man put in a shift to help his team to an overtime win at Essex. He harvested 21 points - all from two-point range or the line - and collected a whopping 18 rebounds as the Blazers moved to 3-1.

Team basketball 

OT EFFORTS

Both Derby and Nottingham kept their collective nerve to win in overtime. Derby saw off Essex on their own patch with five players scoring in double figures, while the Blazers also won the battle of the boards 67-53.

The Hoods also edged a tight affair - beating Bradford 85-84 in the added period - by sharing the workload. They also had five players in double points figures with 21 coming from the bench.

Honourable mentions 

Darian Nelson-Henry, Hemel Storm - 17pts, 10rbs, 23eff
Kofi Josephs, Bradford - 26pts, 6rbs, 4ast, 20eff
Latrell Maitland, Nottingham Hoods - 19pts, 3ast, 19eff
Greg Skoric, Nottingham Hoods - 16pts, 10rbs, 19eff
Jonas Dieterich, Derby - 19pts, 5rbs, 19eff
Justin Robinson, TVC - 18pts, 4asts, 18eff

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Main image credit - Nicola C Creative

Second image - Luke Simcock