Basketball On The Internet.

MELBOURNE's NBA star Cole Anthony put on a show as United ousted defending champion Sydney, Jaylin Galloway made a triumpant NBL return as Cairns rocked New Zealand, and Jaz Shelley not only had her best offensive game as a Sydney Flame but also curtailed WNBL star Abbey Ellis.

The Flames took their win-loss record to 4-0 in Townsville where the reigning champs had their 2025-26 WNBL championship banner unfurled before being put to the sword by Sydney.

Despite the best start to a game this season by Alex Fowler and a much-improved effort by Lauren Jensen (12 points on 5-of-9 shooting), Sydney was on top from the outset, Isabelle Bourne connecting on three threes in her 13-point, 5-assist return.

Agnes Emma-Nnopu (14 points at 67 per cent, 6 rebounds) was consistent, and while Lauren Nicholson and Courtney Woods mostly cancelled each other out, both stood tall when the game tightened.

But Shelley was the key. Ellis was coming in off a record 47-point haul against Adelaide and Sydney's blue collar guard was ready for her, restricting her to nine points on 4-of-14 shooting, four turnovers and 1-of-6 rushed threes.

In contrast Shelley led all scorers with 26 at 67 per cent, including 4-of-6 threes, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Hers was quite a game as the Flames raged away, leading by 22 during the third quarter and outscoring Townsville 28-12.

Import centre Marie Gulich (21 points, 8 boards) led the home resistance and when Woods broke free, the Fire made a late last-gasp charge. But it was too little and too late, Sydney preserving a 13-point win which may have flattered the beaten home side. 

In Cairns, Galloway (18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 6 assists) jumped straight back into the thick of the action against New Zealand.

Missing coach Gordon Herbert (ill), the Breakers drew a particularly solid game from centre Charles Bediako (15 points at 83 per cent, 10 rebounds) while the duel between Sam Mennenga (22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) and Jack McVeigh (18 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals) was an ongoing highlight.

Jaylon Brown could not find his stroke but Parker Jackson-Cartwright wasn't fully back to himself so it did not make much impact.

Just as the Breakers started to pull away, Reyne Smith spliced a series of big threes and the game was alive again, Jonah Bolden a boards magnet.

The Taipans took the lead but trailing 84-86, New Zealand had good reason to feel aggrieved with its final play, several of its players - most notably Mojave King by Bolden - were fouled but the whistles had been put away.

United and Sydney staged a classic in Melbourne where Anthony's NBA class shone out and left no doubt this season's MVP race is anything but a two-horse event.

There was very little in this match in the first half, apart from Xavier Cooks munching on the angry pills and in the second half, Sam Waardenburg unnecessarily fouling himself out.

Josh Oduro (27 points at 63 per cent) was his usual efficient self for Melbourne but the Kings drew good contributions from Andrew Carr (18 points, 11 rebounds), Jayden Stone (9 points), and the further the match went the better Torrey Craig (22 points at 57 per cent, 13 rebounds, 4 threes) became.

United however also did a fine job restricting Kendric Davis (12 points on 3-of-16 shooting, game-high 5 turnovers), harassing him into poor decision-making.

And then Anthony went to work with a final quarter masterclass where he revealed there are simply times he cannot be defended by one opponent.

His falling-out-of-court baseline swish (above) was gold, though how Davis was called for a foul on it was problematic, to say the least.

NBL Results Round 6, Sunday

Cairns Taipans 86 (J.Galloway 1, J.McVeigh 18, Pinder 15, Lewis 11; Bolden 14 rebs; J.McVeigh 7 assts) d New Zealand Breakers 84 (Mennenga 22, Bediako 15, Jackson-Cartwright 14; Bediako 10 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 9 assts) at Cairns Convention Centre.

Melbourne United 105 (Anthony 30, Oduro 27, Travers 19, Waardenburg 10; Waardenburg, Anthony 6 rebs; Anthony 9 assts) d Sydney Kings 95 (Craig 22, Carr 18, Cooks 14, Davis 12; Craig 13 rebs; Cooks 6 assts) at John Cain Arena, Melbourne.

WNBL Results Round 2, Sunday

Sydney Flames 90 (Shelley 26, Emma-Nnopu 14, Bourne 13, Nicholson 12; Emma-Nnopu, Shelley 6 rebs; Shelley 6 assts) d Townsville Fire 77 (Gulich 21, Woods 13, Jensen 12; Gulich 8 rebs; Ellis 6 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre.