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LaMelo Ball melts social media with triple-double in overtime win

He’s the teenage prodigy lighting up the NBL and his latest masterclass sent shockwaves through America with social media going wild.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
2 min read
November 26, 2019 - 6:28AM
LaMelo Ball is living up to the hype.
LaMelo Ball is living up to the hype.

LaMelo Ball has gone absolutely berserk as the No. 1 NBA Draft hopeful becoming the youngest player in NBL history to register a triple-double.

The star has brought plenty of fanfare with him in his time in the NBL despite the Illawarra Hawks sitting second last on the ladder, moving ahead of the NZ Breakers with a 114-106 overtime win over the Cairns Taipans.

But that is set to go into overdrive as the 18-year-old superstar-in-the-making set WIN Entertainment Centre on fire with a jaw-dropping performance.

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Ball scored a game high 32 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists to claim the triple-double.

He also came up clutch, hitting a three pointer with just over five seconds remaining to send the game to overtime after being down 99-96.

Shane Heal said the performance was “unbelievable” but the young star just brushed the compliment off.

“Pretty much good, just go home and get my body right and get some shots up — just another game man,” the understated star said as Heal said.

Heal also revealed Ball was in the gym at 2am this morning shooting jump shots.

“I just believe in myself and my confidence levels is just really high. So every shot I take I feel like it’s going in.

“I try to improve every day, pretty much, and just work my hardest.”

His otherworldly showing left social media into a tailspin with his performance hitting the major outlets in the States.

From ESPN to Slam to Bleacher Report, social networks were abuzz with Ball fever as his draft prospects continued to explode. ESPN Draft analyst Jonathan Givony highlighted one particular defensive stop and labelled Ball the “#1 pick frontrunner”.

Speaking post-match, teammate Tim Coenraad paid tribute to Ball for his insane match.

“It felt good tonight. The last couple of weeks I haven’t been feeling it that well so I’ve spent a lot of time just working on the shot,” he said. “But it’s easy knock down shots when you’ve got some like LaMelo setting you up every play. Triple-double for a guy who’s 18, it’s pretty incredible.”

Coenraad said Ball had adapted on the fly after taking “questionable shots” early with the side getting around the youngster.

But he added that the adaptation “speaks volumes of his character and it speaks volumes for the type of person he is”.

But it was social media that was floored by what the youngster produced.

Six of the hosts’ first seven baskets were assisted by Ball, allowing them to jump out to an eight-point lead midway through the opening quarter.

The Hawks led 59-47 at halftime and despite 10 third-quarter points from Ball, taking his tally to 24, the Taipans closed the margin to eight (79-71) heading into the final period.

The Taipans’ charge continued in the fourth, clawing their way back to within five points following a three-point-play from Kouat Noi.

But a deep triple from Ball with six seconds remaining sent the game into overtime, in which Dech scored six of the Hawks’ 15 points to seal the victory.

— with AAP

Originally published as LaMelo Ball melts social media with triple-double in overtime win

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-2019-lamelo-ball-goes-nuts-with-tripledouble-in-an-overtime-won-over-the-cairns-taipans/news-story/4a06f19e89c4217334fae1dc6dfe0b7d