By R.L. Bynum
The bang bang of silky-smooth Brady Manek 3-pointers works just as well Down Under, as he is starting to heat up after a slow start to his season.
In the last two games, he’s combined to score 46 points and go 11 of 15 from 3-point range. In no coincidence, his Perth Wildcats have won two consecutive games after losing their previous five.
Manek made 5 of 7 3-point attempts and scored 21 points in 26 minutes Thursday as his Perth Wildcats beat the visiting South East Melbourne Phoenix 103–96. Manek also had five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
That performance came after he scored a season-high 25 points in a 94–89 road win over the Adelaide 36ers on Nov. 5 in the previous game, going 6 of 8 from 3-point range. That equaled his two best 3-point games as a Tar Heel, when he scored six 3s in losses to Tennesee and Duke.
“It’s amazing what making shots can do for you,” Perth coach John Rillie told The West Australian. “For his career, that’s what he’s known for. That what people’s expectation is. That’s what his own expectation is. So when you do get back to a level that you feel happy about, you do relax and there is a back to normal life.”
He’s starting to heat up after only scoring in double figures twice in his first eight games, with 14 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in a 105–76 road win over the Cairns Taipans on Oct. 10, and 11 points with three 3-pointers in an 84–81 home loss on Oct. 14 to the Melbourne United.
Through 10 games, Manek is averaging 11.3 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor and 40.4% from 3-point range.
The Wildcats are 5–5 and in sixth place in the 10-team National Basketball League.
Manek averaged 15.1 points and shot 40.3% from 3-point range last season when he was an integral part of Carolina’s run to the Final Four.
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