The highs and the Loes

In June of 2023 and after 173 career NBL games, Rob Loe retired from basketball.

A year and a half later, he played arguably the finest game of his NBL career. 30 points, as a 33-year-old.

Loe was simply unstoppable for Melbourne United on Thursday night, as he hit six threes for the first time in his career and helped his team to 120 points.

“It was just one of those nights for me,” Loe said.

“Anytime you shoot like I did tonight feels good.”

Loe joined United last season as a short term injury replacement player, before signing full-time in the off-season.

It had been a slow start to the season for United’s starting centre, who had only score in double-figures twice prior to Thursday and only hit more than one three on two occasions. 

But coach Dean Vickerman kept the faith.

“We just trust him this whole time and we knew that this game was coming,” Vickerman said

“He got in a great rhythm.”

For Loe, as good as he felt on the court, it was his teammates that stood out.

“The best feeling was hearing the boys on the bench,” he said.

“They were celebrating and I couldn’t seem them, but I can hear them and it’s quite uplifting.”

Melbourne United had the perfect response to their big loss against New Zealand on Sunday, defeating the Bullets by 17 points in Brisbane.