DREWITT'S BULBS MATCH REPORT: Career High Night for Hurt in Cairns Win

A career night for Matt Hurt has propelled the Phoenix to yet another win, this time against Cairns in a hard fought 102-113 victory.

Hurt posted 33 points and seven rebounds in front of his doting parents, as Josh King’s coaching record was boosted to an enviable 11-4 since taking over.

The Phoenix headed north with a simple equation, win, and remain a chance for the top two, lose, and slip to the precarious sixth spot on the table.

The visitors would be without their star playmaker Derrick Walton Jr, Angus Glover yet again filling the starting role and getting the ball rolling at the Cairns Convention Centre.

Hurt continued his league MVP push with a dominant first term, his 10 points leading the pack, as Joe Wieskamp contributed eight himself alongside four rebounds as he continued his resurgence in form.

Eight different Phoenix players hit the scoreboard in the opening stanza, coach King rapidly moving the chess pieces with guard Ben Ayre finding his earliest minutes of the campaign.

Phoenix co-captain Jordi Hunter ended the first, and started the second with a tip-in off an offensive board, contributing 11 in his first half rebound total of 14.

Hunter would go on to tie the league record in the 40-minute era of 12 offensive rebounds, and a total 18 for the game in an incredible display on the glass.

Jordi SLAMMED that down! 🤯

Also 14 rebounds (11 offensively) in the first half! 🔥

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/DkSEWeTV2u

— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) January 14, 2025

The Phoenix’s 58 first half points were the fourth-most in their history, but remarkably, they trailed by one at the main break.

There was plenty of fire in the contest, Rob Edwards and Ayre getting a stern warning from referees for jawing, but it was Nathan Sobey who let his hot hand do the most talking, scoring six-straight points to push the Phoenix out to a four-point buffer at the final break.

Enter Matt Hurt, who took control of the fixture when it was on the line and in doing so, became the first Phoenix player to score 30 points in back-to-back games.

Nothing slowing down Matty Ice! 🔥

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/hih13fTHeZ

— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) January 14, 2025

The Phoenix scoring juggernaut rolled on, their 10^th straight-game posting more than 99 points solidifying their status as one of the best offensive teams in the competition.

FULL TIME STATS

Hurt: 33p/7r/1a
Sobey: 26p/7r/1a
Wieskamp: 11p/9r/1a/1stl
Glover: 11p/4r/4a/1stl/2blks
Ayre: 9p/1r/1stl/1blk
Hunter: 8p/18r/1a
Foxwell: 7p/1r/5a/1stl
Vodanovich: 6p/3r/1a
Lewis: 2p/1r/1a

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