Heartland Hustle: Phoenix Take on 36ers in Final Home Game

Pride and maybe a little revenge will be on the mind of South East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday when they enter the Fire Pit for the final time in NBL22. The Phoenix will feel they owe the streaking 36ers after they threw a major spanner in the works of their NBL Finals dream that ultimately fell short.
Mitch Creek and his merry men are primed to deliver something special for the Phoenix faithful at John Cain Arena.

Expect fireworks!

Here’s how the two teams are shaping up ahead of the big clash.

(The last time the two sides met was in Round 17, where Adelaide put the dagger in Phoenix's finals chances.)

Key Details
SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE 13-13 (6th) v Adelaide 36ers 9-17 (8th)
Where: The Fire Pit, John Cain Arena
When: Friday, April 22, 7.30pm AEST
Watch: ESPN, Kayo

The Teams

Phoenix
Captain Kyle Adnam copped a bad corkie against the JackJumpers and could not return to the court. Reports out of the fitness staff reveal he is progressing well and is a chance of suiting up against the 36ers. Star Ryan Broekhoff's season is done with Broekhoff sustaining a calf injury last week and has not been able to pull up for the last round of the season. Lachlan Barker is the nominated replacement player for the Round 21 games.

36ers
It’s been a torrid season for the Sixers, but they have found some form on the run home, knocking off playoff teams Perth and Sydney. Leading rebounder Cameron Bairstow and long-term injured Isaac Humphries remain out, but the Sixers pose a big danger to the Phoenix after they ended the Kings’ 13-game winning streak — on their home floor.

(Le'afa has grown in his first year as a rostered player with the Phoenix.)

Players to Watch

Izayah Le’afa
We could list Mitch Creek here every game — the man just delivers — but the Phoenix’s Kiwi stopper has begun to show signs of picking up some of the scoring slack behind Creek and Xavier Munford. The Phoenix need others to step up to support those two big guns, maybe Le’afa can be that man.

Daniel Johnson
Perhaps the only place DJ likes playing as much as he does in Adelaide as at John Cain Arena. The big forward with the sweet touch tends to light it up whenever he visits Melbourne and, after powering his team in each of their past two victories, will present a match up nightmare for the Phoenix bigs.

Last 5
Phoenix: LLLWL
36ers: LLLWW

The Stats

Phoenix
Points: Mitch Creek, 21.04ppg
Rebounds: Q Zhou, 6.82rpg
Assists: Xavier Munford, 4apg
Blocks: Q Zhou, 2.09bpg
Steals: R Broekhoff, 1.56spg

36ers
Points: Daniel Johnson, 16.54ppg
Rebounds: Cam Bairstow, 8rpg
Assists: Mitch McCarron, 5.16apg
Blocks: Kai Sotto, 0.71bpg
Steals: Mitch McCarron, 2.12spg

The History
Regular season Head-to-Head:  4 - 6
South East Melbourne Phoenix - Adelaide 36ers

Last time out: Rd 17, NBL22
Phoenix 92 - 100 36ers

The Numbers

Phoenix
Creek: 27 points, 11 rebounds
Munford: 24 points

36ers
Johnson: 22 points, 10 rebounds
Dech: 21 points, 5 rebounds

(Munford has had a good month personally in his numbers during games.)

Recap

In yet another game where the Phoenix led at halftime, but couldn’t go on with it, the 36ers poured in 56 second-half points — including 31 in the last — to run out eight-point winners.

It would prove to be a hammer blow to the Phoenix’s NBL finals hopes but a nightmare turnaround, where they had to fly from Cairns to Adelaide and be on court in less than 48 hours, did not help the cause. And it showed.

With tired legs, the Phoenix allowed the Sixers to jump out to an early double-digit lead. Mitch Creek helped spark the comeback and they took a one-point lead into the halftime break. The Phoenix stumbled again immediately after the break, before bouncing back late in the third to stay within striking distance.

But the Phoenix could not make inroads in the last as the two teams basically went bucket-for-bucket in a high-scoring finish. Johnson proved a nightmare with a 22-point, 10 rebound double-double, while guard Sunday Dech tore the Phoenix up with 21 points.

For the Phoenix, it was the usual suspects in Creek (27) and Munford (24), but only Le’afa could reach double figures outside of the big two.

(Can Phoenix finish their NBL22 season on a high with a win at home in front of the Phoenix faithful?)

Quotes

“We’ve got to get everyone on the same page, we’ve got to play the right way we’ve got to respect every single fan who has come out and supported us and given their hard-earned money, their blood sweat and tears after a year-and-a-half of Covid. We have to respect our fans, so much so, that we play with more intensity if we have to, to show them how thankful we are and how much we do appreciate everyone’s support.”
—Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell on how his side will tackle the last three games of the regular season.

“We’re gonna go back and revisit where Phoenix is at right now and then short and sharp quick turnaround to play New Zealand. One game at a time. I think preparing for them they played well against the JackJumpers — clearly it was a very close game. Why we got them at home (last time) is to make sure we take away some of their strengths … limit some of their key guys. It will be a battle, but I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
—Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton on his side’s prep for the Phoenix.

CLICK HERE to secure your seat for the final home game for the season.

Phoenix Media (21/4/22)