Musashi Match Report: Fast-Finishing Phoenix Held Off by 36ers

The Adelaide 36ers turned on some scintillating basketball and then held strong to hold off a momentous South East Melbourne Phoenix comeback to win their opening NBL Cup game 99-94 on Tuesday night.

The game was the last in the block of four days of double-headers in the opening round of the NBL Cup and it was quite the spectacle put on by the 36ers and Phoenix.

It was a much-needed bounce back win as well for the Sixers in the end on the back of two heavy losses, and a minute into the fourth quarter they appeared unstoppable leading by 17 points.

Daniel Johnson was on his way to 27 points and 10 rebounds while Isaac Humphries ended up delivering 24 points and 11 boards, and Josh Giddey was brilliant with 15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals.

The 36ers appeared to have the game in the bag and then did appear to steady after Mitch Creek knocked down three huge triples as part of a Phoenix 16-2 run when Conner Henry was successful with a Coach's Challenge to deny Cam Gliddon three free-throws and keep Tony Crocker in the game.

Humphries delivered one huge slam over both Creek and Keifer Sykes to again give the Sixers breathing room, and he responded again with a three-point play after Reuben Te Rangi brought the Phoenix within a point with just under a minute left.

The twists didn’t end there. Gliddon scored a layup to make it a three-point game with 14 seconds left and then drew a charge on Giddey on the in-bounds pass. That gave South East Melbourne a sniff but they couldn’t capitalise and Giddey would grab the critical defence rebound to secure the win.

Crocker also had 12 points for Adelaide, Sunday Dech eight to go with six rebounds, and Jack McVeigh six.

Creek top-scored for South East Melbourne with 23 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high eight assists while connecting on 4/8 from three-point land. 

Gliddon also had 18 points and four assists, Ben Moore 13 points and six rebounds, Yanni Wetzell 12 points and seven boards, Reuben Te Rangi 10 points and four assists, Keifer Sykes nine points and three assists, and Kyle Adnam nine points and six assists.

The Sixers are back in action Thursday against Melbourne United while the Phoenix have until Sunday to take on the Illawarra Hawks.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 6
NBL CUP WEEK 1

ADELAIDE 36ERS 99 (Johnson 27, Humphries 24, Giddey 15)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 94 (Creek 23, Gliddon 18, Moore 13) 

POINTS AWARDED – Adelaide 36ers 5.5, South East Melbourne Phoenix 1.5

Written by NBL.com.au (23/02/2021)