Musashi Match Report: Phoenix Dominate Bullets in Brisbane

The South East Melbourne Phoenix have now won four straight, they are solid in third spot and they put a hammering down on the finals contending Brisbane Bullets at Nissan Arena on Saturday night.

Both teams had plenty at staking coming into the battle with the Bullets fresh off their stunning come from behind win against the Perth Wildcats to revive their playoff hopes while the Phoenix arrived in Brisbane on a winning run and having beaten Melbourne United on Sunday.

Former Bullet Reuben Te Rangi set the tone from the start with two early threes and the Phoenix just went on big runs right throughout the game. 

Brisbane was hanging in there just down eight at half-time, but the Phoenix opened up the second half on a 24-5 run and the game was done. South East Melbourne didn’t stop, though, and went on to lead by as much as 35 points in the fourth before beating the Bullets 95-66.

It's a significant win for the Phoenix as they remain further locked into third position at 18-14 while the finals hopes get tougher for the Bullets at 14-16.

Reuben Te Rangi returned to Brisbane for the first time as an opposition player and knocked down two quick threes for South East Melbourne, and when Yanni Wetzell and Mitch Creek got going too, the Phoenix led 18-11.

Nine first-quarter points from Anthony Drmic and eight from Lamar Patterson kept Brisbane close, but the Phoenix went on another 9-0 tear to be up 31-24 by quarter-time.

South East Melbourne came out firing still in the second period with a 9-3 streak this time with Keifer Sykes hitting five points after a scoreless first term.

Brisbane fired back, though, and triples from Drmic and Nathan Sobey kept them close, but a late Kyle Adnam three for the Phoenix saw them maintain a 50-42 half-time edge.

Once again the Phoenix came out firing from the break with the opening seven points including a three ball from another former Bullet on first return to Brisbane, Cam Gliddon.

South East Melbourne blew the game wide open even further with a dominant four minutes that saw them score 12 consecutive points. Even though the Bullets hit a couple of buckets before three quarter-time, the Phoenix were still in control up 24.

Once more the start to the quarter saw South East Melbourne make its mark with another 10-2 run to see the lead balloon to 34, and it got to 35 late with an Adnam three ball before at least Brisbane finished with the final six points.

The Phoenix now have a full week to prepare to host the bottom placed Cairns Taipans next Saturday while the Bullets host Melbourne United on Monday in a must-win affair.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 19

BRISBANE BULLETS 66 (Drmic 20, Patterson 11)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 95 (Wetzell 18, Adnam 16, Creek 12, Te Rangi 12) 

Written by NBL.com.au (22/05.2021)