Phoenix Open Season With Win

Arise, Sir Kyle.

Heart and soul Phoenix co-captain Kyle Adnam has scorched the nets on the way to his first 30-point game in the NBL, helping South East Melbourne kick off NBL23 in style.

Adnam had a huge first quarter with 13 points and three three-pointers, powering his side to an 18-point lead.

But the JackJumpers would not go away and, whittling away at the lead, they brought it back all square on the back of the stellar play of Boomers star Jack McVeigh and import Rashard Kelly.

But that was as close as the JackJumpers got as Adnam, Mitch Creek and the young bucks made sure they didn’t surrender.

(Creek slotted into the team easily after not playing any pre-season games.)

Creek, sporting his new blond fadehawk, gave the Phoenix what they’d been desperately missing during the pre-season — someone who can score from anywhere on the floor as well as help as a second and third ball-handler.

He scored 23 points and ripped down six rebounds in a typically productive night for the franchise player.

Missing Gary Browne, Trey Kell and Ryan Broekhoff, the Phoenix received strong contributions all over the floor from their young guns in Grant Anticevich and Junior Madut — and veteran role-players Reuben Te Rangi and Dane Pineau.

Zhou Qi still a couple of weeks from arriving in the country, but the Phoenix still won the rebound count by 10, holding them in good stead for when they have a full contingent available.

The Result:

South East Melbourne Phoenix 77-83 Illawarra Hawks

The Numbers

Phoenix
Adnam: 30 points, 4 assists, 6 3PM
Creek: 23 points, 6 rebounds
Williams: 12 points, 7 rebounds

JackJumpers
McVeigh: 20 points, 5 rebounds
Kelly: 18 points, 6 rebounds
Doyle: 13 points, 6 assists

(Dane Pineau and Owen Foxwell blocking.)

The Turning Point:

Magette’s eight-second cal

With Phoenix up two after Madut made a lay-up, Adnam harassed and harangued Josh Magette and the American was unable to get the ball over the half line within eight seconds. It was a dire turnover and they didn’t even it up again.

The Player of the Game:

Kyle Adnam

That might have been the little dynamo’s best game in the NBL. His first 30-point performance. The co-captain was like a flamethrower, draining a number of massive buckets and hitting six three-pointers in his match-winning effort.

(Creek and Adnam celebrating.)

The Play of the Game:

Up just two after Tassie had tied the scores, Adnam flared out to the wing on a hand-off from Creek, crossing up McVeigh with a stunning move that left him wide open from deep. The little master made no mistake, stepping back and threading the ball through the net, touching nothing but twine to take the lead out to five.

From the Coach:

“Look, he’s the captain of the basketball team, we’ve seen this before, I’ve seen this at two clubs now with him where he gets the opportunity and takes it on his shoulders. He’s a very, very high-level player in our league and he was excellent tonight. Really proud of him.”
—Simon Mitchell

From the Player:

“It feels great, mate. Individually, you put in a lot of work on things, going away, getting a new experience in the off-season, dedicate a lot of time to the sport, stuff that people probably don’t see. So on game night, when things tend to work out for you, it’s an awesome feeling, to have the boys out there supporting me, I thought the way Allan (Williams), Creeky and Dane screen, roll, those guys just clear so much space so it’s important to credit them.”
—Kyle Adnam

Tickets for Round 2 - CLICK HERE

Phoenix Media (1/10/22)