Phoenix Return To Winners List

NBL basketball was back in Bendigo, the first quarter saw both teams go basket for basket, two late quarter 3’s from the Breakers Next Star Ousmane Dieng saw them build a five point lead, before a late drive and finish from Creek saw the first quarter finish with the Breakers leading 25-23.

The second half was again high scoring with Xavier Munford and Zhou Qi leading the way for the Phoenix, with the away team finishing then half leading 52-44.

A third quarter explosion from the Phoenix with an 11-0 run out of the half time break saw them take a 77-54 lead into the final stanza. 

In the final quarter the Phoenix held off an early run from the Breakers and while they were outscored, did enough to claim their 13th win of the season.

(Munford was on fire in Bendigo with the game high 25 points.)

Phoenix have a seven day break before returning to The Fire Pit for Easter Sunday basketball against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

The Result

Phoenix 99 - Breakers 89

The Numbers

Phoenix
Xavier Munford  25 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists.
Zhou Qi 22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks

Breakers
Osman Deing 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.

The Turning Point

The 11-0 third quarter run by the Phoenix put the game out of the Breakers' reach.

The Player of the Game

Hard to split Zhou and Munford, both were superb all game long. They were the catalysts for the decisive Phoenix run in the third and produced a stop or score every time the Phoenix needed one.

(Zhou had a big game with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks.)

The Play of the Game

Midway through the second quarter Munford split a double team with blinding speed and hit a cutting Zhou for a thunderous dunk.

From the Coach

Simon Mitchell
"Aspects of that game I liked, Today we reduced our points of turnovers and of offensive rebounds. Our guys played some good basketball, it was good to get a win, we needed it but we need to close our games way better than that. That takes the gloss of the win for me." 

From the Player

Izayah Le'afa
"Owen has stuck with it,  his work ethic is unbelievable, every day he comes ion and makes us better, I was in that position last year and he just waited for his moment. I thought our rebounding was pretty good today, to limit them to four offensive rebounds was pretty good."

CLICK HERE to Easter Sunday home game against the JackJumpers

Phoenix Media (10/4/22)