Phoenix Take Throwdown XIII

South East Melbourne has established early season dominance of the country’s real basketball capital, emerging from an at times spiteful battle with Melbourne United with its perfect start to the season intact.

From the outset, the Phoenix were locked in and, in four minutes of some of the best NBL basketball you will ever see, jumped out to a 16-8 lead that forced Dean Vickerman to call time-out.

The Phoenix could not have played better, centre Zhou Qi, in his first Throwdown, establishing early dominance in his battle with Jo Lual-Acuil with a massive rejection on one end and then an offensive rebound and two-handed jam at the other to start proceedings.

(Zhou Qi dunks in Throwdown XIII.)

The gap would eventually balloon to 18 in the second quarter as the Phoenix looked to deal the killer blow.

But Throwdowns deserve more intensity and, sparked by point guard Matthew Dellavedova and import Caleb Agada, United would scratch and claw its way back into the game, taking the lead back from the Phoenix early in the last quarter.

But the men from the Heartland are made of sterner stuff and, down 3, a 14-0 run inside 3 minutes of play in the final quarter would effectively kill off the contest.

It was the Phoenix weaponry that exposed United early, Ryan Broekhoff hitting from deep, then slicing into the key for a finish at the basket as Mitch Creek picked up from where he left off in his career-high 36 points against the Breakers Friday night.

He hit a pair of first-quarter threes on his way to 16 for the night, playing the perfect foil for Zhou.

The Chinese star showed what an asset he will be to the Phoenix with a devastating all-round performance as he fought an entertaining duel with his United opposite number Jo Lual-Acuil.

That’s three-from-three now, to start the new season, equaling the Phoenix’s best-ever start, with the Sydney Kings looming on Thursday.

(Mitch Creek throws down a thunderous dunk over Matthew Dellavedova.)

The result:

Melbourne United 86-94 South East Melbourne Phoenix

The numbers

United:
Dellavedova 19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Lual-Acuil 17 points, 6 blocks
Agada 16 points
Ili 14 points

Phoenix:
Zhou 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 blocks
Creek 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Munford 16 points
Broekhoff 14 points, 6 rebounds

(Phoenix players guard Matthew Dellavedova.)

The turning point:

Xavier Munford’s driving finish with 6.35 to go in the last quarter gave Phoenix the lead for good, after United had gone ahead, 75-74. It was an exquisite play from start to finish as went left to right, crossing over United defensive dynamo Shea Ili, before taking it to the rack for the hoop plus the harm. He gave the United bench a little chatter, for good measure.

The Player of the Game:

Zhou Qi
Statement made by the Chinese sensation. He scored the Phoenix’s first bucket of there night - a two handed stuff after a big block at the other end - and was a giant thorn in the side of United all game. He would lead the Phoenix with 22 points, adding 10 rebounds and gaudy 7 blocks and, If they counted shots altered, he would have been close to a quadruple-double.

The Play of the Game:

It had to be Mitch Creek’s massive poster jam on Boomer Matthew Dellavedova. Isaiah Le’Afa pinched the ball and sent the Phoenix downhill with only Delly to beat. Creek did so in emphatic fashion rising up with a huge tomahawk that sent the Boomer flying and left United incensed - ending with Mason Peatling being tossed from the game.

(Mason Peatling bashes into Mitch Creek.)

From the coach:

“We spent our whole week preparing for New Zealand. Outside of a video session yesterday, where we reviewed our game against New Zealand … and then we watched some video of Melbourne, our game against them (NBL Blitz), their game against Sydney - we got it all done inside of an hour, so our preparation was not enormous. For us, it was more about getting our bodies right and making sure that, physically, we were ready to go. Really proud of the guys.
-Simon Mitchell 

From the player:

I think the crowd also lifts it (The Throwdown). There is a little bit of a split, you’ve got some Phoenix fans in the crowd and you’ve got some United fans and I think they bring that emotion up as well, which is great for the sport of basketball and there city of Melbourne. Us as players, we feel that, sometimes you ride off the crowd. The crowd along with the physicality always makes for a great battle between two great teams.”
-Kyle Adnam