STANLEY MATCH REPORT: Phoenix flex muscles to win big in Brisbane
Written By
NBL.com.au
The South East Melbourne Phoenix put on a defensive masterclass and their energy and physicality was on show where despite the ejection of John Brown III, they won big 109-86 on the road to the Brisbane Bullets.
Both teams came into the Saturday match up at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre after winning on Thursday with the Bullets coming back on the road to down the New Zealand Breakers while the Phoenix won big at home over the Sydney Kings.
But from the outside South East Melbourne took control racing to a 14-1 start and then produced a 37-point third quarter with 15 free-throw attempts and hounding Brisbane into another five turnovers.
That was despite import forward Brown receiving a second technical foul to be ejected, but the Phoenix went on to score the dominant win while having 26 offensive rebounds and forcing the Bullets into 17 turnovers to end up taking an extra 26 field goals.
The victory improved the defensive powerhouse Phoenix to 5-2 having won three straight by a combined 80 points while the Bullets are 3-6.
Brisbane had four turnovers before their first field goal and it took nearly three full quarters to register a triple.
The Phoenix had 10 first-quarter offensive rebounds and those second chances, despite an early rally from Brisbane that shot them to the lead, eventually told.
The Bullets came from 23 points behind to beat the Breakers but, down 22 at the final break in front of their home fans, were unable to deliver a repeat.
Former Bullets captain Nathan Sobey continued his hot form with another 29 points for the Phoenix, beginning with authority in the form of an early triple and tough, scooped driving lay-up.
That followed his 33-point, five-rebound, five-assist performance in a defeat of Sydney two days earlier.
South East Melbourne also ended up shooting 16/42 from three-point range with Sobey hitting 5/10 of those while Jordan Hunter finished with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, and Angus Glover 10 points and four boards.
Akech Aliir also had 10 points and five rebounds while Hunter Maldonado contributed nine points, seven assists, three steals and four rebounds, Malique Lewis nine points, eight boards, three assists and two steals, and Owen Foxwell nine points and four assists.
New import Wes Iwundu was playing his second game and had some good moments in his 18:30 as well with five points, two rebounds and a steal.
It was a tough night all-round for the Bullets shooting just 5/22 from downtown and not hitting their first until a minute to go in the third quarter when Jaylen Adams connected.
Casey Prather again top-scored with 18 points and five rebounds with Tyrell Harrison finishing with 14 points and 10 boards, Adams 13 points and seven assists, Taine Murray 12 points and two assists, and Lamar Patterson 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Phoenix have a weeks rest before they host the Perth Wildcats next Sunday at home.
FULL TIME STATS
Sobey: 29p/2r/4a/3stls
Hunter: 12p/5r/3a
Brown III: 12p/3r/1a/1stl
Glover: 10p/4r/1a/1blk
Aliir: 10p/5r/1a/1stl
Foxwell: 9p/1r/4a/1stl/1blk
Lewis: 9p/8r/3a/2stls
Maldonado: 9p/4r/7a/3stls
Iwundu: 5p/2r/1stl
Gak: 2p/1r
Mitchell: 2p/2r/1a
Foster: 6r/1stl
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