Third Quarter Offensive Onslaught Seals Phoenix Win

With their legs back the Phoenix used a third quarter offensive explosion to defeat the JackJumpers in Tassie.
 
A slow start by the Phoenix saw them down by as many as 12 in the first quarter, but a late rally punctuated by back-to-back threes from Adnam meant they went into the first break only down by one.

Both teams traded buckets for much of the second before the Phoenix blew the game open in the third coming out from the main break with renewed energy to run out 13 point winners.

(Brandon Ashley had a big debut for Phoenix wil 10 rebounds.)
 
THE RESULT
 
South East Melbourne Phoenix 76-63 JackJumpers
 
THE NUMBERS
 
Mitch Creek 19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Zhou Qi 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
Kyle Adnam 13 points, 5 assists
 
JackJumpers
 
Clint Steindl 16 points, 2 rebounds 1 steal
Will Magnay 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks.
 
THE TURNING POINT

The Phoenix turned it up a notch in the third outscoring the JackJumpers 32-15, a big quarter from Zhou Qi with 12 points and Creek with 11 put the game to bed.

(Mitch Creek was the top scorer for the game with 19 points.)
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
 
Hard to split Creek and Zhou, both were pivotal during the third quarter when the game was there to be won, Creek finished with 19 points while Zhou had 18 points 9 boards and 2 blocks. Brandon Ashley pulled in 10 boards, inluding 5 offensive rebounds on debut for the Phoenix in just 15 minutes of play.
 
PLAY OF THE GAME
 
Kyle Adnam's back-to-back threes in the first quarter when the Phoenix were finding it hard to score were big. A monster dunk from Zhou in the second lit up eyes in the crowd, but the play of the game for the Phoenix was a big block from Zhou Qi on Will Magnay that lead to a fast break bucket from Creek which set up their run of scoring in the third quarter.

(Kyle Adnam going for a lay-up in the win against the JackJumpers.)
 
FROM THE COACH

Simon Mitchell
 
"I think there is some really good things to takeaway from this game, we were scrappy, there were guys looking at the bench to get a break, I was proud of the guys the way they did it tonight. Offensive side needs a lot of work, just need to get those games into us.."
 
FROM THE PLAYER

Kyle Adnam

“After last week we were itching to get back out there and respond from last week as a group. We did a good job at settling in. Massive improvements in rebounds keeping Tassie to 63. We came out here and responded but we have to do it all again on Tuesday night against Cairns.”

Tickets are still available for Tuesday's game against Cairn Taipans in Traralgon, CLICK HERE to secure your seat!

Phoenix Media (23/1/22)