VMT MATCH REPORT: Phoenix Suffer Tough Road Loss to Bullets

Despite coming off the back of a season-defining Christmas Day victory over the JackJumpers and with the return of captain Mitch Creek, the Phoenix couldn’t halt a ramraiding Brisbane outfit.

Sobey (35 points, five rebounds) was instrumental, particularly in the opening-half scoring 19 points as the clear standout player at Nissan Arena.

Despite being one of the league’s best three-point shooters, Sobey did his best work inside finishing 14-27 in FG range, similar to his teammates who outscored the Phoenix 58-44 in the paint.

The Phoenix trailed by as much as 17 points before regaining the lead in the third-term in a blitz that saw the visitors outscore the hosts 25-15 on the back of a Gary Browne-led resurgence.

Though a brain fade saw Browne’s swinging arm collect Brisbane centre Aron Baynes resulting in an ejection and the Puerto Rican’s night ended early in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix fans would’ve had their hearts in their mouths, with both Abdel Nader (finger) and Alan Williams (knee) spending extended time with medical staff in the first half.

Nader would eventually return but foul out in the fourth, with Williams pivotal in the third-term run but spending the final quarter on the pine and hobbling after the knee-on-knee contact.

Creek’s return was fruitful, the 31-year-old posting 11 points, 11 rebounds and four assists after missing three games with a knee injury.

The Phoenix will finish 2023 with a 9-10 record in fifth place on the NBL table, their next chance for redemption coming on January 5 against the Illawarra Hawks.

Sauce’s knee

Alan Williams received some unintentional contact to the knee after setting a screen early in the second quarter, going down and clutching his knee. While it looked a serious injury from the big man’s reaction, Williams was back up and on the bike within minutes. He posted 13 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes but spent the final quarter on the bench, visibly hobbled by the kneel. The Phoenix will be sweating on scans from the NBL-MVP candidate centre.

Full-Time Stats

Kenyon: 14p/8r/1a

Williams: 13p/11r/1a/1blk

Nader: 13p/5r

Browne: 13p/1r/4a/2stls

Creek: 11p/11r/4a/2stls

Foxwell: 10p

Ayre: 5p/3r/5a

Rissetto: 2p/3r/1a

Vague: 2p/3r/1stl

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