Well Travelled Phoenix Make it Four in a Row

For the third game in a row the South East Melbourne Phoenix closed out in a thriller.

After two one point wins, a massive Phoenix crowd willed the boys from the Heartland to an overtime five point win against the Adelaide 36ers. 

Ryan Broekhoff continued his hot shooting in the first quarter with 11 points, a first quarter lead of 11 blew out to 16 points before the 36ers closed it to 8 points going into the half.

The 36ers had their best quarter in the third closing the gap and leading by three to start the fourth quarter. The final quarter was a back and forth affair, with the 36ers at one point leading by five points.

With under a minute left a Ryan Broekhoff four point play had the Phoenix up by three with 15 seconds left. Craig Randall II tied the game, with three seconds left a step back three from Creek was long and the game went to overtime. 

Trey Kell was ustoppable in overtime where he torched the 36ers with eight-points.

Phoenix have a weeks break before meeting Melbourne United next Sunday for the first Throwdown of the season.

(Kell was the player of the game after a big overtime quarter.)

The Result

South East Melbourne Phoenix 103 - 98 Adelaide 36ers

The Numbers

Phoenix 

Kell: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Williams: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Broekhoff: 17 points, 6 rebounds

36ers

Randall II: 28 points
Johnson: 16 points, 8 rebounds

The Turning Point

Broekhoff four point play

With the game in the balance and the Phoenix down by one, the ball swung to an open Broekhoff who drained the three and was fouled in the process. The four point play putting the Phoenix up by three.

The Player of the Game

Trey Kell

Kell turned it on in the last quarter and continued into overtime. His eight points in overtime proved the difference.

(Broekhoff was pivotal in getting Phoenix back in the game.)

The Play of the Game

Kell’s three to seal the game

With 1.14 left in the game and the Phoenix up by six, Kell stepped into a three and drained it, with the Phoenix up by nine the game was effectively over.

From the Coach

Simon Mitchell

“With the construct of this team, we kind of knew that we had a lot of weapons. It’s just about getting that familiarity on the floor. We’ve been a little bit lucky, some close wins but at the same time you build your own luck.”

From the Player

Trey Kell

“We’re a very close group off the court. We do everything good together, crack jokes on each other. So it’s very easy to get on the court and have that trust in your teammate. We have plenty of guys that are capable of carrying the load any night.”

(In front of over 7,000 fans, Phoenix won in overtime on Sunday afteroon.)

CLICK HERE to get tickets for Throwdown XVIII on November 19

Phoenix Media (30/10/22)