DREWITT'S BULBS MATCH REPORT: Phoenix into Top Six with Heritage Round Win
Written By
Tyrone Winder
The Phoenix for the first time are in the top-six of the NBL standings after beating the last-placed Cairns 99-94 in a to-and-fro affair at John Cain Arena.
Honouring the South East Melbourne Magic and wearing the iconic white pin-striped kit for the NBL’s Heritage Round, the Phoenix played like a championship team in front of some of the 90s title winners in the crowd, scoring a franchise record 63 points in the first half.
On the back of their highest scoring opening term of the season with 39 points, South East Melbourne continued the momentum in the second stanza largely on the back of a rampant Nathan Sobey (26 points, three assists).
SOB3️⃣EY! 👌
— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) December 7, 2024
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/fZMadz4fBw
Angus Glover returned to the starting lineup tonight in the absence of Derrick Walton Jr, continuing to impress as a starter scoring 16 points for the match on an eye-catching 75 percent from deep.
Big man Jordan Hunter hit a milestone scoring his 1000th NBL point in the second quarter in the flashiest way possible, throwing down an emphatic slam on the head of the Cairns defence.
The captain would go on to finish the game with eight points and six rebounds, his leadership shining through.
That is how you do your 1,000 points in style! 🫡
— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) December 7, 2024
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/9KSzMibsbS
Phoenix import Joe Wieskemp continued to build momentum leading into the second half of the season, the Iowa native managing to score at all three levels going for 14 points, dropping in six of them from beyond the arc.
Matt Hurt continues to show off his scoring prowess knocking in 19 points for the game, ten of which came in the final quarter - earning himself a double-double with 14 rebounds to accompany.
Whilst the first half was all the hosts, the Taipans would flip the script andoutscore the home side 32-12 in the third quarter to take their first lead of the game setting up for a thrilling final term.
But thanks to an 11-point burst from Nathan Sobey, the Phoenix would go on to outscore their opponents 21 to six to claim victory and their seventhwin of the season.
The Phoenix will next take on the Brisbane Bullets at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on the 12th of December.
FULL TIME STATS
Sobey: 26p/3r/3a/2stls/1blk
Hurt: 19p/14r/1blk
Glover: 16p/5r/4a/1stl/1blk
Wieskamp: 14p/4r/1stl
Lewis: 10p/7r
Hunter: 8p/6r
Foxwell: 4p/3r/6a/1stl
Kenyon: 2p/4r/3stls/1blk
Vodanovich: 1r/1a
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