He reached double figures – and came up with a big block - after just six minutes of court time, making plays and firing at five-from-seven as the Phoenix shot to a 13-point lead in the first term. Creek had 14 points by quarter time, but the Taipans’ defence locked him down as the Phoenix’s offense stalled through the middle period. The 30-year-old finished with a team-high 25 points (50 per cent from the field), seven rebounds, three assists and a block, but failed to finish the game after receiving an eye injury. His case will be impossible to overlook if he can lead the Phoenix to the post-season.
The win also ended Tassie’s dominance over their Bass Strait rivals with the victory ending a run of four straight losses to the JackJumpers. In the only downside for United they were hit with a pair of injuries with Isaac Humphries (knee) and David Barlow (concussion following a knock with Doyle) both ruled out of the contest in the first term. While Goulding was crucial for United, teammate Marcus Lee was just as pivotal in the result as the high-flying American dominated the paint to finish with a huge 23-point, 10-rebound double-double in the win.
Tahjere McCall, DJ Hogg and Shannon Scott combined for 57 points as the Taipans came from behind to knock over the Phoenix and claim their fourth consecutive win. McCall led Cairns with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists, Scott went 19pts, seven assists, six rebounds and a steal, while Hogg had 16pts, seven assists and three rebounds.
From there, the confident Cairns side kept the momentum going as they earned win No. 14 – which should just about lock in at least a spot in the Play-in Tournament. SEM coach Simon Mitchell said he was looking forward to finally getting his team back on the practice court. “It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for this team, ” Mitchell said. “Losing Mitch tonight, again … it was really good to see those guys in his absence step up and make a contest of it and give ourselves the best opportunity to win. “We have ourselves a week now, we can actually start training a little bit when we get home. ”CREEK IS CLASSYMitch Creek’s name has been dropped more frequently in the MVP conversation recently, and as Cairns’ candidate Keanu Pinder cooled his heels on the sideline the veteran Phoenix guard went to work.
FLEXING FRANKSThe Sixers had appeared frustrated by the physical nature of the Breakers’ defence and the heated contest threatened to boil over in the third quarter. Clark was given a technical foul for voicing his displeasure at a foul called on him, Cleveland sat on the bench for most of the term after picking up his fourth foul and there was plenty of back and forth between the players. Franks took matters into his own hands, working powerfully to the basket against Dererk Pardon then celebrating his lay-up with a big flex of the muscles. Pardon went to the bench early in the last quarter after his foul that sent Anthony Drmic sprawling was upgraded to an unsportsmanlike after a coach’s challenge.
For the JackJumpers, Jack McVeigh returned to form with a stellar 18 point game in support of his clutch teammate Doyle. Tasmania will look to stay in the playoff hunt with a win against the struggling Hawks in Illawarra on Tuesday while United will head across the ditch to face the Breakers at Christchurch Arena on Thursday. Persistence pays off for 36ers in Adelaide-Jason PhelanWith the memories of their last-start late meltdown still fresh in their minds, the Adelaide 36ers dug deep on Friday night to come from behind to score a gritty eight-point win over the gallant Illawarra Hawks. In their first game since coughing up an 18-point fourth-quarter lead against the Taipans in Cairns, the 36ers were down by eight points with four minutes left at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. But Antonius Cleveland was huge defensively down the stretch and hit one of his side’s four three-pointers in the frantic final minutes to secure a 103-95 win in front of a record sellout crowd of 9, 318 fans.
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Brown’s output was important early with his side struggling from long range. The Breakers are one of the better teams in the league from three-point range, but they missed their first six shots from outside the arc before Brown drained his first attempt. They soon found their range with six triples to the Sixers’ two at halftime helping them to a seven-point lead at the main break. Three-point shooting continued to be a key factor in the contest, the Breakers finishing with 11-of-29 shooting with the Sixers just 4-of-22 from long range.
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In the last quarter they got within nine points with an alley-oop and an intercept. But that was good as it got for the Cats of the west. DJ, SOARES, CROWD ROARSDJ Vasiljevic hit three 3-pointers and was typically industrious but it was a beautifully-weighted alley-oop pass for a Jordy Hunter dunk that thrilled the bumper crowd. Soares ripped off a mighty dunk while being fouled in the second quarter.
It was a crucial victory for United (11-12) who along with the JackJumpers are in a logjam in the middle of the NBL table as numerous sides fight for a playoff spot as the season winds down. Meanwhile for the JackJumpers it was a tough loss for the plucky side who at 11-10 can now finish the round as low as seventh pending other results.
POST-SEASON PICTURECairns have made a mockery of pre-season predictions by sealing win No. 14 and all but locking in a spot in the NBL’s top six. But the club, led by second-year coach Adam Forde, is intent on finishing in the top two to guarantee a semi final spot. The Taipans are just 1. 5 wins behind the Kings with seven games left to play, but face a tough run home where all but one opponent is locked in the same race. The Phoenix, meanwhile, have to win most of their remaining games to lock in their spot.
South East Melbourne Phoenix - Brisbane Bullets - 22.10.2022