In a stunning display of offensive firepower, the South East Melbourne Phoenix have continued their meteoric rise up the NBL ladder with a comprehensive 100-76 thrashing of the Perth Wildcats. The resounding victory marks the Phoenix’s fourth win in their last five outings, a remarkable turnaround after a dismal 0-5 start to the season that saw head coach Simon Mitchell axed.
Sobey, Hurt Shine as Phoenix Catch Fire
Leading the charge for the surging Phoenix was prized recruit Nathan Sobey, who poured in a game-high 20 points on sizzling shooting from beyond the arc. The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist set the tone early, drilling a pair of quick-fire triples to ignite a 35-23 first quarter blitz from which Perth never recovered.
Sobey, who had struggled mightily to find his rhythm under the old regime, appears to be thriving in new head coach Josh King’s up-tempo offensive scheme. The explosive guard also dished out a game-high five assists, repeatedly carving open a Wildcats defense that simply had no answers.
Sobes has been immense for us these past couple of weeks. He’s really embraced the freedom and responsibility Coach King has given him to be our floor general out there.
– Phoenix co-captain Mitch Creek on Sobey’s resurgence
Hurt’s Hot Hand Fuels Early Onslaught
Joining Sobey in the Phoenix’s early barrage was sharpshooting import Matt Hurt. The stretch four caught fire in the opening stanza, torching the Wildcats to the tune of 14 first-quarter points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field.
While Hurt would cool off over the remaining three quarters, his early outburst was instrumental in staking the home side to an unassailable lead. The former Duke standout finished with 17 points and 4 rebounds, bolstering his case for early MVP consideration.
Cotton-less Cats Struggle for Scoring Punch
With talisman Bryce Cotton still sidelined by a lingering rib injury, scoring proved a bridge too far for a stagnant Wildcats offense. No Perth player managed more than 13 points on a night where the visitors shot a paltry 36% from the floor.
Obviously missing a weapon like Bryce is always going to make things tougher. But we can’t use that as an excuse. We need to find ways to generate quality looks and knock them down when we get them.
– Wildcats coach John Rillie
Rillie, clearly frustrated by some of the officiating, was fortunate to escape without a technical foul during several animated exchanges with the referees in the second quarter. At one point, the rookie head coach could be heard yelling “Sobey is a bad defender” after a foul on the Phoenix guard was reversed.
Wagstaff Sets Games Played Mark in Defeat
On a night of few bright spots for Perth, veteran Jesse Wagstaff made history by setting a new club record for most games played. The 36-year-old fan favorite logged seven minutes off the bench in his 483rd appearance for the Wildcats, surpassing Ricky Grace atop the franchise’s all-time list.
Still, personal accolades will provide little solace for a Perth outfit that now finds itself at 5-5 and mired in the bottom half of the NBL ladder. With road games against top four hopefuls Cairns and Adelaide looming, Rillie will need to quickly find some answers to prevent the Wildcats from losing further ground in the race for the playoffs.
Phoenix Rising as NBL Contenders
Conversely, the Phoenix’s fourth win on the trot has the league’s preseason cellar dwellers suddenly dreaming of a top four berth. At 4-5, South East Melbourne now sits just one game back of fourth-placed Illawarra with a game in hand.
More importantly, the Phoenix appear to have found a clear identity under King – one built on unselfish ball movement, potent outside shooting, and swarming defense. If Sobey and fellow star import Alan Williams can maintain their scintillating form, a deep playoff run may no longer be the pipe dream it seemed mere weeks ago.
We’re not getting carried away, it’s still early days. But we’re building the right habits and belief. This group is starting to realize how good we can be when we commit to playing the right way.
– Newly minted Phoenix head coach Josh King
The Phoenix will look to keep the good times rolling when they host the 3-6 New Zealand Breakers on Thursday night. Perth, meanwhile, faces a quick turnaround before its Wednesday night clash with the 5-4 Taipans in Cairns.
