Phoenix thrash Brisbane by 20
A DYNAMIC shooting display from John Roberson has inspired South East Melbourne to a 113-93 NBL win over Brisbane.
Roberson lit up Melbourne Arena yesterday afternoon by scoring 30 points, including nine-of-11 three-pointers, in front of 6019 fans — a record for an expansion team in their home opener.
Coming off a 10-day break from their debut NBL match, the Phoenix backed up their maiden victory over crosstown rivals Melbourne United with a big second half to end the Bullets’ unbeaten start to the season.
“You’re getting a team on the second game of a road trip, you want to play with a little pace, try and lift the tempo and see if you can maybe bury them a little in that fourth (quarter),” coach Simon Mitchell said after the blowout win.
“I thought we did a really good job of that, led by John and (Mitch) Creek.”
Roberson broke the match open with a flurry of longrange bombs to begin the third quarter, while Kendall Stephens (17 points) also connected on five triples, the Phoenix making 18 three-pointers for the game.
The 180cm point guard fell one shy of the league record for three-pointers in a 40-minute game, held by former Perth Wildcats import Jermaine Beal. Phoenix captain Creek completed another fine allround performance with 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
Lamar Patterson tried his best to keep the Bullets in the contest with 30 points, including 13 in the second quarter, as did Nathan Sobey (15 points, seven assists, six rebounds) while reserve big man Will Magnay added 13. “It just seemed like every shot they put up was going in,” Patterson said about the Phoenix’s threepoint barrage.
“We knew they all could shoot but when it came down to it, we didn’t execute defensively.”
With the result, the Phoenix match the West Sydney Razorbacks as the only expansion club to win their opening two games.
Roberson showed off his long-range shooting prowess by opening the third quarter with consecutive triples.
The Bullets tried to chip away at the Phoenix lead but Ben Madgen’s late threepointer sent the home side into the final quarter up 86-74, before Roberson nailed his eighth triple early in the term to put the game beyond Brisbane’s reach.