To The South: A Big Blowout and Double-Overtime Thriller

With Canadian basketball still scarce for the time being, other content will be making appearances on TTN in the interim.

After an exciting start to the 2021 NBL season continued in the last two games of the opening round of the regular season. One team made their debut and participated in what would be one of the games of the season sof

Adelaide 36ers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix

Though South East Melbourne had a five-point lead early on, there was little to choose between the teams to start with. Led by Crocker on offence, Adelaide quickly erased the deficit and put themselves in control in the second quarter. Phoenix leading scorers Mitch Creek and Wetzell combined to turn the advantage back to their side, setting up a final quarter which SEM went into leading by four.

Adelaide took the biggest lead of the game, eight points, as the game entered the final stretch of regulation, but Wetzell and Creek struck again, levelling off the scores when the final buzzer sounded. The game went to overtime, where the 36ers scored six in a row to begin with, but Mitch Creek was not done yet, closing the gap for the Phoenix and Te Rangi put them ahead by a basket.

A fadeaway from Jack McVeigh once again tied the scores, now a second overtime period was required. Determined to bring the game to a close, Adelaide were the first to go infront and though the Phoenix got to within two on multiple occasions, seven in a row from the 36ers without reply got them the victory they fought so hard for.

Creek had a team-high 30 points for South East Melbourne, who also saw double-doubles from Wetzell and Keifer Sykes in the loss. Adelaide also saw double-doubles from Josh Giddey and Isaac Humphrey as well as the game’s best individual score, 33 points from from captain Daniel Johnson, as they won their second straight game and yet to see a loss.

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Cairns Taipans vs The Hawks

Both teams came into this game with a win each, but it was the Hawks who were hungrier to double their streak, orchestrating a 31-19 lead over the Taipans after ten minutes.

Cairns tried to claw their way back into contention with their field shooting, but the Hawks’ intensity in the paint regularly kept them at the double-digit distance they built in the opening quarter. In the final period, with Cairns still at a loss for inspiration, Tyler Harvey, Justinian Jessup and Harry Froling combined on the Hawks’ end to put the game to bed between them.

Harvey finished with a game-high 25 points, closely followed by Jessup who had 24, while Justin Simon completed a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds in the Hawks’ 92-76 win to stay undefeated in the NBL. Majok Deng had 20 points for the Taipans in the loss, while Cameron Oliver’s consolation was 16 points and 12 rebounds at the same time.

Picture: Mark Brake