NBL21 TotW Rd.18: At last, Phoenix have risen
TweetYES, we've been waiting to use that headline for a couple of years now and South East Melbourne finally gave us the chance when it got its act together to dominate both ends of the NBL ladder in Round 18.
After languishing in our other less-popular "award" for a couple of rounds after a string of insipid performances, SEM was at its best in matches against last-placed Cairns Taipans and first-placed crosstown rival Melbourne United in Throwdown IX.
Coach Simon Mitchell also had his rotations right in that key United game, focusing on his star import guard Keifer Sykes to play the majority of the PG minutes, as he was when the Phoenix were flying earlier in the season before the star import's injury.
No offence intended because Kyle Adnam and Izayah Le'Afa have done extremely well at times in extended minutes. But if SEM is to challenge for a championship, Sykes is the man it has to back.
He was finding his form in the Cairns rout where the Phoenix were ruthless and pounded the Taipans 106-77, winning every quarter.
Six players in double figues and two reasonably close showed the Orange provided just the right fodder for the Phoenix to find their game again.
Sykes (26 points at 55 per cent, 6 assists) and Mitch Creek (14 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds) were the main men when SEM was threatening as the only NBL prospect capable of unseating Melbourne or Perth so with the dynamic duo back on track, the Phoenix comfortably took out United.
As such, they also scored our NBL Team of the Week Honours for Round 18.
That said, this round's winning team was going to come out of that Phoenix-United fixture because Melbourne's road win in Perth was a huge start to its round too.
BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 18 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 17 Adelaide 36ers
Round 16 Adelaide 36ers
Round 15 Sydney Kings
Round 14 New Zealand Breakers
Round 13 Adelaide 36ers
Round 12 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 11 Perth Wildcats
Round 10 Sydney Kings
Round 9 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 8 Brisbane Bullets
Round 7 Brisbane Bullets
Round 6 Perth Wildcats
Round 5 Melbourne United
Round 4 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 3 Adelaide 36ers
Round 2 Illawarra Hawks
Round 1 Illawarra Hawks
BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS P---
Round 18 Not awarded
Round 17 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 16 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 15 Brisbane Bullets
Round 14 Brisbane Bullets
Round 13 Not awarded
Round 12 Not awarded
Round 11 Brisbane Bullets
Round 10 Cairns Taipans
Round 9 (Cup Rd.4) Adelaide 36ers
Round 8 (Cup Rd.3) Not awarded
Round 7 (Cup Rd.2) Adelaide 36ers
Round 6 (Cup Rd.1) Not awarded
Round 5 Perth Wildcats
Round 4 Adelaide 36ers
Round 3 Not awarded
Round 2 Not awarded
Round 1 Not awarded
BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Honourary Rd 18 Mention Keifer Sykes
Honourary Rd 17 Mention Bryce Cotton
Honourary Rd 16 Mention John Mooney
Honourary Rd 15 Mention Finn Delany
Honourary Rd14 Mention Levi Randolph
Honourary Rd13 Mention Jock Landale
Honourary Rd12 Mention Colton Iverson
Honourary Rd11 Mention Chris Goulding
Honourary Rd10 Mention Bryce Cotton
Honourary Rd9 Mention Bryce Cotton
Honourary Rd8 Mention Tai Webster/Dejan Vasiljevic
Honourary Rd7 Mention Nathan Sobey
Honourary Rd6 Mention Bryce Cotton
Honourary Rd 5 Mention Casper Ware
Honourary Rd 4 Mention Casper Ware
Round 3 Vic Law
Round 2 Tyler Harvey
Round 1 Daniel Johnson