South East Melbourne Phoenix is riding a wave of confidence after claiming a fourth consecutive victory.
The Phoenix showed its staying power, out-lasting a gritty Perth Wildcats 94-89 in a grind-it-out game at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
It went down to the wire after a spectacular block from Phoenix guard Nathan Sobey denied a driving Wildcats centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr late, but an offensive foul from Phoenix Next Star Malique Lewis on Dylan Windler gave the Wildcats a second look and guard Jaron Rillie drained a three to cut the deficit to just two with 42 seconds left.
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On the same dramatic play, Phoenix shooting guard Angus Glover sustained an ankle injury and had to be helped off the court wincing in pain.
But Phoenix found a way with Sobey hitting two free throws to restore a four-point lead for Phoenix with 24 seconds left before a contested rebound on a missed Kristian Doolittle shot went off the fingers of Windler and Phoenix held on.
It maintains Phoenix’s unbeaten record on their home floor, improving to 4-0 in front of their home fans and 6-2 overall on the season.
NEW CONTENDER?
The question remains though, are the Phoenix genuine championship contenders?
The answer to that might be found when they face undefeated crosstown rivals Melbourne United next Sunday, but they have a tricky trip to Tasmania to negotiate before that on Thursday night.
Sobey, the most prolific scorer for Phoenix this season, hunted his shot aggressively out of the blocks.
The captain landed two threes as part of an eight-point opening quarter that kept Phoenix in touch.
The hugely influential veteran finished with a game-high 22 points, including four threes, with five rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
When Phoenix needed a steadying influence, they turned to young guard Owen Foxwell.
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BACKCOURT BOOST
Foxwell has formed a lethal back court combination with Sobey and was again a menace with 20 points, five assists and two steals.
The Wildcats have significantly lengthened their lineup in the post-Bryce Cotton era, and it has ushered in a more unpredictable style of play with no over reliance on a single scorer.
No fewer than nine players got on the scoresheet and four players in double digits.
The go-to guy at the death was Doolittle, who finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
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DOOLITTLE DOES A LOT
It would appear the Wildcats are now Doolittle’s team – even if there is more of a willingness to get others involved.
Wildcats centre Lual-Acuil Jr, strangely quiet in the first period, exploded to life in the second as the scores were level on 46 apiece at half-time.
Lual-Acuil Jr was restricted to 13 points – a definite win within the game for Phoenix.
The Wildcats answered a Phoenix 5-0 run at the start of the third with an 8-0 run of their own that was halted by a Jordan Hunter three.
Jaron Rillie, the son of Wildcats coach John, was superb in his first venture into Melbourne with 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
The Phoenix took a three-point lead into the fourth after a buzzer beating two from Brown almost lifted the roof off the arena.
After Phoenix opened up some breathing space with an eight-point lead, Wildcats guard Ben Henshall got the visitors back in the game with a pair of threes and it was a single basket game again.
It was the fresher Phoenix, playing their first game in eight days, who finished the game out stronger as they laid claim to the best-f-the-rest title at this stage of the season.
NBL SCOREBOARD
South East Melbourne Phoenix 94 (Sobey 22 Foxwell 20 Brown III 12) d Perth Wildcats 89 (Doolittle 19 Rilie 16 Windler 15)
At John Cain Arena, Melbourne.