Melbourne United defeats South East Melbourne Phoenix in Throwdown 2
Melbourne United has squared the Throwdown ledger 1-1 with the NBL’s expansion team powerless to stop fired-up centre Shawn Long.
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Staring down the barrel of a 1-5 start to the season Melbourne United monster Shawn Long tweeted it was time to “focus in crazy”.
He wasn’t kidding.
The towering centre went about dismantling new cross-town rival South East Melbourne Phoenix, pouring in 16 points in the opening quarter on the way to a game-high 31 (plus 11 rebounds) that set the tone of tonight’s Throwdown 2 at Melbourne Arena.
United won 110-98.
“About to end my social media’s and focus in crazy,” Long tweeted following Monday night’s loss to Cairns.
Poor Dane Pineau bore the brunt of Long’s aggression, the Phoenix cult figure powerless to stop a man on a mission.
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United adopted an anyone-but-John Roberson — Phoenix’s gunslinging three-point dynamo — approach, and it worked to a tee.
The import point guard was held to just five points in the first half.
Third quarters have been a huge issue for United and so it was again, Phoenix making a run that cut a 13-point halftime deficit to five.
But, unlike the debacle in Cairns, United was up to the task, keeping the Phoenix at bay.
A buzzer-beating three-point bomb from a scorching United talisman Chris Goulding (24 points) as the third quarter expired and with boos ringing in his ears killed any Phoenix hopes off.
Phoenix Star Mitch Creek (23 points, seven rebounds) found life hard, but the men from the south east would have been happy with the grit of maligned import Keith Benson (12 points).
The ledger in the Throwdown is now 1-1 and this rivalry is now red hot.
Speaking of red hot, United next face the Sydney Kings on Melbourne Cup eve and you better believe that’s going to be hot.
Casper Ware — a championship winner and favourite son — makes his first return to Melbourne Arena, and we all know how much United loves Andrew Bogut.