NBL22: Phoenix coach’s dare that stumped hoops legend Andrew Gaze

Andrew Gaze couldn’t believe it. In a must-win Melbourne derby, Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell called on a little-used teen over his captain. Moments later, the basketball great knew why.

It was a move that left Aussie hoops legend Andrew Gaze initially mystified.

In a high stakes Throwdown against Melbourne United, South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell looked down his bench and called on teenager Owen Foxwell in the first quarter — before captain Kyle Adnam.

“Almost unexplainable,” Gaze mused during his call of the game for the NBL.

“I mean this is the biggest game of the season.

“This guy’s playing ahead of Kyle Adnam?”

It was a legitimate question but, as Gaze finished asserting the baby-faced 18-year-old had only played two minutes in his NBL career, Foxwell, on cue, drained a corner three.

“Yes sir,” the legendary Boomer approved.

“Here he is on the biggest stage when it comes to NBL basketball in Victoria and thrown into a situation and so far he’s stood up.

Teenager Owen Foxwell found himself in the thick of it during the Throwdown at John Cain Arena on Thursday night. Picture: Getty Images

“Mitchell has got some real confidence in this young man, because he knows what’s at stake.”

That, Mitchell does.

Far from unexplainable, the coach said the theme for his team in the heartbreaking two-point loss to United was “be daring” — and that applied to him, too.

“I was thinking to myself, ‘Well, if I’m asking the players to have a little bit of dare, throw a little bit of caution to the wind, then I have to do the same thing’,” Mitchell said.

“This kid’s been messing up our point guards all year at training, defensively putting pressure on creating turnovers and just working his tail off.

“Foxwell deserved the right to have a crack and it was a display of throwing a little caution to the wind, let’s go.”

Andrew Gaze was surprised by the decision to inject Foxwell before captain Kyle Adnam.

Gaze said: “I can absolutely guarantee that Dean Vickerman did not spend a lot of time on Owen Foxwell.”

The United coach, after the game, confirmed as much — Foxwell was also joined on the floor by little-used Lachie Barker as Mitchell threw different looks at United.

“Short turnaround for us (from the Perth game on Monday), we didn’t spend a heap of time scouting those guys,” Vickerman said.

“(Assistant) Rhys Carter’s responsible for that with our group and he gave some quick scouts to the guys.

“I thought they handled themselves really well and credit to Simon and their coaching staff for trusting in those guys to play in a big game like that in a Throwdown.

Phoenix head coach Simon Mitchell was willing to roll the dice with his young gun. Picture: Getty Images

“They played with a pretty high spirit.”

The Phoenix head to regional Victoria Sunday for an “away” date with New Zealand in Bendigo and, while their finals chances are all but shot, Mitchell says they still have plenty to play for.

“We’ve only won one of our past eight games, but we’ve been in every one of them,” he said.

“For us, it’s clearly motivation to continue to get better, to try to arrest the issues we face and move forward.

“We’ve got a ton of motivation, this isn’t a situation where all is lost, we’ve thrown in the kit bag and said that’s enough for us – we’re fighting our tails off.”

NEED TO KNOW

New Zealand Breakers 5-18 (10th) v South East Melbourne Phoenix 12-12 (6th)

Sunday, April 10, 1pm

Bendigo Basketball Stadium

Watch: ESPN, Kayo, 10Peach

The stats

Breakers

Points: Wetzell, 17.42ppg

Assists: Siva, 4.89apg

Rebounds: Wetzell, 7.95rpg

Blocks: Wetzell, 1bpg

Steals: Siva, 2.11spg

Phoenix

Points: Creek, 21ppg

Assists: Munford, 3.77apg

Rebounds: Qi, 7rpg

Blocks: Qi, 2bpg

Steals: Broekhoff, 1.56spg

Premier big men Zhou Qi and Yanni Wetzell will go head to head. Picture: Getty Images

Players to watch

Breakers

Yanni Wetzell

The ex-Phoenix big man is the Breakers’ best player. Put in a 22-point, 10 rebound, three-assist, two-block tour de force against Perth and will be primed to inflict more pain on his former club.

Phoenix

Zhou Qi

Has produced his best performances against Melbourne United but his impact has been curtailed by foul trouble throughout the year. The Phoenix has made him a focus and he has a chance to have back-to-back big games against another premier centre.