NBL Round 19 news: Phoenix secure thrilling win over Adelaide 36ers
South East Melbourne Phoenix import Joe Wieskamp was the hero in the clutch as his side secured a thrilling win over the Adelaide 36ers in a game which went down to the wire. Recap the action from the round here.
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Tenacious import Joe Wieskamp was the hero in the clutch moment as South East Melbourne Phoenix staved off a furious fightback from Adelaide 36ers to win 105-99 in a thriller at John Cain Arena on Saturday.
With the Phoenix leading by two with 20 seconds left, Wieskamp hopped on the trampoline to deny high flying 36ers forward Lat Mayen for what would have been a game-tying dunk.
But Wieskamp was not satisfied, the 25-year-old American sprinted down the floor to produce the game-sealing lay up.
Presented with a chance to move up to fourth on the ladder as a result of the Sydney Kings loss earlier in the day, a fast starting Phoenix took full advantage.
It means a win for the Phoenix against Melbourne United in the Throwdown next Saturday night will see them secure a spot in the seeding game and avoid a sudden death play-in game.
While the 36ers missed out on two opportunities this weekend to seal a play-in tournament spot.
The Phoenix came out hungry.
The home side raced to an 18-point half time lead.
You had to wonder how much a top six finish meant to the 36ers players in their awful first half.
The 36ers started the game seemingly disinterested in getting their hands dirty, losing all the 50-50 balls and as a result were playing from behind early.
Star 36ers big man Montrezl Harrell took it upon himself to drag his side back into the contest after half time.
Harrell was the chief instigator of the 36ers remarkable second half comeback, which saw the 36ers lead by five late in the game, before the Phoenix found a second wind to clinch the victory.
The American secured a double-double before three-quarter-time as scoring just two points in the first half.
The 31-year-old finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Point guard Kendric Davis was a constant threat for the 36ers.
After a shaky start where he committed three early turnovers, Davis produced some mouth-watering playmaking and finishing en route to 23 points and seven assists, though he did finish with six turnovers, which was telling in such a closely fought battle.
The Phoenix set up its win with a huge 61-point first half.
Veteran guard Nathan Sobey was damaging down the stretch with 26 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
The 34-year-old was buzzing around the court and his energy was infectious.
Forward Matt Hurt was a tower of strength with a double double 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The wildcard for Phoenix was young guard Owen Foxwell.
Foxwell’s offensive impact was crucial with 22 points, but he also had the task of negating the ever-dangerous Davis.
For a team playing to secure its spot in the play-in tournament, the 36ers could not have been a more disappointing start.
36ers coach Mike Wells did not want the shocking start to fester and used a time out 71 seconds in.
Phoenix centre Jordan Hunter came out breathing fire and finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Hunter threw down a huge dunk to lift the crowd, but he also a defensive monster in the first half, before Harrell eventually had his way with all Phoenix players in the second half.
Phoenix guard Ben Ayre piled on the pain before half time with nine points to give Phoenix a massive 61-43 lead.
The 36ers showed some fight in the third quarter and it was sparked by Harrell.
The 36ers built up a five-point lead and seemingly had control, but Phoenix challenged again and turned the game into an arm wrestle before Wieskamp’s late heroics.
Cotton, Wildcats outclass Kings in pivotal NBL battle
Perth has taken a giant stride towards locking up a spot in the top-three after leading from start to finish to knock off the Kings in Sydney.
With a little over a week remaining in the NBL regular season, this was shaped as a playoff defining contest, with the winner keeping the door ajar for a top-two finish and the loser a chance of finishing the round in fifth.
The Wildcats had every reason to fall off late in the piece, coming into the contest after playing in Perth on Friday night against a Kings team with a nine-day break.
Sydney started to build momentum in the third, with Kouat Noi dropping 13 points in the quarter and Cam Oliver converting an and-one in the closing stages.
That was before Bryce Cotton (30 points, four steals, four assists) showed why he is among the most clutch players in the league, hitting a three to push the margin back out to 11 with one to play.
He strengthened his MVP case with a dominant display to start the fourth, coming up with two steals and the opening six points of the quarter to open up a game-winning margin, silencing the 14,112-strong crowd on their way to a big 104-97 win.
EARLY FOULS CRUEL STAR
With so much at stake both teams were looking for a hot start.
Things couldn’t have gone worse for the Kings, as they were forced to sit their most potent attacking weapon in Jaylen Adams after he picked up a pair of fouls inside two and a half minutes.
He wasn’t seen for the remainder of the first quarter and Sydney’s output suffered in a big way, scoring just 21 points as the visitors raced out to an 11-point lead heading into the second term.
Adams would go on to foul out early in the fourth quarter, playing just 14 minutes, scoring one point in his worst outing of the season.
WILDCATS SHARE THE LOVE
We’ve seen Cotton do it on his own this season, but the Wildcats made a concerted effort to get the rest of the team rolling and it paid dividends in the first half.
While he had 15 in the first half, four out of five starters had eight or more points to the main break, with Dean Windler hitting both of his three-point attempts and Ben Henshall attacking the basket with confidence.
The Wildcats would finish the game with six players scoring 11+ points.
TOOHEY KEEPS KINGS ALIVE
With Adams neutralised with foul trouble and the Wildcats dominating the rebounding battle in the first half (28-16), the Kings needed somebody to keep them in the hunt.
That man was Alex Toohey, coming up with some big plays to help Sydney recover from as much as 14 down to stay within range at eight down at the halftime break.
He hit two big threes to start the second term as he tallied 17 points from just nine shots.
United shock JackJumpers in stunning comeback
Melbourne United has dodged its Tasmania JackJumpers banana peel, stealing victory from the jaws of defeat against their bogey side to strengthen its hopes of a top-two finish.
It looked a forlorn task for United, who trailed by as much as 16 points in the second quarter and nine at three-quarter-time.
But a withering fourth quarter burst saw them out-hustle a gutsy Tasmania JackJumpers to win 94-92 in a classic at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.
It was playoff basketball come early with the two sides leaving nothing on the floor.
United left it late to produce their best play, but got their act together just in the nick of time to keep the wolves hunting their second place at bay.
It was a gut wrenching defeat for Tasmania.
The JackJumpers will need a miracle to make the play-in tournament now.
This will be seen as the one that got away for Scott Roth’s team due to the control they had over the game.
It looked as though the JackJumpers dominance over United at the venue – they had won seven of their previous eight head-to-head meetings against United at JCA – would continue, but United dug deep like they have so often in recent games.
Three of United’s last four wins have been in single digit thrillers and coach Dean Vickerman has been thrilled with how his team has closed out games.
This close-out victory topped the lot.
United had no right to come back from their predicament, but they once again found a way.
It snapped United’s four game losing streak at home.
STELLAR SHEA
Shea Ili produced a lionhearted performance for United.
The tough-as-nails point guard led the way with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Kyle Bowen was spectacular off the bench with 15 points and eight rebounds.
United will be assured of a top-two finish if it wins its final game of the season against South East Melbourne Phoenix at JCA next Saturday night.
The gallant JackJumpers, on a six-game losing streak, will need to win their last game against Cairns and hope results go their way to avoid elimination.
JACKIES START STRONG
Tasmania came out to play like their lives depended on it in the first half.
The JackJumpers players demonstrated a team that was eager to avoid becoming the first squad in their club’s history to miss out on the playoffs.
The visitors raced to half-time with a commanding 61-51 lead as they won all the 50-50 balls and forced United into uncharacteristic turnovers.
United had a massive eight first half turnovers.
Veteran point guard Jordon Crawford, re-inserted as a starter for the JackJumpers, pushed the pace early as part of a 20-point game.
Crawford’s speed and cunning was too much to handle as United seemed lax defensively.
The 34-year-old was in one of his moods as he piled on 13 first half points.
But it was JackJumpers forward Milton Doyle who kept United at arm’s length when the home side threatened.
Showing his star qualities, Doyle was actively setting the tone at both ends with 14 points, three assists and two steals at half time.
Doyle finished with 19 points and seven rebounds.
Majok Deng was scratchy on his return from an ankle injury with four points in 19 minutes on Thursday night.
Returning to the scene of his game three heroics in last year’s grand final series, Deng had the scoreboard ticking over.
United’s first half was ugly.
The hosts stared a hefty 16-point deficit in the face during the second period.
A buzzer-beating three from captain Chris Goulding lifted the spirits going into the half-time break.
Goulding had a team-high 10 points in the first half, including two threes, taking his streak to 89 games of scoring at least one three-pointer, but it was an off-colour United, coughing up 61 first half points, the most the JackJumpers have scored in a first half this season.
Sensing the game was slipping away, United turned the screws defensively late in the third, but everything was still a tad laborious offensively and the Jackies kept them at arm’s length.
A Tanner Krebs three cut the deficit to single digits late in the third and United had a slim hope.
United came home strong with a 26-15 final quarter, but a Doyle three with 23 seconds left to cut their margin to two, making it a nervous finish.
NBL SCOREBOARD
Melbourne United 94 (Ili 18 Bowen 15) d Tasmania JackJumpers 92 (Crawford 20 Doyle 19)
At John Cain Arena, Melbourne
Wildcat comeback puts the hurt on Phoenix
The Perth Wildcats remain in the race for a top two finish after an incredible come-from-behind win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena on Friday night.
The Wildcats trailed by 12 points early in the final term, eyeing off a third consecutive loss on their home court.
But blistering final terms from Bryce Cotton (29 Points) and Keanu Pinder (22) saw the Cats home 100-99.
Cotton dropped 10 points in the fourth quarter; Pinder nine.
With two games to play, the Wildcats are one win behind the second place Melbourne United.
The loss hurts the Phoenix, who had only lost to the Sydney Kings (twice) since the start of 2025.
RELYING ON EXPERIENCE
John Rillie’s decision to return Pinder to the starting line-up has paid dividends.
Pinder starred in the win, with 22 points and seven rebounds. He also caused a few Phoenix turnovers at crucial times.
Pinder last started in round 10.
Rillie has continually backed youth to start games, leaving some experienced players on the bench early in first terms.
But after two consecutive home losses, to Melbourne United and the Cairns Taipans, he reverted to the higher profile members of his roster.
Izan Almansa and David Okwera started on the bench, with Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle also in the starting five.
Doolittle was also massive, with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
THE LOSS HURTS
Phoenix star Matt Hurt looked like tearing the game apart in the opening term.
His 10 points for the quarter led all-comers.
But the Cats locked him down after the first term. He scored only two points in the second quarter and seven in the second half.
He topscored for the Phoenix with 19 points. Ben Ayre added 14 and Nathan Sobey just eight.
LOOT GOES TO THE TAIPANS
The Phoenix bizarre gamble to elect Friday night’s game in Perth as its Summer Shootout fixture didn’t pay off.
Their score of 99 was 12 off winning the $50,000 prize money. The Cairns Taipans claimed the cash after scoring 111 points against the Brisbane Bullets on 17 January.
For the Summer Shootout, each club has nominated an away game they’d play in January, where it believes it would score the most points.
The away team that scored the most points over the 10 Summer Shootout games took home the prize money.
It was the final game of the Shootout, after the Bullets managed only 92 in its away win to the Adelaide 36ers in the early game on Friday.
36ERS’ FINALS HOPES SLIP AFTER BLOWING GOLDEN CHANCE
– Jason Phelan
With a finals spot to play for against an injury-ravaged Brisbane Bullets, the Adelaide 36ers somehow spurned a golden opportunity to punch their post-season ticket with a desperately disappointing, disjointed performance in an three-point 89-92 upset loss on Friday night.
Kendric Davis missed a three-point attempt to send it into overtime as time expired, Casey Prather with a game-high 26 points as the Bullets kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a gutsy win against the odds.
The Sixers were the hottest team in the league going into the clash, having won three in a row and six of their past eight, but they trailed by 13 points two minutes into the final term in front of a stunned sellout crowd at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Adelaide summoned an 11-0 run, including two DJ Vasiljevic threes, that fired up the Sixers and their fans.
The Bullets clung to a two-point lead with a minute left, but Vasiljevic missed a go-ahead three-point attempt after a time-out.
With 30 seconds left, Keandre Cook drained a massive triple to make it a five-point game with 20 seconds remaining.
Montrezl Harrell had been uncharacteristically subdued, but landed a clutch three-pointer with 12 seconds left, but that was how the score remained in a shock result that sends Adelaide’s tumultuous season of locker room bust-ups, on-court brawls, big injuries and NBL bans, down to the wire with two games remaining.
The sixth-placed 36ers slipped to a 13-14 record, with the Tasmania JackJumpers nipping at their heels in seventh at 12-15.
SCORING STRUGGLES
The visitors hushed the home fans with an impressive start.
The game was tied at 12-12 with three minutes remaining in a scrappy first quarter, with the Sixers shooting 2-from-11 from the field, with none of Davis, Harrell or Vasiljevic making a basket at that stage.
A frustrated Mike Wells called time-out, but his sputtering side trailed 21-22 at the first break, shooting 5-from-18 from the floor, with Prather leading the charge with a game-high nine points.
Playing against a Brisbane side that allows the most points per game in the NBL (98.1), the 36ers were too often static on the offensive end in the first half and only edged in front 45-42 at the half after Davis drained his first triple of the night as time ran out to be the leading scorer on the floor with 15 points.
SHOTS FIRED
Home fans hoping their team would rally after a break to talk things through were disappointed as the Bullets fired in the third.
With the Sixers still struggling to find any rhythm on offence, the visitors went on a 14-2 run, former Sixer Tohi Smith-Milner with back-to-back threes, with the Bullets outscoring Adelaide 26-13 in the third quarter to lead by five points heading into the frantic final term.
HOTTEST TICKET
Despite their issues in a tumultuous season, the Sixers have been the hottest ticket in town throughout.
Friday night was Adelaide’s 14th and final home game of the regular season, with every single one of them played in front of a sellout crowd.
NBL TOP-SIX TAKES SHAPE AS HAWKS THUMP JACKJUMPERS
—Brayden May
The NBL’s top-six is all but set after the Illawarra Hawks thumping win over the Tasmania JackJumpers.
Illawarra strengthened their grip on first place while all but ending the JackJumpers hopes of defending their title in the playoffs with a 102-78 win on Thursday night at MyState Bank Arena.
With two games left in their season, the Hawks now sit one win clear of second placed Melbourne United.
For the JackJumpers, they could be two games behind Adelaide in sixth if the 36ers beat the injury plagued Brisbane Bullets on Friday night.
Tassie have two games to play – one against Melbourne on Saturday before welcoming the Cairns Taipans next week.
HOT DEFENCE AGAINST COLD DEFENCE
Illawarra has now won 13 straight games when limiting the opposition to 90 points or less.
It was a record which improved as the JackJumpers, who have averaged the lowest points per game of any side this season, struggled to find rhythm.
Milton Doyle had 15 points in the first half, including 13 in the second quarter, but was otherwise well held. Clint Steindl (13 points) and Jordon Crawford (17) offered some support but it wasn’t enough against the high powered Hawks.
Finishing with 102 points means Illawarra is on track to become the first team since the Melbourne Tigers and New Zealand in the 2008-09 season to average more than 100 points per game.
FEED FROLING
Illawarra led by 18 at the main break and much of it had to do with the first half dominance of Sam Froling.
The 24-year-old had 16 points in the first two quarters on the back of a dominant inside game where it felt like he would score at every opportunity
Former NBL guard Pete Hooley said in ESPN’s broadcast Froling was “unique unlike most traditional big men” giving his willingness to put the ball on the floor.
Gorjak Gak, handed his first start of the season for the Jackies, proved to be no match on the inside.
Pinpointing a lack of size inside for the JackJumpers in a halftime interview, it was a little surprising Froling would only have one shot in the third quarter.
He eventually finished with 18 points.
“He dominates in the paint like that and makes our life easier,” Tyler Harvey said post-game.
A STREAK TO KEEP AN EYE ON
The JackJumpers’ have made plenty of history in their short existence and they’ll be eyeing off another record next season.
Thursday was the club’s 54th straight sellout home game and the league’s record of 61 games is in sight.
It’s a figure which belongs to the defunct Townsville Crocodiles who consistently packed out The Swamp.
Tassie’s home court has about 1000 less seats than the home of the Crocs, the Townsville Entertainment Centre.
“Very clear sign we need to expand. Chats with the (Tasmanian) Government are going well. We’re on the way,” JackJumpers and NBL owner Larry Kestelman told the broadcast.
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Originally published as NBL Round 19 news: Phoenix secure thrilling win over Adelaide 36ers
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