Phoenix upset Breakers to continue NBL fightback

[Pelican Press 0]

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Phoenix upset Breakers to continue NBL fightback

South East Melbourne have continued their NBL resurgence, producing another huge upset in an 88-62 thumping of New Zealand on the road.

League-leading scorer Matt Hurt (19 points) and Nathan Sobey (12) were integral as the Phoenix built an early double-digit lead and were never headed at Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena on Thursday.

Angus Glover (13 points), Ben Ayre (13) and Joe Wieskamp (11) also stood up and posted double-figure tallies in the absence of injured import Derrick Walton Jr (hamstring).

********* guards Parker Jackson-Cartwright (19 points) and Matt Mooney (11) fought hard for New Zealand, and Grant Anticevich (12) was effective off the bench.

But starters Sam Mennenga, Jonah Bolden and Karim Lopez combined for just 14 points in the Breakers’ first home loss of the season.

Phoenix interim coach Sam Mackinnon now has a perfect 2-0 record at the helm after Mike Kelly was fired earlier this month following a 0-5 start to the season.

Mackinnon will take charge of Saturday’s home clash with league leaders Illawarra, before handing over to incoming ********* head coach Josh King.

A scrappy start had the Phoenix up 24-9 as Sobey and Glover led early scoring, ******* the visitors to a double-digit lead at the end of the first *******.

They held sway throughout the first half despite the efforts of Jackson-Cartwright, whose energy in spurts helped keep the Breakers in touch.

Jackson-Cartwright added seven points early in the third term as New Zealand slashed the deficit to four points.

But the Phoenix steadied with a 10-0 run to end the third *******, and Ayre’s quick six points at the start of the fourth gave the visitors a game-high 18-point buffer.

The margin blew out late on the back of a pair of triples from Ayre and Luke Rosendale.

New Zealand (3-2) face a tough few weeks, with six of their next seven games on the road, starting on Sunday with an away game against the Sydney Kings.

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