"Beatdown": United dominant as Phoenix endure shooting nightmare

The South East Melbourne Phoenix had a horror shooting night in Throwdown 33 and Cole Anthony and Chris Goulding combined for 35 points for Melbourne United as they got on the board this NBL season winning 86-61.

The Throwdown took place on Thursday night at John Cain Arena with South East Melbourne playing their third game already of the season after winning in Perth on Saturday night and then losing a tight one to the Tasmania JackJumpers on Monday.

Melbourne started their season with a narrow loss to the Adelaide 36ers on Saturday night, and the Phoenix just couldn’t get anything going offensively all night.

South East Melbourne missed their first 13 three-pointers of the game and that remained the story of the night with them going 4/41 by the end including just four points the entire last quarter.

Melbourne were leading by just two at quarter-time but that was out to 10 at half-time, 12 at three quarter-time and 25 by the final buzzer even with the Phoenix getting up 13 extra shot attempts.

United had 14 turnovers and gave up 20 offensive rebounds, but shot 44 per cent, with Cole Anthony finishing with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Chris Goulding added 17 points with 5/10 three-point shooting with import centre Josh Oduro delivering 21 points and eight rebounds with Malith Machar contributing nine points, Luke Travers nine points and 10 rebounds, and Joe Ingles seven points, five boards and two assists.

The Phoenix ended up shooting 27 overall from the field with Skylar Mays ending up with 10 points and five assists, and Akech Aliir 10 points and six rebounds.

But Nathan Sobey had six points on 0/6 from three, D'Shawn Schwartz five on 0/6, Dash Daniels nine on 1/7, and Angus Glover four on 0/6.

It wasn’t the prettiest start to Throwdown 33 and the Phoenix missed all 10 of their three-point attempts while going 6/25 from the field but Melbourne were struggling against the pressure with seven turnovers.

United shot better, though, going 7/14 and, despite 11 fewer shot attempts, leading 16-14 by the end of one.

South East Melbourne's shooting never improved in the second quarter, as they added another 21 points on 7/23 from the field and 2/14 from downtown, with their first two triples courtesy of Dash Daniels and Jordan Hunter.

Up the other end, Melbourne took better care of the ball with just three turnovers and put up 29 points with 12/20 shooting, including 5/9 from the outside, to go into half-time leading 45-35.

That was with Josh Oduro impressive down low with 10 points and five rebounds while Chris Goulding and Cole Anthony had eight points each.

Ever so slightly the Phoenix shooting improved in the third term with 22 points on 9/22 shooting, but they didn’t make any inroads with another 24 points to Melbourne including 10 to Anthony with United leading 69-57 by three quarter-time.

There was a brief scare for Anthony midway through the fourth quarter when he rolled his ankle and banged his knee with Akech Aliir all on the one play. But he returned a minute later and United remained in control to confirm the 25-point Throwdown win.

Neither team plays again in Round 2 with Melbourne next in action on the road to the Tasmania JackJumpers next Thursday night while the Phoenix are back to Perth for the second time already in NBL27 to play the Wildcats on Friday.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 61 – MELBOURNE UNITED 86

SE Melbourne Phoenix
Skylar Mays – 10 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds
Akech Aliir – 10 points, 6 rebounds
Dash Daniels – 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Jordan Hunter – 7 points, 7 rebounds
Tanner Krebs – 6 points, 6 rebounds

Melbourne United
Josh Oduro – 21 points, 8 rebounds
Cole Anthony – 18 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Chris Goulding – 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5/10 3PT
Malith Machar – 9 points, 2/4 3PT
Luke Travers – 9 points, 10 rebounds