Williams dominates as Phoenix keep winning

Alan Williams and the South East Melbourne Phoenix took full advantage of a Brisbane Bullets still missing Aron Baynes to make it three NBL wins on the trot, winning 96-73 at John Cain Arena.

The Phoenix came into the game having won their last two matches including an emphatic performance 48 hours earlier in Adelaide against the 36ers where imposing centre Williams made his first appearance of the season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Floater alert ?<br><br>Alan Williams is up to 10 points mid-way through the second quarter ?<br><br>Watch live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/xCTukSWHHF">pic.twitter.com/xCTukSWHHF</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1715626105841877252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Bullets arrived in Melbourne having lost their past three games and still without suspended Olympian and dominant former NBA star Baynes, and that proved a major difference.

By half-time, Williams already had 10 points and four rebounds for the Phoenix helping his team to the 45-33 lead with the Bullets further hamstrung with starting centre Tyrell Harrison picking up three fouls.

That left 17-year-old Next Star Rocco Zikarsky to battle with Williams and the South East Melbourne big man proved too crafty and strong with the Phoenix going into the break with seven more rebounds, four extra offensive boards and getting to the foul line 13 times to six.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rocco&#39;s rocking the rim ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/L9u58ofMQr">pic.twitter.com/L9u58ofMQr</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1715622016336674898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Williams then even hit a wide open three to open the second half to stretch the Phoenix lead to 15 which quickly became 22 with South East Melbourne cruising to the 23-point win.

Williams ended up with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists with South East Melbourne collecting 11 more rebounds and scoring 15 second chance points from 15 offensive boards.

Phoenix coach Mike Kelly couldn’t speak more highly of what Williams brings in his second season.

"He was loud when he wasn’t playing and now he's playing really well, and he's still loud," Kelly said.

"It's all positive for the group and he'll only get more comfortable, and the group will get more comfortable with him being such a big part of what we do as time goes on."

Ben Ayre also had 16 points, Rhys Vague 12 and Mitch Creek 10 for the winners.

It's four consecutive defeats for the Bullets with Baynes still having two more games on the sidelines suspended. While Nathan Sobey equal top-scored with 14 points, he shot 7-of-18 with no other player taking more than nine attempts.

Isaac White did score 14 points in 16 minutes with Mitch Norton adding 12 with five assists and three steals, but to top things off for the Bullets they also lost import point guard Shannon Scott.

He injured a hamstring injury which also sidelined him with Cairns in last season's playoffs.

Bullets coach Justin Schueller is just looking for answers especially while Baynes remains out.

"We feel like we're searching mid-game right now," Schueller said.

"We keep getting into these holes and we put ourselves in a position we feel comfortable with, then look at that second quarter and we kept their guys to low numbers, but Al Williams and comes in and really has an impact.

"I really felt when Ty got his third foul that changed the tempo of the game, and we need solutions right now for two more games without Banger (Baynes)."

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 4

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 96 (Williams 21, Ayre 16, Vague 12)

BRISBANE BULLETS 73 (Sobey 14, White 14, Norton 12)

BOX SCORE