Preview: Perth v SE Melbourne (Round 7)

When: 9.30pm (AEDT), Thursday 17 November, 2022
Where: RAC Arena, Perth
Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Foxtel; Sky NZ
LIVE SCORES & STATS

Who won last time?

South East Melbourne 91 (Creek 22, Broekhoff 18, Williams 12) d Perth 90 (Cotton 27, Travers 19, Thomas 14) – Round 5 at RAC Arena

As is becoming tradition, Perth and South East Melbourne played out another Jungle classic in front of more than 11,000 people. The Phoenix jumped 12 ahead in the first half thanks to Mitch Creek, then Bryce Cotton brought the 'Cats back to lead by nine in the third quarter. The final stanza featured eight lead changes before Mitch Creek made the key free throws to edge SEM ahead, then Todd Blanchfield’s wide-open game-winner bounced off the rim.

What happened last game?

Perth produced the goods in a close one in the City of Churches last round, a Bryce Cotton and Brady Manek-inspired 17-2 fourth-quarter run in less than four minutes putting the game to bed and keeping the 'Cats close to the top six. The Phoenix missed a golden opportunity to be in equal second when they had no answers for a fired-up Melbourne, overrun 58-36 in the second half despite United having played in Cairns two nights earlier.

What’s working?

Brady losing his conscience – Thinking long and hard about big financial decisions can be a good thing, but thinking about shooting rarely is. That second-guessing had been a major issue for Manek, but against Adelaide he fired up eight conscience-free triples and went 6/8, after averaging just 1.1/4 in his previous seven games. For Perth’s offence to have balance over 40 minutes, they need Manek and Wagstaff as genuine threats on the perimeter.

Feeding Sauce – The Phoenix are a distant last from the arc, averaging league-lows of 7.2 at 31 per cent, made worse by their 4/18 stinker in the Throwdown. However, that didn’t stop Alan Williams from dominating the interior, going off for 30 points at 62 per cent. His ability to seal inside the key and use his bulk to finish from straight ahead before help arrives was too much for Isaac Humphries, and will be a huge test for TaShawn Thomas.

What needs stopping?

Something, anything? – To recap, the Phoenix gave up 110 points to Melbourne at 68 per cent from two-point range, while also allowing 14 triples at 45 per cent and 27 free-throw attempts, and they forced a mere nine turnovers while United dealt 23 dimes. Melbourne’s best inside player went 7/10 on twos, while their main perimeter man went 7/12 from deep. There haven’t been many less disruptive defensive performances in recent history.

Mitch Creek – A number of NBL clubs are paying the price for not piecing together complete defensive frontcourts, and Perth is one of those, struggling with true centres and truly mobile combo forwards. Creek, of course, is the latter, and he scored a match-winning 22 points at 61 per cent in RAC Arena last time, causing John Rillie some headaches. Thomas is needed on Williams, and Manek can’t guard Creek. Does Luke Travers start at the four?

Who’s matching up?

Bryce Cotton v Trey Kell – Cotton went for 27 points on 6/11 from range and fed off eight assists last time the teams met, but he had racked up 20 and four by half-time. Fatigue was a second-half factor but so were the defensive efforts of Kell. The Wildcats seem to have adjusted though, getting others more involved early in Adelaide, the result being 12-final quarter points in less than five minutes from Cotton that delivered a much-needed victory.

Mitch Norton & Corey Webster v Gary Browne – The familiar C-Web was back last round, delivering 18 points as Perth found success with a Webster, Cotton, Travers, Thomas and Manek line-up. Browne has averaged over 34 minutes in his past three games to motor the South East Melbourne offence, and Perth will look to wear him down with Norton shadowing him off ball-screens at the defensive end, then a fresh Webster making him defend them at the other.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">GB has the moves! ?<br><br>? <a href="https://twitter.com/10PeachAu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10PeachAU</a> ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/8TMcS1Kmlj">pic.twitter.com/8TMcS1Kmlj</a></p>&mdash; South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix/status/1589142854143991808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s saying what?

One thing the South East Melbourne Phoenix have been since day dot in their short NBL history is a competitive beast, making other teams work hard for victories.

That wasn’t the case in the Round 6 Throwdown, however, and it left a sour taste in inaugural captain Mitch Creek’s mouth.

“We were poor throughout the whole game, even at halftime when we were down by three,” Creek said.

“We've got to do better defensively. That was our poorest performance in our time as a club, to be honest.

“There were some reasons for it, like the late outs and some guys carrying some illness into the game.”

It continued the trend of the Phoenix being world-beaters when close to full strength, but well off the mark when missing star power, with Ryan Broekhoff, Kyle Adnam and the still-injured Zhou Qi all missing the derby.

It also reaffirmed the thought in many people’s minds that South East Melbourne’s defence revolves around the high IQ play of Broekhoff, who was a late withdrawal against United.

“The hamstring just didn’t feel right before the game,” Broekhoff said.

“I obviously had some trouble with it during pre-season and was out for a little while. As far as thinking long-term for the season, it was a smart decision to not play.

The good news for Phoenix fans is their small forward made it through a week of training and will play on a minutes restriction in Perth.

“I had a scan on it and found out what was wrong and having the FIBA break came at a good time,” he said

“(I’m) feeling fit, feeling good to go, got through this week’s training with no setbacks. Planning on playing these two games and really looking forward to getting back on the court with the guys.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">His 4??th of the night ? Ryan Broekhoff is feelin&#39; it ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/08rdyJz2zM">pic.twitter.com/08rdyJz2zM</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1585962302867546113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While South East Melbourne’s defensive success may rely on Rowdy, there is no doubt Perth’s offence has been revolving completely around Bryce Cotton.

The three-time MVP has been left to score 30 per cent of Perth’s points in their five losses, but in four victories that shrinks to 21 per cent.

That trend continued in Adelaide, where Cotton scored all 15 of his points in the second half, while Brady Manek (25), Corey Webster (18) and TaShawn Thomas (12) kept the scoreboard ticking throughout.

“It’s no secret that we play through Bryce a lot,” Jesse Wagstaff said

“He was shouldering a lot of the burden offensively, and playing alongside him, often I just get caught up and like to watch him, but you can’t do that.

“Teams are too good, their defensive schemes are too good and they lock in on BC, so it was nice to see an even load.

“Brady was hitting, but so was Corey and other guys as well. I don’t think we care who scores, as long as we come away with the win.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brady Manek lighting it up in Adelaide ?<br><br>? Watch live on ESPN via Kayo &amp; Foxtel <a href="https://t.co/XkyzVMdtOa">pic.twitter.com/XkyzVMdtOa</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1588829809454350336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Of course, it’s much easier to generate easy points for multiple players when they’re coming from your defence, and to Wagstaff that was the biggest growth area last round.

“Even if we had have lost in Adelaide, it still would have been a step in the right direction and playing the right way, playing with the energy and intensity that’s required,” he said.

“If we can work on some conditioning and keep that energy and intensity for longer periods of time, I think that will go a long way.”

Yet while an away win was nice, after three straight defeats in the once impenetrable Jungle, there is huge pressure on the Wildcats to produce the goods at home.

It’s something the Phoenix are well aware of, but they also know just how hard it still is to win in the west.

“We saw last year how pressure can build in Perth, when teams are on the ropes here,” Simon Mitchell said.

“It’s never been a fear to come here, I feel there’s an excitement. It’s a wonderful venue and the crowd is second-to-none.

“I've been here on the back of 40-point losses, and come in here and won on the back of a missed lay-up, they’re two extremes.

“It’s always fun to come in here for the challenge, that’s what you seek in sports, when you're a kid you love the competition and there’s no better competition than coming in here.

“Yeah we’ve won our last three here, but Jesse missed the lay-up, it went into overtime the next one and Todd knocks that one down we’re on a huge losing streak in here.”