The matchup that could decide the Throwdown

There are crucial players all over the floor for Thursday’s impending Throwdown between Melbourne and South East Melbourne, but the fortunes of a resurgent wing workhorse could hold the key to what will likely be the pivotal matchup.

Matt Kenyon arrived at the Phoenix following an injury-hit career in Brisbane, the NBA G-League and Tasmania, and after signing his first deal with the Bullets as an 18-year-old back in 2016, he looks to finally be fulfilling that copious amount of early promise that has been consistently set back by injury.

Kenyon has quickly become the Phoenix’s wing wizard. He’s been the head of the defensive snake and been tasked with guarding opposition superstars from the point guard to power forward position,. He’s been a lethal presence on the glass alongside Alan Williams, and he’s been chipping in with crucial points from beyond the arc.

In a starting five that’s top heavy with a trio of stars in Williams, Mitch Creek and Gary Browne, he’s the under the radar glue guy that’s holding it all together.

His potential opponent this week is likely to be what can easily be argued as the toughest defensive wing matchup in the NBL – Chris Goulding.

Goulding has thrived in Melbourne undermanned offence this season, and now Matthew Dellavedova and Ian Clark are back to full fitness, the increased number of offensive weapons United has at their disposal should, theoretically, give Goulding even more space in which to go to work.

While Phoenix center Williams didn’t give any potential matchup strategies away, he says Kenyon wants to be the man sent to guard Goulding.

“He’s CG, he makes a lot of threes, a lot of tough threes and it’s at times where you think you’re getting back into the game or you think you’ve got them figured out and then he’ll cash a three in your face and get an and-one,” Williams said on NBL Overtime.

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“He’s one of the best players we have in this league, there’s no doubt about it and he’s having a phenomenal season for Melbourne United.

“I definitely know Matt wants the assignment, I won’t give away any details on what we’re going to do Thursday, but he’s capable of doing so many things.

“This year he’s shooting the three ball really well, he opens up the floor for myself and Mitch Creek with his cutting and his phenomenal timing he has.

“He’s a really good piece and a really good team guy we have who is going to help us get to the places we want to go.”

“When it’s Chris Goulding it’s high alert for the entire time, because he only needs 45, 90 seconds,” NBL analyst Damon Lowery added.

“His own team might starve him for a few quarters, but the time they do give it to him he’s highly efficient.”

Kenyon’s first few games for the Phoenix looked like he was set to continue the role he had played in Tasmania. He was an understated, energy guy off the bench who could come into the lineup and do a job, but that changed when he faced his former team.

Scott Roth was responsible for bringing Kenyon to Tasmania, and kept him on his title-chasing side for two seasons – however he wasn’t only comfortable with letting Kenyon walk in the NBL23 off-season, he was comfortable with leaving him open when they faced off for the first time.

That was a challenge the 25-year-old didn’t shirk. He hit a pair of threes, and let the JackJumpers know all about it.

Both Lowery and Williams believe that game was a turning point for Kenyon’s Phoenix career.

“I think he came to you guys with a little bit of a chip. I don’t know what happened at the Tasmania JackJumpers, I don’t know how that unfolded, but when you guys played the JackJumpers he was up and about,” Lowery said.

“He was hitting threes, he was chirping a little bit.”

“That was the start of this resurgence,” Williams continued.

“We’re in training with him every day so we see him making threes and we see what he’s capable of, but he’s definitely putting the league on notice.”

South East Melbourne will host Melbourne United on Thursday, December 14 at 7:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN via Kayo.