Glover posts career-high as Phoenix rise over Taipans
Angus Glover’s hot hand has helped South East Melbourne continue their NBL resurgence with a commanding 97-74 win over the last-placed Cairns Taipans.
The Phoenix dominated the first period at John Cain Arena on Sunday as Glover sent down four triples, helping the home side to an early double-digit lead.
They were never headed, with Glover playing a key role with a game and career-high 22 points.
Matt Hurt (15), Jordan Hunter (14) and Nathan Sobey (14) also reached double figures, and import point-guard Derrick Walton Jnr had eight points off the bench on his return from injury.
South East Melbourne (5-7) are now 5-2 since parting ways with Mike Kelly after their horror 0-5 start to the season, charging back into finals contention under Josh King.
The result was a seventh straight defeat for Cairns (3-8), leaving Adam Forde’s side struggling at the bottom of the ladder.
Taran Armstrong returned from an ankle sprain for the Taipans, who were without suspended import Rob Edwards, but he couldn’t inspire a rare win.
Armstrong looked rusty at times with 11 points on 33 per cent shooting, as well as five turnovers.
Sam Wardenburg (16 points) was dangerous in the first half but went quiet in the second and sat out most of the final quarter after a heavy hit from Phoenix centre Jordan Hunter.
The visitors unravelled midway through the fourth period when starting guard Jonah Antonio was hit with a quickfire pair of technical fouls and tossed out of the game.
Glover got off to a hot start when he landed 4-of-5 triples in the first period, as South East Melbourne went a combined 8-of-13 from long range to break out to an early double-digit lead.
Wardenburg returned fire at the other end with 13 first-quarter points, but the Phoenix led 34-20 at quarter-time.
Cairns’ improved defence got them back into the contest late in the second period as the home side’s lapses meant the advantage was cut to 49-40 at halftime.
But Wardenburg went scoreless in the third term and the Phoenix blew out to a game-high 16-point lead early in the final quarter before the situation got messy for the visitors.
Edwards served a one-game suspension for breaching the league’s code of conduct with his actions and comments towards referees after a game against Melbourne United in round six.
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