Walton Jr, Bannan both 'floored' in humid blowout

• Derrick Walton Jr suffered hamstring injury
• Josh Bannan left the game with a knee injury after slipping on the floor
• Nathan Sobey lights up former club for 31

South East Melbourne Phoenix's Nathan Sobey torched his former club Brisbane for 31 points but it was overshadowed by a casting call of injuries to both teams as the Phoenix pulled away for a 105-86 (Game Centre) round 16 NBL25 win in Gippsland on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

Phoenix star guard Derrick Walton Jr's season is now in jeopardy after leaving the game early with a hamstring injury on a drive to basket. He ran from the floor clutching the back of his leg and didn't return.

Josh Bannan, in the midst of a dominant performance, slipped on the floor. He also had to leave the game with a knee injury. Brisbane was already playing short-handed without Tyrell Harrison and James Batemon.

Bullets coach Justin Schueller said: "We were frustrated with the safety of the venue before the game; we raised those issues and we've taken another four injuries through this contest," he said.

"That's a frustration right now we need to get some answers on. When you're told to 'just deal with it' when those things are raised.

"When we had our bodies we showed we were as good, if not better (than the Phoenix)."

The Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium was hot and humid before tip-off. NBL colour commentator wore shorts, joking he was better prepared for the conditions in the pre-game show, but it turned out to be less than funny.

South East Melbourne coach Josh King added: "The floor ... I can honestly say I don't think the floor was 100 per cent good tonight.

"We both had to play on ... a less-than-perfect floor but there's less-than-perfect conditions sometimes in basketball and sport."

King said the Phoenix would have to wait to find out the extent of Walton Jr's injury.

"It's his hamstring; we won't know until they test it but any time you have soft tissue it's not good," he added.

"He's been playing really well and really elevated the level of our team."

The match unfolded as a tale of two halves, with Brisbane seizing control early behind Josh Bannan's dominant 21-point first-half performance. The Bullets took a 54-47 lead into the break as Casey Prather found his rhythm.

As the final period began, the Phoenix unleashed a barrage of three-pointers that left the Bullets reeling. Angus Glover, Nathan Sobey, and Joe Wieskamp all connected from long range in quick succession, blowing the game wide open.

The Phoenix's offensive explosion coincided with a devastating blow to Brisbane, as Bannan suffered a knee injury after slipping on the court.

The statistical story of the match highlighted the Phoenix's remarkable turnaround. After shooting just 38% in the first half, South East Melbourne's offense caught fire, outscoring Brisbane 36-18 in the decisive fourth quarter.

Sobey lit up his former team for 31 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. The guard's stellar outing included four three-pointers, each seeming to come at crucial junctures.

The victory improved South East Melbourne's record to 12-10, strengthening their grip on a playoff berth. Conversely, Brisbane fell to 10-12, dealing a significant blow to their postseason aspirations. Both teams face quick turnarounds, with the Phoenix travelling to face the Cairns Taipans on Tuesday, while the Bullets return home to host the Perth Wildcats on Wednesday.