Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Nathan Sobey has shrugged off an early injury to star teammate Derrick Walton Jnr, piloting South East Melbourne to a comeback NBL win over his former team Brisbane.
The Bullets led by 11 points in Traralgon on Saturday night but had no answer to Sobey as the hosts cantered to a 105-86 NBL win.
Both teams left Gippsland Stadium with injury concerns, Walton Jnr lasting less than seven minutes before hobbling off with a hamstring injury and Bullets star Josh Bannan (23 points, nine rebounds) slipping in the final quarter and hurting his knee.
Walton scored 45 points on his last visit to the regional Victorian centre and his absence would be a major dent to the side’s progress under coach Josh King.
They showed they could do it without him though, the side’s seventh win (12-10) from their last nine games moving them up to fifth while the Bullets (10-11) sit two wins outside the top six.
Bannan and Casey Prather (21 points, 11 rebounds) combined to pick Phoenix apart after Walton Jnr’s early exit, Bannan able to get to the rim and Prather again accurate from range.
But, missing centre Tyrell Harrison (concussion), the Bullets were quickly exposed after the main break.
Former Bullets captain Sobey (31 points, seven assists, five rebounds) led the charge, the razor-sharp Olympian carving up his former teammates for an emotional win following a messy finish to his five-year stint last season.
Phoenix forward Matt Hurt was also a pain for the Bullets, finishing with 29 points and 12 rebounds at 70 per cent shooting.
“Feels great; atmosphere was crazy … I wish we could play more games here,” American Hurt said.
“I’m not going to put a target on our back, but I think we can beat anybody and, hopefully, Derrick’s alright.”
