Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
The good, bad and ugly of Cole Anthony’s game was on full display in Melbourne United’s 102-95 NBL derby defeat of crosstown rivals South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Anthony dropped 39 points, the most by an individual in any Throwdown clash, before being ejected from the game in the dying seconds in a fiery finish to Saturday’s contest at John Cain Arena.
The 26-year-old’s haul included five triples as he shot 15 of 24 from the field to rock the struggling Phoenix.
But Anthony’s well-established issues with NBL officialdom raised their head in the second half as the American’s temper flared despite United holding a dominant 20-plus point lead.
First, the former NBA player was given a behaviour warning and then received a technical foul as his passion boiled over in the third quarter.
Anthony continued to rant and rave on the sidelines as the Phoenix got down to playing basketball, going on an 8-0 run and reducing the margin to 10 points at one stage before back-to-back three pointers by United veteran Joe Ingles ensured the margin was back to 20 points at the final break.
Anthony returned in the fourth quarter to again lead United’s attack but his efforts included plenty of words with opposition players, the Phoenix bench and referees.
Tensions boiled over when Anthony and United’s other main players were forced to return to the court in the dying seconds after the Phoenix went on another run to reduce the margin to just five with under 10 seconds to play.
When Anthony pulled down a defensive rebound, he then threw out his elbows, connecting with Phoenix veteran Nathan Sobey. He was ejected for a flagrant foul following a lengthy review.
Ingles took and sunk two free-throws in place of the ejected Anthony for a foul by Sobey before the American’s transgression, D’Shawn Schwartz then missing the Phoenix’s two free throws as United held on to close out the game.
Sobey, who failed to score from the field in the first two quarters, ended the game with 23 points, including three triples in the third quarter as the Phoenix made the most of Anthony’s meltdown to get back into the contest.
Sam Waardenburg ended with 10 rebounds for United as well as 16 points.
