Surrey Scorchers scored their first 100 of the season as they beat Cheshire Phoenix 103-80, to move them into the play-off spots.
“The win was for the fans.”
A standing ovation for the players capped off a great week for everyone involved with the club and speaking after the game Surrey coach Creon, praised the fans for their support and said that nights such as this is for them.
Scorchers were looking to make it back-to-back wins after picking up their first victory in 5 over Bristol last week. They started the game strongly as they raced into a 6-0 lead. It took Phoenix over 2 minutes to get their first points on the board when they picked up a 2. However, Scorchers were in no mood for letting up and created a 9-point gap when Quincy Taylor, one of 3 Surrey players to score 20 plus points for the night, hit a 2 to make the scores 18-9. A good period of play from Cheshire levelled the match at 20 apiece before Mike Ochereobia put Surrey ahead with a 2 once again. However, a late free-throw from Phoenix put them 23-22 ahead at the end of Q1.
Scorchers started the second quarter well and went 27-23 in front after Jay Bowie finished an excellent move with a 2. Phoneix got the scores level again at 33-33. But a period of Will Neighbour picking up 9 points for Scorchers saw them edge in front once again at 40-38. Surrey then started to pull away as they went on a 9-2 run towards the end of the quarter, and a late free-throw from Cheshire only stopped the momentum momentarily, as Scorchers ended the half leading 53-48.
The first-half had been a tight contest, and there wasn’t anything to suggest that the second would be any different. But as the third quarter started, the fans began to sense that something special was about to happen. A quick fire 2 from Ochereobia and then a 3 Bowie started proceedings before Scorchers went on a scoring run of 18-2, in a period which saw Taylor pick up 10 points. This left them leading 71-50. Chaz Rollins then ended a fightback from Cheshire with a 2, before a 2 from Kalil Irving saw Scorchers end the quarter leading 78-59.
As the final quarter started, the players were dreaming of reaching 100 points for the first time this season. Bowie and Neighbour each found a 3 as that dream was fast becoming a reality, and then a double-double from Rollins was quickly followed by a 2 from Neighbour as Surrey hit 90 for the night. A nervous part of the game followed, but with 2 minutes left the moment finally arrived; Irving found Bowie with a pass, and he darted his way through to score a 2 and bring up the 100, the crowd rose to their feet for the moment. As the game drew to a close Ochereobia ended proceedings with a 3, to see Scorchers run out 103-80 winners.
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