Remember When... Walton Jr and Creek came up big

Derrick Walton Jr will be new to South East Melbourne colours in NBL25, but he won’t be new to South East Melbourne fans. The former Sydney King went head-to-head with Mitch Creek in NBL23 during the Battle for the Heartland, in which the two superstars put on an all-time spectacle for the Gippsland crowd.

Creek managed to inspire South East Melbourne to an incredible 113-112 double-overtime victory at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Centre in front of 3,000 deafening fans. The Heartland Hero ended the game with 46 points and 10 rebounds, while Walton Jr added 45 points and 10 assists for the defeated Kings.

40-point games have become rarer and rarer as the NBL has progressed. The advent of the 40-minute era and the lengthening of rotations means superstars spend less time on the floor than in eras past. This was the first time since August 1991 – almost 6,000 games – two players scored 45 points in the same game on an NBL floor.

On that occasion it was Jason Reese and Hobart who overcame Troy Truvillion’s Newcastle.

This modern classic was a game in which the Creek and Walton Jr stood tall while bodies fell all around them. Xavier Cooks played just seven minutes before an ankle injury ended his night, while South East Melbourne’s Gary Browne and Ryan Broekhoff were also forced out of the game due to injury.

Trey Kell III, Jordan Hunter, DJ Vasiljevic and Tim Soares all also fouled out, which meant seven key players were out of the game for the final minutes.

That meant the likes of development players Owen Foxwell and Zac Gattorna stepped up to play key roles for the Phoenix and Kings respectively, and there was added pressure on this star pair to perform.

Incredibly both players registered exactly 27 field goal attempts and 13 free throw attempts. Creek hit 15 shots including 4-11 threes, and iced 12 of his free throws to keep the Phoenix primed to strike.

Walton Jr also hit 12 of his 13 free throw attempts, and ended the game having made 14 field goals including 5-10 from three.

While South East Melbourne was the side to emerge victorious from the clash, Creek was quick to praise his rival in the immediate aftermath of the game.

“You tip your hat to greatness, and you tip your hat to that performance. Some of the defensive possessions we had on Walton were just tip-top, and he makes it and you just laugh and think 'that guy is really good at basketball',” Creek said following the game.

“I’m lost for words, it was head-to-head and big shot after big shot and it was fun to be out there and be a part of it.

“Just a huge shoutout to Derrick, I said to him after the game it was an incredible battle, and I was so proud to be a part of it. You don’t get many moments like this in sport, this is my 12^th season or 13^th season and this is the first time it’s been that head-to-head with somebody for all 47 minutes I played.

“It was an incredible experience to be a part of. You lose that game and everyone talks about Derrick and that’s it, you win and they talk about you, but you can’t mistake that kind of game from him. Tip your hat to him, incredible game from him.”

Simon Mitchell was instrumental in bringing Walton Jr to South East Melbourne for NBL25 in his new role as the club’s General Manager of Basketball Operations, but in NBL23 he was the club’s head coach.

Mitchell was sat alongside Creek in the post-game press conference in which is star forward waxed lyrical about Walton Jr’s performance, and he saved is praise for the battle in which the pair had just contested.

“We’ll be talking about this for a long time,” Mitchell said.

“It’s (Creek) right up there with one of the all-time great performances for an individual, and if Sydney win we’re saying the same about Derrick and his performance. Guys were dropping for both teams and he answered the call when it mattered most.”

Jason Reese scored 45 points for Hobart against Newcastle in 1991 in the last NBL game two players scored 45 or more.

In defeat Walton Jr was pensive and disappointed, and quickly put pay to any discussion around his own immense performance, due to the Kings’ failure to win the game.

He had the opportunity to win the game with the final shot of the game, but a near-half court three-point attempt proved one shot too many for the guard.

“I was always told a point guard is defined by his wins and losses, and not being able to come out on top in a game where we feel like we had it in so many critical moments, maybe split decisions and giving up foul shots and offensive rebounds is keying on my mind more than anything,” Walton Jr reflected post-game.

“As much as a player you want to embrace having a good game you also want to think of ways you want to win and play well.”

Walton Jr and Creek clashed once more in NBL24, in Round 17. The Kings emerged victorious in what was another immense individual battle.

On that occasion Creek added 29 points, while Walton Jr contributed 22 points in a winning effort.

Both went on to be named to the All-NBL First Team, and while Creek and the Phoenix suffered the ignominy of being knocked out of the NBL’s first ever Play-In Qualifier against the Perth Wildcats, Walton Jr was crowned an NBL champion and the Championship Series MVP to put a full stop on an immense debut campaign in the competition.

Now he’s back and ready to team up with his once great rival to help guide the Phoenix back to the top of the competition.