THERE has been plenty of talk surrounding Sunday afternoon’s classic NBL contest between the SEM Phoenix and the Sydney Kings, but one name has seemingly flown under the radar despite an important place in the match.

While plenty of the media discussion has been surrounding the 45+ point performances of Mitch Creek and Derrick Walton Jr (and rightfully so), a Phoenix youngster was thrust into a crucial role and performed strongly in one of the most hard-fought games of the past few years.

Young guard Owen Foxwell was given a massive boost in minutes after injuries and foul trouble to some of the more experienced backcourt players in the team. While he did not light the world on fire on the score sheet, Foxwell’s impact was felt internally and he played a vital role.

SEM Phoenix (113) def. Sydney Kings (112)

Owen Foxwell – 24 mins, eight points, four rebounds

Foxwell was called upon after the likes of Gary Browne and Trey Kell III were forced out of the game through injury.

At just 19 years of age, it was a tall order for a player who has shown plenty of promise, but lacks the experience of his teammates at this stage of his career.

To add to the task, Foxwell was asked to guard Walton Jr., who was in the midst of a terrific individual performance and had led the Kings to a hefty half-time lead. Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell tasked his youngest guard with the defensive job, and he rose to the occasion in a big way.

Playing one-on-one with Sydney’s MVP contender, Foxwell was determined to hold his own against a man who seemingly could not be stopped given his form at that stage of the game.

However, it was Foxwell that turned the tide in the fourth quarter, single-handedly injecting life into the Phoenix and pushing them towards victory. In the last term of regulation, the teenager drew three offensive fouls, completely flipping the momentum in favour of the Phoenix and slowing down the main man in Walton Jr.

His fourth quarter also contained a steal, as he looked to stay in front of the zippy and elusive Walton Jr., who was causing the defence all game. A pair of clutch free throws late in the last term forced overtime and wrapped what was an important cameo from the young gun.

Speaking postgame, Creek complimented his young teammate in typically cheeky fashion.

“Hats off to Owen Foxwell, that might be the best game I’ve seen someone play one-on-one defence and get forty pieced,” Creek said with a laugh. “If Foxy wasn’t on our team, (Walton) would have scored 74.”

The performance shows the improvement of Foxwell over the past 12 months, and he should see more minutes after playing an important role in arguably the best NBL game we have seen in years.