On April 24, Beijing time, the 2021-22 NBL regular season finale, Perth Wildcats vs. Southeast Melbourne Phoenix. After some competition, the South East Melbourne Phoenix narrowly defeated the Perth Wildcats 102-100 in overtime. Zhou Qi contributed 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
Statistics
Southeast Melbourne Phoenix: Zhou Qi 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, Mumford 24 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists, Alpha 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Crick 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, Edenham 14 points, Ashley 17 points and 6 rebounds.
Perth Wildcats: Cotton 28 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists, Norton 11 points and 3 assists, Hodgson 12 points and 9 rebounds, Fraser 22 points and 6 rebounds, Blanchefield 10 points and 8 rebounds.
The South East Melbourne Phoenix have already announced their absence from this season's NBL playoffs after losing 80-84 to the Tasmanian Ants on April 17. Before the final game, Zhou Qi averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and averaged 64.0% from the field.
At the beginning of the first quarter, Zhou Qi, who started the game, played only 1 minute and 42 seconds before being replaced by receiving two fouls. East Melbourne Phoenix took the lead in a 7-2 blast. The Perth Wildcats then launched a counterattack to turn the tide 12-4 through counter-attacks, jumpers and free throws. Then, the Perth Wildcats blasted another small wave of scoring to extend the lead to eight points. Since then, the South East Melbourne Phoenix organization has continued to score points, but the Perth Wildcats have stabilized the situation. The first quarter ended, south-east Melbourne Phoenix 22-25.
Entering the second quarter, the two sides alternated points through outside three-pointers, free throws and breakthrough layups, when Crick hit an outside three-pointer, southeast Melbourne Phoenix 34-38. The Perth Wildcats then scored five straight points. But the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix quickly gave the opponent a counterattack, with Mumford hitting a three-pointer and Zhou Qi holding the ball to attack 2+1. Then, Fraser hit three consecutive outside shots for the Wildcats, but the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix also scored consecutive points through free throws, jump shots and counter-attacks, including Zhou Qizao's fouls and 1 of 2 free throws. Half-time ended, South East Melbourne Phoenix 46-52 Perth Wildcats.
Zhou Qi took the ball and attacked it into 2+1
After the battle, Alpha led the team to close the gap to 2 points, and Blanchefield immediately hit the outside three points to stabilize the situation. Then, the two sides scored points through jump shots, breakthrough layups and free throws, and Zhou Qi completed the block and steal although he did not score during this period. In the following period, the two sides alternated points again, in which Zhou Qi first attacked with the ball to get rid of the defensive two-handed dunk and then assisted Ashley to score points. End of the third quarter, South East Melbourne Phoenix 66-69 Perth Wildcats.
Zhou Qi covered opponents for layups
Zhou Qi clasped his hands violently
In the final quarter, the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix turned the tide by a wave of scoring climaxes through the outside three-pointer, the inside attack and the breakthrough layup, and when Mumford scored on a jumper, the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix led by 6 points. The Perth Wildcats then hit back-to-back three-pointers to tie the score to 87-87. In the closing stage, Crick hit a three-pointer from the outside, Norton made 1 of 2 free throws and Cotton scored a layup, and the two sides fought 90-90, and the game went into overtime.
In extra time, the two sides scored consecutive points through interior attacks, free throws and mid-range shots, of which Zhou Qi relied on free throws and ball-holding attacks to pick up 5 points for the team, and southeast Melbourne Phoenix 101-98. In the closing stages, Mumford scored through a free throw and the Perth Wildcats fought back. In the end, south-east Melbourne Phoenix narrowly defeated the Perth Wildcats 102-100.
Zhou Qi slipped a bottom line layup to score
Both sides started
Perth Wildcats: Norton, Cotton, Fraser, Hodgson, Blanchefield;
Southeast Melbourne Phoenix: Zhou Qi, Crick, Alpha, Ranch, Mumford;