THE National Basketball League (NBL) Blitz preseason competition resumed on the Gold Coast on Monday night, with a pair of matches taking place.

The second of which saw the SEM Phoenix snag a seven-point win over the Sydney Kings, in a strong showing from a side that is eager to bounce back into the postseason action. The Phoenix had a mutual parting from head coach Simon Mitchell over the off-season, and replaced him with Mike Kelly, while bringing back largely the same roster as last season.

Monday marked the Phoenix’s second appearance in the Blitz for 2023, and the team bounced back from Saturday’s loss with a bang. South East Melbourne was outplayed in the first half as the Kings looked to return to the form that delivered the ultimate prize last season. However, the Phoenix took control of the match in the final two quarters, outscoring Sydney 53-35 in that time. South East Melbourne produced a dominant performance in the last term, cruising home to a 93-86 win.

As was the case in their opening game, the Phoenix were led by recruit Tyler Cook, who has slotted into the team in seamless fashion.

Sydney Kings (86) def. by South East Melbourne Phoenix (93)

Tyler Cook – 29 points, nine rebounds, three steals, one block

The Phoenix recruited the former NBA forward over the past few months, and it appears to be an inspired move based on his first two performances in the Blitz.

Against the Kings, Cook had a game-high 29 points, combining well with guard Gary Browne (26 points) to prove too much of a handful for the Sydney defence.

Cook did all of his work inside the arc, either putting up a jumpshot from mid-range or driving to the hoop and finish at the rack. He shot extremely well from the field as a whole, nailing 10 shots on 13 attempts for the match, while he could have had an even bigger score, missing four of his 13 attempts from the free throw line.

One of the biggest issues for the Phoenix in recent seasons has been providing Mitch Creek with some offensive help, and the star forward was often forced to do the bulk of the scoring. However, if Cook can keep this sort of reliable form up heading into the regular season, it may change the dynamic of South East Melbourne as a whole. He would not get as many looks from the field, but if the recruit can provide an avenue to scoring, the team will be much more dangerous as a result.

The forward also pulled down nine boards and had active hands on the defensive end, snatching three steals and maintaining an impact despite not having the ball. Cook’s desire to affect the game regardless of the situation is one of his biggest strengths, and should pay dividends for the Phoenix this season.

It appears the Phoenix have snagged a seriously good recruit in Cook, who was signed as an injury replacement for Alan Williams, but has developed into a terrific weapon for South East Melbourne.

In the other result of the day, Matthew Dellavedova delivered another 20 points to lead Melbourne United past the Illawarra Hawks earlier in the day.