NBL NEXT Star Malique Lewis showed plenty of promise during his SEM Phoenix‘s preseason clash with Melbourne United over the weekend, with the latter claiming a six-point win at State Basketball Centre on Saturday night.

Lewis is heading into his second season as an NBL Next Star, having delivered a solid maiden campaign with the Phoenix last year, before withdrawing from the NBA Draft pool in a bid to increase his stock ahead of the 2026 intake.

>>MALIQUE LEWIS SEASON PREVIEW<<

The Phoenix were outclassed by a United side who have built a contending roster this season, full of established talent that will likely shine under Dean Vickerman. Despite South East Melbourne leading at three-quarter time, Melbourne stormed home in the final frame, outscoring the Phoenix 33-26 to snag another impressive win ahead of the NBL Blitz.

Although the result did not go their way, the Phoenix would be impressed with the performance of Lewis, who showed signs of improvement in his offensive production, while still bringing the same defensive intensity that served him well in his first season.

South East Melbourne Phoenix (101) def. by Melbourne United (107)

Malique Lewis – 14 points, seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks

In just 22 minutes of court time, Lewis made the most of his opportunity, with the 20-year-old performing on both ends and showing encouraging signs in terms of his growth on the offensive side of the ball, which is where he needs to take a leap.

The youngster was injected into the contest midway through the first term with his side leading 12-7, and he immediately showed an aggressive mindset on the offensive end. He fired off two quick shots from range, nailing the second which could be a massive development in his game, before showing his defensive nous with a crafty steal and a well-timed block in the minutes that followed. Lewis rounded out a strong patch of play with a successful trip to the free throw line to cap off a strong start for his team.

It was a quieter performance on the scoring front in the second term for Lewis, who did not hit the scoreboard in his four minute of action in the frame. However, he was still getting to the right spots on that side of the ball, and remained as involved as ever defensively, rotating well and denying his opponent any space as the Phoenix led by nine points at the main change.

Lewis started the second half on the bench, but was brought in after United made a significant charge in the third frame. The Next Star was quiet for a few minutes, before making a huge couple of plays with an offensive rebound that helped set up a Daniel Foster layup, and a steal on United star Milton Doyle shortly after. Lewis showed his craft in drawing contact to again earn a trip to the charity stripe (where he converted both shots), while a nice finish at the rim in the dying seconds put his side back in front by a point with 10 minutes to play.

Earning the right to start the fourth quarter on the court, Lewis knocked down a huge triple to help South East Melbourne retake the lead and show the improvement he has made on this front. He blocked an attempted floater by Fabijan Krslovic to showcase his timing and athleticism, while he had one more layup in his bag for the remainder of the game, as the Phoenix were overrun by Melbourne.

He finished the contest with 14 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks while shooting 4/7 from the field and 2/5 from behind the arc. His offensive arsenal has certainly been added to over the offseason, and a scoring leap will see him soar into draft calculations for 2026.