AS EXPECTED, the SEM Phoenix were able to travel north and get the job done over the Cairns Taipans at the Cairns Convention Centre in Friday night’s action in the National Basketball League (NBL), claiming an 11-point win.

The visiting Phoenix entered the clash as favourites, having been one of the stronger performing teams to start the 2025/26 season and announcing themselves as a dark horse for the championship in the coming months. On the other hand, the Taipans have not been able to get any sort of winning streak rolling, coming into the matchup in 10th spot in the standings.

Although it looked as if the contest was going to be a blowout, the Taipans rallied back in the second half, but fell short of completing the comeback as the Phoenix held on for a solid 11-point win to keep their momentum rolling.

Cairns Taipans (90) def. by South East Melbourne Phoenix (101)

It was a tale of two halves, with the Phoenix completely owning proceedings in the first two quarters to silence the crowd at Cairns Convention Centre. South East Melbourne’s trademark defensive style was in full swing in the opening 20 minutes, but it was the work down the other end that made the Taipans fall behind on the scoreboard.

By the time the buzzer sounded to mark halftime, the Phoenix led by 25 points and the game was completely in their control. The visitors were performing on both ends of the floor, and Cairns simply lacked the firepower in the first half to keep up with a South East Melbourne outfit that is fit and firing under Josh King.

The Taipans did fight back in the second half, showing much more production on the offensive end to look a different side after the main break. However, they were never truly able to get close enough to truly mount a challenge and worry the visitors after their first half display and in the end, it was an 11-point win to the Phoenix despite Cairns’ best efforts in the final 20 minutes of the match up north on Friday.

For the Phoenix, Angus Glover‘s first half proved definitive in the context of the match, cashing in from behind the arc and proving a thorn in the Taipans’ side. After dropping 17 points in the first half, he finished the match with 24 points and five assists after shooting 6/12 from long range in an excellent sharpshooting performance from the guard.

Veteran guard Nathan Sobey overcame some inaccuracy from long range (1/9 3PT) to still finish the contest with 17 points and four dimes, while import John Brown III continued to make an impact with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and some absolutely relentless defensive pressure on the opposition.

For the Taipans, off-season recruit Jack McVeigh was the home side’s best player in defeat, producing 22 points, five boards and three assists while shooting 4/8 from behind the arc, and Mojave King can hold his head high with 16 points and five rebounds.