FOLLOWING a nail-biting opening weekend of action in the 2025/26 National Basketball League season, Round 2 begins tonight at John Cain Arena, when crosstown rivals Melbourne United and the SEM Phoenix lock horns.

The Throwdown Series has been a staple of the NBL over the last decade, and the latest instalment should be a blockbuster given both teams are coming off a win in the opening week of the season. With the long weekend set to begin tonight in Victoria, John Cain Arena will likely be rocking in a match that could go down to the wire.

Although Melbourne has historically proven better in these clashes, last season saw the Phoenix stun the NBL heavyweight, and tonight should have the same unpredictability in what is shaping as a massive encounter for both teams.

Melbourne United vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix

John Cain Arena
Thursday, September 25 @7:30pm

It was a perfect weekend for United in Round 1, claiming two wins from two games in a tremendous start to their 2025/26 campaign as they shot to the top of the standings in a vital start given how close the season is predicted to be overall.

Melbourne kicked things off with a thrilling win over the Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena, with off-season recruit Milton Doyle proving his worth with some game-winning plays down the stretch. It was the first true test for United and they passed with flying colours in enemy territory.

They then backed it up a couple of days later with a blowout victory over the New Zealand Breakers back at home on Sunday afternoon, truly flexing their muscles and showing the chemistry had grown and the cobwebs were gone after the first match of the season.

Now, they will be fighting for not only bragging rights over their city rivals, but also the chance to go three and zip and firm at the top of the ladder in the early stages of the season. This would give United a huge boost heading into the latter stages of the round and would see Melbourne as the team to beat early in the fixture.

A key to their success will be big man import Jesse Edwards, who was as influential as anyone during his first two games in the NBL. His presence in the paint and ability to contest shots was a massive reason why Melbourne left MyState Bank Arena with a win, while he dropped a game-high 22 points on 9/10 shooting. If the Dutch center can be just as impactful against South East Melbourne, it is hard to see United drop this game.

On the other hand, the Phoenix will be looking to keep their good form rolling after a dominant win over the Cairns Taipans on Saturday evening. In that match South East Melbourne was relentless on the defensive end and hounded the opposition into turnovers and poor shots at a consistent rate, which could be their theme for the 2025/26 season.

It all started with their biggest recruit of the off-season in John Brown III, who set the tone defensively with plenty of effort and pressure, particularly in the first half, where he had five steals and three offensive boards to his name. The whole team followed suit, and the opposition simply folded under the immense pressure.

They will need to bring this brand to their clash against Melbourne, putting an emphasis into slowing down Doyle, who was the matchwinner when the game was tight last week. If they can stop the NBL Champion from taking over, particularly off the dribble, it will be massive within the context of the match.

Tonight’s encounter is shaping as a huge clash between two championship hopefuls, and it will be a litmus test after both teams got off to a perfect start in Round 1. With a lot of history between the two teams over the past 10 years, the next instalment should be as thrilling as any.