Preview: Melbourne vs South East Melbourne - Round 18, NBL24

Friday, February 2, 2024

Will the ladder-leading Melbourne United take a stranglehold on top spot, or can the Phoenix shock the NBL once again?

Saturday, February 3 at 8pm AEDT | John Cain Arena

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo - International viewership details
Box scores: Download the free NBL App

Luke Travers has warned Melbourne United not to be complacent in the side’s run towards the Finals. Melbourne has lost four of its last seven games to sit just one game clear of Perth in top spot on the ladder.

Mitch Creek has been added to South East Melbourne’s ever-growing list of injured players. He suffered a heel injury during Round 17 and will miss the Throwdown clash.

Liam Santamaria says the Phoenix’s season is on “life-support”. The heartland side currently sits bottom of the NBL standings, although no side has been mathematically eliminated from Finals contention at the time of writing.

Melbourne
86-98 loss to Sydney
93-77 win over Brisbane
86-107 loss to Tasmania

South East Melbourne
91-103 loss to Perth
104-98 win over Sydney
75-106 loss to New Zealand.

Luke Travers
Melbourne United’s form has been indifferent throughout this back end of NBL24, but a return to John Cain Arena could be the catalyst they need to re-establish themselves as the team to beat heading into Finals.

Luke Travers has been one player who has consistently starred for Melbourne over the course of its seven-game road trip, and he ended Round 17 with a Chemist Warehouse Fans MVP nomination – largely for averaging four blocks per game across his side’s two fixtures.

One of Travers’ knocks coming into Melbourne this season was stuggling in his time at Perth in some of its biggest games, now though, he’s got another year of experience under his belt and a bigger role within United’s system.

We all know how capable he is, and we all know how close he is to an NBA berth. A team-defining run of individual form into and during the post-season could be just what he needs to tip the scale in his favour for a maiden NBA campaign next season.

“You see the ladder and everyone’s fighting for a Playoff spot. We’ve got a top two spot at the moment but realising every team’s going to come in hungry, it’s good for us to be able to build good habits going into Playoffs. It’s been really good at home, the fans have been unbelievable for us all year and I’m really looking forward to being at home for a while and getting back into things.” – Luke Travers following the loss to Sydney.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luke Travers swats it away.<br><br>? ESPN | 10 Peach <a href="https://t.co/haZNsWYIps">pic.twitter.com/haZNsWYIps</a></p>— Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1751493577577042383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

South East Melbourne’s backup brigade
The Phoenix are running on fumes at the moment. They have a jaw-dropping five players likely sidelined for this Throwdown clash against Melbourne, and it’s a genuinely functional starting five that would be more than competitive against any lineup the competition has to offer.

Through injury comes opportunity though. Those key absences will give the Phoenix’s rotation and development players yet another chance to step up to the plate and prove they belong at the NBL level, much like they did against the Kings in Round 17.

On that occasion it was Owen Foxwell and Kody Stattmann who led the way behind Ben Ayre, and both youngsters put in career-best performances against the reigning champions.

With Austin Rapp off competing in the state U20 championships in the week prior to Round 18, that’s another body the Phoenix could well be without come game day.

Aside from Foxwell and Stattmann, it’s worth keeping an eye on development player Luke Rosendale. The shooter has received limited burn so far this season, but currently leads the NBL in three-point percentage (minimum six attempts). He’s hit nine of 12 attempts at 75 per cent.

He shot just over 34 per cent from three and 43 per cent from the field the last NBL1 South campaign with the Bendigo Braves, so can he keep his three-point clip up?

The Phoenix also placed plenty of faith in development player Anzac Rissetto prior to NBL24 kicking off. The New Zealand-born big was given a three-year extension by the club – with the last season set to see him take a spot on the main roster, and the continued absence of the team’s bigs, it's a great opportunity for him to showcase his obvious strength and talent.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kody Stattmann from DEEP ? <br><br>He's up to a career-high 16 points ? <br><br>Watch live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/rEbLzYqyqu">pic.twitter.com/rEbLzYqyqu</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1750466536945463339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova vs Ben Ayre
While Mitch Creek took most of the plaudits for inspiring South East Melbourne to victory over Sydney last week, save a thought for Ben Ayre – and with Creek out of proceedings against United, according to a News Corp report, it will likely be up to the former Cairns Taipan to provide the biggest scoring punch for this undermanned Phoenix outfit.

Ayre dropped 23 points in each of the Phoenix’s Round 17 clashes, and shot at exactly 50 per cent – including five for nine from three – in the win over Sydney, but the backcourt defensive duo of Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova will offer a brand new challenge to what he faced last week.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ben Ayre working hard with the dimes and buckets, making him our GOAT Player of the Game from last night! ? <a href="https://t.co/KFkXKjEFsJ">pic.twitter.com/KFkXKjEFsJ</a></p>— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix/status/1751387108454051992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Given Ayre’s history of providing scoring from the bench, and his time spent running the off-guard position at various times for South East Melbourne this season, it’s likely the point guard has rarely, if ever, had to deal with a blanketing, first option defensive presence of the likes of Ili and Dellavedova before.

Since breaking out at Cairns, Ayre has made a career of proving people wrong and continuing to elevate his game past levels people thought possible. It will be a big ask for him to steer his undermanned side to victory against United, but you wouldn’t put it past him.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A Chris Goulding-like three from Shea Ili ?<br><br>What a way to round out the quarter for Melbourne United ?<br><br>Catch the action live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies | 10 Peach and 10 Play ? <a href="https://t.co/H3ql6E7vyP">pic.twitter.com/H3ql6E7vyP</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1751482339530617041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Melbourne has won each of its last 10 games following a loss. The last time United lost back-to-back games was Round 9 of NBL23, where defeats to South East Melbourne and Illawarra finished off a five-game losing run for the current ladder-leaders.

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Gary Browne.