Coach backs "really strong local core"

After back-to-back Game 3 Playoff Series defeats, the South East Melbourne Phoenix are well and truly knocking on the NBL championship door.

And the club knows it, with the Heartland franchise keen to retain the majority of their squad for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season.

Heading into next season, Nathan Sobey, Jordi Hunter, Angus Glover, Owen Foxwell, Daniel Foster, DJ Mitchell (option) and Ellis Biggar (option) are all currently contracted.

Coach Josh King believes his group, which delivered a club-record 22 regular-season wins, has the foundation to go even further.

“The next step is to get as many of these guys back as possible because we’ve got a really good team,” King said to Phoenix Media.

“We’ll make sure we have a really strong local core, then build from there, start working on our three imports, and hopefully retain some of the guys we already have.”

>> Championship Series schedule, tickets & how to watch

One key piece that won’t be returning to the club is NBL Next Star Malique Lewis, who is expected to go through the NBA Draft process.

“Malique’s had an unbelievable season. I think he’s really progressed over his two years here… he started to find a groove,” King said.

“He had a big series, and you could probably say his performance in game two put us over the top.

“He’s going to have a big-time career somewhere.”

The NBL26 Championship Series, between Sydney and Adelaide, continues on Friday from 7.30pm AEDT on Friday, live on ESPN and 10 Drama.