Mid-Season Report Card: South East Melbourne Phoenix

With the Hungry Jack's NBL26 competition currently on a time-out due to FIBA Break, NBL Media has decided to assess each of the 10 teams and give them a mid-season report card.

During this series, one expert on NBL Now will evaluate the team's progress through the first 10 rounds, while also naming their most improved and MVPs.

Finally, they will each give the team a grade and predicted finishing spot.

The next cab off the ranks, after the Perth Wildcats, Illawarra Hawks, Adelaide 36ers, Tasmania JackJumpers, Cairns Taipans, Brisbane Bullets and Sydney Kings, are the South East Melbourne Phoenix, with the team's performance analysed by two-NBL champion, Chris Anstey.

Report card score: A-

It's interesting because with everything we discuss, I think they've exceeded people's expectations. I give them an A minus. I think they've been really impressive.

They've established an identity. They're sitting third on the ladder. They've done it without the top-end import talent in my observation that other teams have.

Their level for improvement is still significant. They've been coached very well. They've won games they're meant to win. I've been really impressed and hope that they continue their form through the second half of the season.

What you like: Their defensive identity

I've liked their identity. I don't think they probably had a recognisable identity up until the end of last year. When Josh King then took over in a full-time capacity, you could see what they were trying to do.

They won a lot of games into last year and the coaching staff knew what they had coming into this year. They knew who they wanted to recruit.

They defend and the word I've been using is grittiness. There's a grittiness to the way they play that they haven't had in past years.

Traditionally, the Phoenix were up and down, but they get stomped on by the better team, as they just didn't have that toughness through shared experience.

I've really enjoyed the way they've competed this year and really enjoy their identity on the defensive end.

If they can mesh that together with even greater levels of consistency on the offensive end, they've positioned themselves to take a swing at this thing.

What needs to change: More offence from their imports

They need one of their imports to step up on the offensive end. I always thought it might be Wes Iwundu with his creativeness with the ball, but he doesn't seem to aggressively be looking to score the ball.

That could be a directive from the coaching staff, but I think he's the one out of the three that has the capability to go from 10 points a game to 16 or 17 points a game.

I don't think from what I've seen, any of their three imports have shown a willingness to be that guy.

If Nathan Sobey's not going great or Angus Glover is in foul trouble, whatever it might be, they need one of them to say, okay boys, we're good. I'm going to go and create a couple. I'll have the 25 tonight and come with me.

Most improved player: Owen Foxwell

It's got to be Owen Foxwell. Foxy's had an incredibly consistent year and he's become a starting point guard on a very good team.

The last couple of years he's developed his way into genuine rotation minutes. Two years ago, he couldn't get into the rotation. Last year, I think most people saw him as the backup point guard, come off the bench to support whichever import point guard they bring in.

But he's a genuine starter in the NBL. He's been driving that team well, the tempo's been good. He defends up the floor. Exceptional levels of improvement and consistency from Foxy.

Team MVP: Nathan Sobey

I've been really impressed with his composure this year. Some of his games in previous seasons, you'd probably argue that when he's on, he's incredible. When he's off, he's erratic.

There seems to be a calmer or a greater level of calmness about him this year. He's more balanced. He seems more patient. And his decision making on the floor for me has been much improved.

He's clearly their MVP. He's a guy that as it sits at the moment, he needs to be that because without that level of consistency as we've already spoken about the imports, and without the ability for anyone else to step up and have that 20 something point game consistently, it's got to be him.

So a lot of credit needs to go to Nathan. When he was at Brisbane, he was playing an exceptionally high level of basketball on a team that couldn't win basketball games. Now he's doing it on a team that is winning a lot more than what they're losing.

He's the number one guy on a team that can win a championship. He needs a little bit more help, but Sobes has had an exceptional first half of the season.

Who needs to step up: Hunter Maldonado

There have been times where he's been critiqued a little bit unfairly, because as an import, when you come into the league and more is expected of you, but that's just the way it is.

He's had some solid games, but it's funny what sticks with you when you're watching a player new to the league and you wonder what their ceiling is.

I go back to the game where Phoenix got blown out in Adelaide and he came up with a defensive play in the open court. One of Adelaide's bigs was chasing him down and he missed an uncontested layup because he heard footsteps and that concerned me.

To be that toughness that the Phoenix need, you've got to be able to play through contact, hit people first and not be worried about what's going on around you.

One of the three imports needs to step up. I genuinely don't think any team can win an NBL championship without an import being one of your best two or at worst three players.

Right now, I'd suggest that the Phoenix's best three players are Nathan Sobey, Owen Foxwell and Angus Glover, so one of their imports needs to step up on the offensive end.

Finishing prediction: Top four

The third and fourth spots are going to go to Perth and the Phoenix. I'm not sure in what order.

After United and Adelaide, it's going to be percentage, if not one game maximum that separates three through five or six. So every game really matters for them.

If they can do what we've mentioned and take a big scalp, they'll be genuinely a top three or four. If they drop a couple that they shouldn't, it makes it harder.

Like if Illawarra get rolling or if the Kings knock them over, it will hurt.

I think there might be a loss in there somewhere to one of those teams chasing hard.