Phoenix firepower too much for Taipans

Even with Jack McVeigh and Sam Waardenburg combining for 48 points for the Cairns Taipans, the South East Melbourne Phoenix spoiled the New Year's Eve part for the locals with Nathan Sobey putting up 31 in the 111-96 win.

The Snakes did put up a strong fight in their annual New Year's Eve match at the Cairns Convention Centre including leading at both quarter and half-time, but the Phoenix eventually wore them down and got rolling.

South East Melbourne outscored Cairns 63 points to 44 in the second half including scoring 35 in the third quarter alone on the way to the 15-point victory in an entertaining and high scoring New Year's Eve contest.

Sobey hit a tough triple in the final seconds to cap a 31-point, 10-assist and four-steal performance that featured no turnovers as the 35-year-old Tokyo Olympian continues the best and most efficient form of his 316-game NBL career.

The Phoenix trailed 28-21 at quarter-time as Jack McVeigh fired and the bottom-of-the-table Taipans threatened a boil over.

But the host's wastefulness hurt them, the Taipans committing 22 turnovers as the Phoenix dragged the deficit to four at half-time before dominating the second half.

The Taipans briefly threatened a final-quarter comeback before Phoenix centre Jordan Hunter scrambled hard in mid-court to force a turnover and Sobey slammed it home to end any hope.

The Phoenix improved to 14-7 to return to third place ahead of the Sydney Kings while the Taipans (5-16) remain last, one win behind Brisbane.

The victory was Phoenix's first in two Ignite Cup in-season tournament fixtures while the Taipans have lost all three of theirs.

South East Melbourne's defensive pressure that allows them to play at a frenetic pace paid dividends as they finished with 25 extra shot attempts for the game on the back of 11 offensive rebounds and forcing Cairns into the 22 turnovers.

Along with Sobey's brilliance, Hunter finished with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks while Owen Foxwell contributed 17 points and six assists, Wes Iwundu 15 points and five rebounds, and Brown III 12 points, five steals and three boards.

New arrival Ian Clark was playing his second game with the Phoenix and in his 10 minutes of court time had nine points on 3/6 field goal shooting.

The Cairns front court of Sam Waardenburg and Jack McVeigh did all they could to give their team a chance playing big minutes each and combining for 48 points and 11 rebounds on 15/23 shooting and going 15/19 at the foul line.

McVeigh had 26 points and five rebounds with Waardenburg delivering 22 points, six boards, three assists and two blocks.

It was a mixed night for Andrew Andrews against the Phoenix pressure and he did have a tech foul along with six turnovers, but he did plenty of good things too with 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds with Mojave King adding 14 points on 4/6 three-point shooting.

The Taipans now open up 2026 taking on the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong on Saturday while the Phoenix remain on the road to play the Sydney Kings on Monday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – IGNITE CUP PRESENTED BY DISNEY+

CAIRNS TAIPANS 96 (McVeigh 26, Waardenburg 22, Andrews 17)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 111 (Sobey 31, Hunter 19, Foxwell 17)

BOX SCORE