Defence focus for Phoenix
SOUTH East Melbourne are impressing with their lethal attacking style but coach Simon Mitchell knows they must improve defensively to challenge the top contenders.
The Phoenix made a flying start to their inaugural campaign despite losing prize recruit Tai Wesley to a serious hamstring injury in the first quarter of their debut match.
But seven losses in their past nine starts left the Phoenix in danger of falling behind the pack in the race for the top four leading into Saturday’s clash with the undermanned Illawarra Hawks.
The Hawks made life tough for the home side at Melbourne Arena with the match tied 58-58 at halftime before a dominant third-quarter display from Mitch Creek swung the momentum in South East Melbourne’s favour.
“It was a frustrating game but it’s a tough league and I think everyone is going to get frustrated at times with the way they perform,” Mitchell said after the 112-102 win. “We had some real defensive breakdowns again but there’s some good moments there as well at the start of the second half.”
After a quiet start, Creek exploded for 18 points in the third quarter, including eight in a row straight out of halftime, as he continues to build a combination with Wesley.
“He wasn’t starved in the first half but moving to that three-spot from the four-spot, he didn’t have his hands on the ball quite as much but he seized the moment in the third,” Mitchell said of Creek.
The Phoenix face the Taipans in Cairns tomorrow.