Time for some serious Phoenix self reflection
THERE’S no tiptoeing around it at South East Melbourne: the Phoenix are in a hole and the skipper says it’s time for every player to look in the mirror.
After dropping three in a row for the first time this season, the Phoenix find themselves in unfamiliar territory – outside the top four.
Frustrated captain Kyle Adnam said there was disappointment among the group in the wake of a poor defensive effort that allowed Illawarra to pour in 103 points on Thursday night.
“There’s definitely an aspect of we’ve got to look in the mirror at ourselves, individually, and hold ourselves accountable, as a group, at the moment,” Adnam said.
“To put it simply, we’ve got to be better.
“As we put our heads on the pillow the next two nights, it’s about looking in the mirror and looking at what we can do as individuals to be better and how we can help the team win.
“(Coach) Simon’s (Mitchell) given us all the right answers (to win games), we’re doing a great job all the time, he’s trusting in us, and we have to respond.
“I know we’ve got it in us, for sure – it’s about finding a way to get that out of us.”
The struggling Phoenix could fall as low as sixth, depending on results, if they lose to the NBL’S form side, Sydney – on a seven-game winning streak – at John Cain Arena on a quick turnaround Saturday.
Oddly, the Phoenix have never beaten Sydney at The Firepit, but Mitchell said his side would take some confidence from the Kings’ upward trajectory after they struggled to get the job done early in the season.
“They’ve had a good run,” Mitchell said.
“They’ve been able to turn things around, which gives us a little bit of positivity that ‘ OK, we can get this done as well’.