Ayre's Secret Weapon in Rising Phoenix

A dogged competitor who isn’t always in the limelight, but gets the job done week-in, week-out to the adoration of those inside the walls.

You can almost build a team around them.

The Chicago Bulls had Denis Rodman, Aussie Patty Mills could probably lay claim to being the guy in the championship-winning Spurs outfit.

For the South East Melbourne Phoenix, it’s Ben Ayre.

The off-season acquisition will face his former side Cairns this Thursday, and the 27-year-old has shot out of the blocks at his third NBL club.

He posted 17 points against Melbourne United in the season opener, before igniting the Fire Pit for another 11 points during the Phoenix’s first up home win against Perth on Sunday.

But stats aside, it’s his innate ability to rile up the opposition that is just as his important as his ball handling and dead-eye shooting from deep.

Alan Williams and Mitch Creek told Gettin’ Saucy this week how happy they were that Ayre was finally on their side, rather than chirping at them on the opposite bench.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src='https://cdn.nbl.com.au/embed/embed.html?url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAQvzn3mLkQ' title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

>> Listen to episode 3 via Spotify, Apple Podcast and Soundcloud.

Sit courtside, or watch the broadcast and you’ll know why Ayre was named as the Phoenix’s best trash-talker in the pre-season.

He holds no fear, and that showed against two goliaths in Matthew Dellavedova and Bryce Cotton when Ayre’s vocabulary and mentality were as impressive as his hands.

For Ayre though, the court chat is second to his main focus of basketball.

“I love competing and sometimes, I can talk a little trash here and there,” Ayre said.

“There's no goal of like, I want to get under this guy's skin or anything like that. This is who I am as a as a basketball player.

“Sometimes in the heat, things can get chirpy and angsty, but to me that’s basketball. That’s competition and passion.”

Ayre will face off with his former team.

And there’s little doubt from both benches that the voice Cairns Convention Centre will hear the most is the #10 from South East Melbourne.

You can watch Phoenix take on the Taipans Thursday night live on ESPN via Kayo & Foxtel.

Tickets to our next home game on October 14 are on sale now. CLICK HERE to secure your tickets.