Phoenix fall short to Taipans in fourth preseason game

The Cairns Taipans put on an impressive three-point shooting display as their pre-season tour continued ahead of the NBL Blitz and they ended up holding out the South East Melbourne Phoenix for the 99-95 victory.

Both teams have had a busy pre-season schedule ahead of next week's Blitz in Bendigo with Cairns arriving in Melbourne having just played the Perth Wildcats in Karratha on Saturday on the back of beating Saint Mary's College at home last Wednesday.

The Phoenix had already scored wins over Japan's B League United, the Gaels and then in a thrilling Throwdown against Melbourne United with each at the State Basketball Centre which is where Thursday night's encounter was played too.

It was a hot shooting start from the visiting Snakes going 7/11 from behind the arc in the first quarter with Brody Nunn going 2/2 and Reyne Smith 2/3.

Nathan Sobey was stepping out for South East Melbourne for the first time this pre-season too and had nine points in those opening 10 minutes with the Phoenix going 4/11 from the outside.

Cairns also went 4/7 from the outside in the second quarter on the way to piling on another 30 points. By half-time Nunn had gone 3/3 from three-point range for nine points with Shaun Bruce up to eight points and eight assists while going 2/2.

Keanu Pinder also hit 2/2 from long-range on his way to 10 points while brothers Jack and Lloyd McVeigh combined for 17 points with the Snakes going into half-time leading 57-52.

South East Melbourne did add 30 points in the second frame too with 5/10 three-point shooting and going into the locker room Sobey was up to 12 points and four assists with D'Shawn Schwartz adding nine points and Skylar Mays eight.

It was another high-scoring third quarter with the teams combining for 56 points but the Taipans were still leading 86-79 by three quarter-time even with Mays adding another eight points for the Phoenix.

It might have been just a pre-season pre-Blitz hit out, but the competitive juices picked up late. The Phoenix build some momentum to get back within five after a Sobey breakaway dunk and then three with a bucket to French import Yannis Morin.

Sobey then made another layup when he got in behind Cairns' defence far too easily to make the deficit again three, but then Morris was pinged for a technical for a delay of game when he touched the ball afterwards.

That helped the Snakes back out to a four-point lead when Bruce converted and they went on to win by that margin.

The Taipans ended up going 14/34 from behind the arc for the game even with just 3/16 in the second half with Reyne Smith going 3/5, Shaun Bruce 3/5 and Brody Nunn 3/4.

Smith ended up top scoring with 16 points and four assists with Bruce showing exactly why he was keen for a new home to get more opportunities on court with 12 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.

Lloyd McVeigh is fresh off helping the South Adelaide Panthers to an NBL1 Central Grand Final and had 14 points and 10 rebounds with brother Jack out there for the first time this pre-season with nine points and two assists.

Keanu Pinder added 12 points and three assists, Kobe Williamson 10 points and seven rebounds, Nunn nine points, three boards and two assists, and Walter Brown nine points, seven rebounds and three assists.

South East Melbourne did end up taking an extra eight shots than the Snakes with 13 offensive rebounds with Skylar Mays producing 19 points, seven assists, four steals and three rebounds.

Nathan Sobey was out there for the first time this pre-season for 18 points and seven assists with D'Shawn Schwartz contributing 15 points and eight rebounds, and Sam Davidson 12 points and three assists after his NBL1 South season with Harry Froling at the Frankston Blues.

The Phoenix now put their focus towards Bendigo and the CODE Sports NBL Blitz against Sydney Kings and Brisbane Bullets.

FULL TIME STATS

Mays: 19p/3r/7a/4stl/1blk
Sobey: 18p/4r/7a
Schwartz: 15p/8r/2a
Davidson: 12p/3a
Hunter: 7p/3r/2a/1stl/1blk
Goodrick: 5p/4r/1stl
Morin: 5p/5r/1stl
Foster: 5p/5r/4a/1stl
Ryan: 3p/1r/1a/1stl
Dut: 3p/6r/1a/2stl/1blk
Aliir: 3p/6r/1a/2stl/1blk