South East Melbourne Phoenix ended a worrying slide on Saturday night, October 17, crushing the Cairns Taipans 115-83 at John Cain Arena behind a masterful 29-point performance from veteran guard Nathan Sobey.
The win lifted Phoenix to 3-4 and came less than 48 hours after a loss to the Brisbane Bullets, a defeat that had left the club under external pressure with critics agitating for change after a 2-4 start to the NBL season.
How Sobey turned the game around
Phoenix looked in deep trouble early, conceding 35 points in a porous first quarter and staring down a 12-point deficit. According to Fox Sports, two turnovers in the opening minutes had the home crowd fearing another collapse before Sobey settled his side with a 15-point opening term.
The 36-year-old, who entered the match under an injury cloud after a leg knock against the Bullets, was irrepressible before halftime. He finished the first half with 24 points and five assists, including a three-pointer from near the centre-court logo, as Phoenix strangled Cairns to just 19 points in the second period and flipped an eight-point deficit into an eight-point lead at the main break.
Sobey ended with 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists, numbers confirmed by the National Basketball League's official match report.
King's lineup changes pay off
Phoenix coach Josh King freshened the rotation by promoting import Yannis Morin and Angus Glover to the starting five, and both moves worked. Morin had a major impact in the paint, restricting dangerous Taipans centre Keanu Pinder to manageable numbers, while Glover contributed 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Centre Jordan Hunter relished coming off the bench with 19 points and 11 rebounds as Phoenix dominated the boards 58 in total. Five Phoenix players reached double figures: Sobey, Hunter, Glover, Morin with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Dash Daniels and Skylar Mays with 10 apiece.
Why the Taipans struggle against Phoenix
The loss was more of the same for Cairns in this fixture. The Taipans have now dropped eight straight games against Phoenix, seven of them by double digits, and their three-game winning streak came to a screeching halt.
Star forward Jack McVeigh was held to eight points, a statistic that has become a reliable predictor for Cairns. The Taipans have lost 10 consecutive games when McVeigh scores fewer than 15 points.
Reyne Smith led the visitors' early charge with his shooting, while Taipans defender Malique Lewis faced his former club and produced five blocks to go with seven points.
What comes next for both sides
Phoenix travel to face the Adelaide 36ers on October 24, while Cairns host the New Zealand Breakers the following day, according to the Flashscore NBL fixture list. The turnaround gives King's side a chance to build momentum, and the response against the Taipans suggested the club's early-season critics may have been premature.
For Cairns, the priority is rediscovering the form that produced three straight wins before this fixture, and finding ways to generate offence when McVeigh is contained.
Frequently asked questions
Who won between South East Melbourne Phoenix and Cairns Taipans?
Phoenix won 115-83 at John Cain Arena on Saturday, October 17, 2026, powered by Nathan Sobey's 29 points.
How many points did Nathan Sobey score?
Sobey scored 29 points with eight rebounds and six assists, including 24 points in the first half.
How long is Cairns' losing streak against Phoenix?
The Taipans have lost eight consecutive games against Phoenix, with seven of those defeats by double-digit margins.