'Dudes aren't coming to play': McVeigh slams teammates in loss

• 2025-26 NBL Team Lists and Roster Tracker
• ‘Catch 22’: Analysing our most coveted coaching jobs
• All 92 games of the 2025-26 WNBL season

Cairns Taipans superstar Jack McVeigh delivered a fiery half-time message to his teammates, saying "some dudes aren't coming to play right now" as his team were flogged 117-91 by the South East Melbourne Phoenix in another disappointing loss.

McVeigh slammed the efforts of some of his fellow Taipans in the half-time interview with Kelsey Browne despite Cairns only trailing 52-49 going into the major break.

"I don't know if I'm ever happy at the moment," he said.

"I want to get a win and some dudes aren't coming to play right now and that leaves me pissed off.

Asked what needed to change in the second half, McVeigh was blunt once again.

"I mean they apply pressure, so it's like poise and getting into our stuff and then D trans and rebounding, they play a style that wins games and it's (about) controlling tempo and me taking some deep breaths and trying not to be so angry."

Unfortunately it didn't get better for McVeigh and the Taipans, who were beaten 69-39, with Phoenix duo Angus Glover and Wes Iwundu combining to hit 10 triples and run away with a 27-point victory.

Match Recap

South East Melbourne Phoenix defeated Cairns Taipans 118-91 at State Basketball Centre in front of 3,422 fans. Angus Glover’s explosive 22 points off the bench powered the Phoenix, who surged in the second half to secure a vital NBL win.

Key Details

• Result: South East Melbourne Phoenix 118 def. Cairns Taipans 91
• When: 24th of January 2026
• Where: State Basketball Centre, Victoria
• Attendance: 3,422
• NBL Standings

By the Numbers

• Angus Glover (South East Melbourne Phoenix) starred with 22 points, five assists, two steals, and one block in twenty minutes.
• Jack McVeigh (Cairns Taipans) scored 21 points, collected six rebounds, and added one assist and three fouls in thirty-four minutes.

What Happened

South East Melbourne Phoenix stormed back from an early deficit to deliver a dominant performance, outscoring the Cairns Taipans by twenty-seven points. The Taipans started strong, jumping out to a ten-point lead after the first quarter, 26-16, behind a 14-point scoring run and efficient shooting from Jack McVeigh and Kyrin Galloway. However, the Phoenix responded in the second quarter with a 33-point outburst, slashing the deficit and tying the game at halftime.

The momentum swung decisively in the third quarter. South East Melbourne Phoenix ramped up their defensive intensity, limiting Cairns to only fifteen points while pouring in thirty-two of their own. Angus Glover ignited the crowd with back-to-back triples at the 7:30 and 6:45 marks, fuelling a 10-0 Phoenix run that pushed the lead into double digits for the first time. By the end of the third, the Phoenix held a comfortable 81-67 advantage.

Key plays included Ian Clark’s step-back three-pointer with 3:15 left in the third, extending the Phoenix lead to 70-59, and John Brown III’s swat in the paint that led to a fastbreak slam from Wes Iwundu at 1:50 in the fourth. Cairns attempted to claw back with Mojave King’s triple from the corner at 8:40 in the final period, but South East Melbourne’s offence proved relentless, as they closed the game with a 37-point fourth quarter.

Angus Glover’s efficiency was outstanding, shooting 7-from-10 from the field and 5-from-8 from outside the arc, while Ian Clark added nineteen points and five assists on 7-from-11 shooting. Owen Foxwell contributed a well-rounded thirteen points and eight dimes, orchestrating the Phoenix offence with poise. Jack McVeigh led the Taipans with twenty-one points at a stellar 61.5% clip, but Cairns struggled to control the ball, committing nineteen turnovers that led to easy Phoenix transition buckets.

Team strategy played a decisive role. South East Melbourne Phoenix shot a superb 52.1% from the field (38-from-73) and an impressive 51.2% from deep (21-from-41), while limiting Cairns to just 39.4% from outside (13-from-33).

The Phoenix also cleaned the glass, outrebounding the Taipans thirty-nine to thirty-two, and forced eleven steals that translated into fastbreak opportunities. Cairns’ offence faltered in the second half, particularly in the third quarter, where they managed just fifteen points and coughed up seven turnovers.