Phoenix pressure cooker leaves 'Cats with no answers

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In the playoffs, the pressure increases dramatically, and the South East Melbourne Phoenix were ready for that, but the Perth Wildcats clearly weren't.

The Phoenix's suffocating defence, led by Defensive Player of the Year John Brown III as well as Owen Foxwell, brought the Wildcats offence to a halt as they forced 17 turnovers to run away with a 111-94 victory at John Cain Arena to book a semi-finals clash with six-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton and the Adelaide 36ers.

All-NBL First Team member Nathan Sobey led the way with 24 points as the Phoenix avoided a do-or-die clash with the winner of the play-in elimination game between Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers, while the Wildcats need a dramatic response to keep their season alive.

"The play-in games are kind of tough, you obviously just want to win the first one and not worry about playing again in two days, but the boys came out ready to go, took care of business and set the tone early, and it does feel good to be ready to go in that playoff series now," Sobey said post-game.

"I think we set the tone early in the season with how we want to play, but kind of back end of the season fell away from it but Foxy, JB and Wes (Iwundu) the way they set the tone in the defensive end to start the game forcing turnovers, it really put them on the back foot and got us going."

Phoenix coach Josh King said his team were able to sustain 40 minutes of pressure because of how they approach practice.

"We practice like that, when we get after it in practice, when you play like that, you can't just show up and decide to do that, so the guys get after each other in practice and that makes it easier when the games come around," he said post-game.

"Obviously, it's good not to have to go in the do-or-die situation, it's a good win for our guys, it's been a while since we've played, and I think for the most part after the first quarter we dominated the game."

South East Melbourne will travel to Adelaide for the first game of a five-game series against the 36ers on March 10.

"They've been sitting at home waiting for us. It'll be a fun series... they were in second place for a reason, we've got to be ready to go," King said.

Key Details

• Result: South East Melbourne Phoenix 111 def. Perth Wildcats 94
• When: Wednesday, 4th March 2026
• Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne
• Attendance: 3,891

By the Numbers

• Nathan Sobey (South East Melbourne Phoenix) starred with 24 points, four rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in 30 minutes.
• Kristian Doolittle (Perth Wildcats) scored 22 points, and had six rebounds, two assists in 35 minutes.

What Happened

The Phoenix established early control and never looked back, building a commanding 35-29 first-quarter lead before extending their advantage throughout the contest. They maintained their dominance in the second period, outscoring Perth 29-18 to take a decisive 64-47 halftime lead. The home side's balanced offensive attack proved too much for the visiting Wildcats to handle.

Phoenix captain Nathan Sobey was exceptional, shooting an efficient 9-from-18 from the field, including 2-from-7 from downtown. His leadership on both ends of the court was instrumental in the 17-point victory. Owen Foxwell provided outstanding support with 18 points on superb 8-from-13 shooting, including an impressive 2-from-3 from beyond the arc. John Brown III contributed eight rebounds and five assists while shooting a perfect 3-from-6 from the field.

Perth's Kristian Doolittle battled valiantly with 22 points on solid 7-from-13 shooting and connected on 3-from-8 triples, but his efforts weren't enough to overcome the Phoenix's superior team performance. Dylan Windler added 13 points and seven assists, whilst Jo Lual-Acuil Jr chipped in 11 points and six boards. However, the Wildcats struggled with ball security, turning the ball over 17 times compared to Phoenix's five turnovers.

The Phoenix's dominance was evident in their control of the game, leading for 36 minutes and 44 seconds compared to Perth's mere two minutes and two seconds in front. South East Melbourne's balanced scoring attack featured five players in double figures, demonstrating their depth and offensive versatility. Their 49.4% field goal shooting was complemented by strong free-throw accuracy at 83.3%.

Perth's 50.8% field goal shooting kept them competitive early, but they couldn't match the Phoenix's intensity and ball movement.

The Wildcats' 41.4% three-point shooting from downtown was impressive, connecting on 12 triples, but their 17 turnovers proved costly against a Phoenix side that capitalised on every opportunity. The loss highlighted Perth's need for better ball control and defensive consistency.