Oduro's double-double give United Throwdown double

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American import Josh Oduro ($277,000) credited Melbourne United's double-digit comeback to "smart basketball players" after the away team ran over the top of the South East Melbourne Phoenix 104-99 in the second Throwdown of NBL27 on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in Melbourne.

"We've got a lot of positional size," Oduro said.

"We've got a lot of great defenders, a lot of athletes, a lot of smart basketball players.

"So making sure I can anchor it, be in all the right spots, plug in our defence in certain spots, I think will be good for us. And I think we can continue to elevate."

The 2.06m Virginian muscled his way to 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, four blocks and four steals in 30:29, dominating at both ends of the floor.

He admitted he was still finding his feet in his first NBL campaign.

"They call it a little bit differently, and I think a lot of that was just on me learning the new league," Oduro said.

"I sat down with our coach, David Barlow, today, and he showed me some of my fouls where I could be better, where the refs can see the hooks and the holds, and just being more solid and cleaning that up.

"I want to continue to get better at it – be a good defender without fouling."

Melbourne United big Sam Waardenburg ($277,500) hit a go-ahead three with 5:42 left, after the Phoenix had scored 30 in the opening quarter and led 28-13 with a minute left in it.

United (3-3) won the second and third quarters to tie 74-74 at the final break, and the lead changed hands five times in the fourth before Waardenburg's three made it 88-87.

He followed it with an and-one drive 21 seconds later and an alley-oop dunk with 1:25 left that pushed the margin to six. Waardenburg had struggled to find his rhythm in United's first five games.

"He can't buy one right now, the poor fella," United head coach Jacob Chance said.

"He's one-of-four, but Waardenburg's level there – I mean, we've got the number one defence right now, and a big reason is the guy sitting next to me and lots of guys, but Sammy's a monster defensively.

"There are a lot of invisible plays that you don't see with Sam that he's doing for us right now with his shifts, his activity. He's getting on the glass for us, and then to see him get rewarded on the offence – that'll come, and he'll find his way there.

"I've loved his mindset. I think he had an injury at a really poor time in preseason after a good build that just slowed his start a little bit, but I feel like he's back to the best version of him right now.

"He gets a good eight-day break here, and I'm looking forward to what it looks like this next stretch."

Luke Travers ($292,900) led United with 24 points on 9-from-11, and Oduro had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Nathan Sobey ($379,600) matched Travers' 24 for the Phoenix. It is United's second Throwdown win of NBL27 after an 86-61 result at the same venue on Thursday, September 24.

The Phoenix (2-4) made four of 41 threes that night and 12 of 39 this time, but were beaten inside the arc and at the line instead.

"We have to focus," Phoenix head coach Josh King said.

"We have to keep our concentration.

"We're really having a tough time concentrating and sticking to the game plan right now.

"When we do it, we're pretty good. I thought for a large part of the game – we led for 30 minutes, got off to a good start – the game was on our terms for a while. That's what it all comes down to: can you keep the game on your terms?

"So, yeah, turnovers have been a little bit of an issue for us.

"But again, at this point of the year, it's all about sticking together and coming in the next day, or next day we meet, with the right mentality and getting ready for the next opponent."

Watch

NBL27

South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Melbourne United | Round 4 Highlights

Watch the highlights as South East Melbourne Phoenix take on Melbourne United in Round 4 of NBL27 on October 10, 2026.

What you need to know

• Melbourne United beat the South East Melbourne Phoenix 104-99 at John Cain Arena in Round 4 of NBL27.
• The Phoenix won the first quarter 30-17 and led by as many as 15, but United won each of the last three, 28-23, 29-21 and 30-25, and Sam Waardenburg ($277,500) hit the three that put them ahead 88-87 for good with 5:42 left.
• Luke Travers ($292,900) top-scored for United with 24 points on 9-from-11, and Nathan Sobey ($379,600) matched him for the Phoenix with 24 on 7-from-20, including 5-from-12 from three.
• The Phoenix made four more threes, 12 to eight, but United made five more two-pointers, 27 to 22, and seven more free throws, 26 of 35 to 19 of 22, which is the five-point margin exactly.
• The Phoenix took 14 more shots from the field, 81 to 67, but United shot 52.2 percent to their 42.0 and blocked eight shots to one.

Melbourne United

• Luke Travers ($292,900) top-scored with 24 points, four assists and two blocks on 9-from-11, including 2-from-3 from three and 4-from-7 at the line.
• Josh Oduro ($277,000) had 21 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and four blocks on 6-from-11, including 9-from-13 at the line, with seven of his rebounds at the offensive end.
• Cole Anthony ($300,000) had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds on 6-from-15, including 6-from-8 at the line, with five turnovers.
• Malith Machar ($69,000) scored 13 points on 4-from-4, including 1-from-1 from three and 4-from-4 at the line, in under 20 minutes.
• Sam Waardenburg ($277,500) had 10 points and six rebounds on 4-from-8, and scored eight of his points in the last 5:42.
• Joe Ingles ($300,000) scored nine points, all from three on 3-from-5, with five rebounds and three assists, and United were plus-22 in his 25 minutes.
• Fabijan Krslovic ($172,300) scored four points on 2-from-2 in nine minutes, including the basket that put United ahead 85-84 with 6:29 left.
• United shot 35-from-67 from the field, 8-from-24 from three and 26-from-35 at the line, with 42 rebounds, 22 assists and 18 turnovers.

South East Melbourne Phoenix

• Nathan Sobey ($379,600) top-scored with 24 points on 7-from-20, including 5-from-12 from three and 5-from-6 at the line, with six turnovers.
• D'Shawn Schwartz ($277,000) added 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals on 7-from-13 without a turnover.
• Skylar Mays ($277,000) had 15 points and a team-high seven assists on 6-from-11, including 3-from-6 from three.
• Angus Glover ($191,700) scored 12 points with five rebounds on 3-from-8, including 6-from-7 at the line.
• Yannis Morin ($277,000) had nine points on 4-from-5 in under 15 minutes, including both of the Phoenix's go-ahead baskets in the fourth quarter.
• Tanner Krebs ($150,300) had five points, a team-high six rebounds and three steals, and the Phoenix were plus-13 in his 26 minutes.
• Jordan Hunter ($224,800) had seven points and four rebounds, three of them offensive, on 2-from-7.
• The Phoenix shot 34-from-81 from the field, 12-from-39 from three and 19-from-22 at the line, with 42 rebounds, 18 assists and 17 turnovers.