John Brown III leads Phoenix rout of Cairns

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John Brown III set the tone early and it was over before half-time as the South East Melbourne Phoenix crushed Cairns Taipans 114-77 at John Cain Arena on Saturday, September 20, 2025 in Round 1 of NBL26.

American import Brown III, 33, was elite on the defensive side of the ball as well as diving into the stands to retrieve a deflection.

The Taipans, on the road, and without injured star Sam Waardenburg, were simply outplayed as the in the 37-point blow out.

Key Details

• Result: South East Melbourne Phoenix 114 def. Cairns Taipans 77
• When: September 20, 2025
• Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne

By the Numbers

• Angus Glover (South East Melbourne) starred with 18 points, five rebounds and shot 4-from-9 from three-point range in 21 minutes.
• Reyne Smith (Cairns) scored 19 points, had six rebounds, one assist and one steal in 24 minutes.

What Happened

The Phoenix established dominance early, leading 23-15 after the first quarter before extending their advantage to 59-35 by halftime. South East Melbourne maintained control throughout the second half, outscoring the Taipans 55-42 to complete the 37-point rout.

South East Melbourne's defence was the story of the night, forcing 19 Taipans turnovers while recording 14 steals. John Brown III was particularly disruptive, tallying six steals to go with his 14 points and four assists. The Phoenix converted these turnovers into easy transition opportunities, helping them shoot an efficient 44.8% from the field.

The home team's balanced attack proved overwhelming, with six players scoring in double figures. Hunter Maldonado contributed 16 points and five assists, while Nathan Sobey added 13 points and eight assists. The Phoenix bench was equally impressive, outscoring Cairns' reserves 63-10, with Glover's 18 points leading all bench scorers.

Cairns struggled against the Phoenix's defensive pressure, shooting just 37.3% from the field and 27.6% from three-point range. Jack McVeigh scored 18 points but committed three turnovers, while Admiral Schofield was limited to 12 points on 5-from-15 shooting with six turnovers. Marcus Lee provided a bright spot with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Taipans.

The Phoenix dominated inside, out rebounding Cairns 50-41 and outscoring them 46-28 in the paint. Their superior ball movement resulted in 23 assists compared to just 14 for the visitors. South East Melbourne also excelled from beyond the arc, connecting on 14-from-33 three-pointers (42.4%) while limiting Cairns to 8-from-29 (27.6%).

With the victory, the Phoenix showcased their championship credentials with a complete team performance on both ends of the floor. The 37-point margin represents their largest win of the season and continues their strong form at John Cain Arena.