King calls out free throw imbalance after Phoenix win

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Another press conference and another call for refereeing consistency.

This time it was South East Melbourne and NBL26 Coach of the Year candidate Josh King calling out the significant disparity between of the free throw count as the Phoenix withstood the New Zealand Breakers 123-116 at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

The Breakers went to the line 49 times while King's men shot just 19 free throws. The foul count was 31-19.

"I’m just happy the guys found a way to win the game, especially when you shoot 30 fewer free throws than your opponent," King said,

"It’s really hard to do and it’s really frustrating. It was a really boring second half. I guess we played a lot differently in the second half than we did in the first. Again, we have to be better, of course.

"But I’ve watched enough press conferences now, and I’ve heard enough players and coaches. We just want consistency.

"I’ve never seen that big of a difference in a free throw count. So I finally said something in a press conference. I don’t know if I’m the last one to say something, but it’s really frustrating, and I feel for our guys again.

"Not saying we don’t foul, but we just want some consistency out there. So that’s how I saw it, really.

"I don’t know, world’s longest game, world’s longest half. Again, we have to be better. I have to be better, because the guys sometimes feed off my emotion, and I was really frustrated in that game for obvious reasons.

"But we’ll be better, because we have to be better if we want to get to where we want to be. That’s how I saw it."

Phoenix defensive stopper John Brown III fouled out in 22 minutes, big man Jordan Hunter fouled out in 18 minutes, form-finding import Ian Clark picked up four fouls in 20 minutes and NBL Next Star Malique Lewis was assessed four in 18 minutes.

King admitted he wouldn't study the film when he got home.

"I won’t watch it," he revealed.

"I’m an emotional guy, and I’m thinking about not even watching this game. I usually go home and watch it, but I’ll be up until five in the morning.

"I’ve just been frustrated for a long time, and it’s kind of reached its peak. But as the head coach, I have to recalibrate, because it’s not good.

"I think there was a little bit of a message sent tonight, loud and clear, and I got it. We’ll recalibrate, refocus, and get ready for Cairns. We’ll be better. We have to be better."

The "message" required little reading between the lines. The Phoenix are tough on the defensive side of the ball, and lead the league in fouls committed per game at more than 22. But King said: "Take it however you want it."

King joins a growing list of coaches who have used press conferences in the past six days to put pressure on officials. Cairns Taipans import guard Andrew Andrews has also called for "consistency."

Taipans head coach Adam Forde said he would stop communicating with Referees boss Scott Butler while Hawks head coach Justin Tatum accused “entities try to shut us down” although he singled out Code Sports Basketball as one of those.

"It does nothing," Forde said.

"And then again, I back Drew (about it being the hardest job in the world). It’s the hardest job in the world and it’s a one-man job in that position. But it does nothing."

It's not just the men's game. WNBL coaches Shannon Seebohm and Ryan Petrik had a press conference-off over a non-call after Townsville's Alicia Froling drove to the bucket and collected Perth's Han Xu with an elbow in the face.

"Basketball play," Seebohm said of the bang-bang play.

"Sorry, he said it's a basketball play? Wow," Petrik countered.

Back to the game. Clark is starting to show signs of his NBL25 form, pouring in 24 points in 20 minutes, which a great sign for the second-placed Phoenix.

On the other side, Sam Mennenga went beast mode, dropping a game high 28 points including a poster over Hunter on a drive down the middle.

The Phoenix moved to 18-8, now just a game behind league leaders Adelaide 36ers at 19-6 while the 10-16 Breakers fell two games behind sixth-placed Tasmania JackJumpers 12-14.

Both Adelaide and the Phoenix have now clinched play-off spots for NBL26.

Key Details

• Round: 18
• Result: South East Melbourne Phoenix 123 def. New Zealand Breakers 116
• When: Wednesday, 21st January 2026
• Where: State Basketball Centre, Melbourne
• Attendance: 3,422
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Ian Clark (Phoenix) starred with 24 points, three rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes on outstanding 7-from-11 shooting including 5-from-8 from deep.
• Sam Mennenga (Breakers) led all scorers with 28 points, five rebounds and one assist in 33 minutes on efficient 8-from-12 shooting from the field.

What Happened

The Phoenix established early control with a dominant first quarter, outscoring the Breakers 38-28 to set the tone for what would become a high-scoring affair. South East Melbourne maintained their advantage through the second period, extending their lead to 74-54 at half-time behind exceptional three-point shooting. The home side connected on 11 triples in the opening 20 minutes, with Ian Clark leading the charge from downtown.

New Zealand mounted a spirited comeback in the third quarter, outscoring Phoenix 31-26 to cut the deficit to 15 points heading into the final period. Parker Jackson-Cartwright orchestrated the Breakers' revival with his playmaking ability, dishing out nine assists throughout the contest while contributing 26 points of his own. The veteran guard's leadership kept New Zealand within striking distance despite Phoenix's early dominance.

The fourth quarter developed into an intense battle as both teams traded baskets. Phoenix's shooting remained solid at 55% from the field, but the Breakers capitalised on their opportunities at the charity stripe, converting 38-from-49 free throw attempts compared to Phoenix's 17-from-19. Sam Mennenga was particularly effective for New Zealand, shooting an outstanding 8-from-12 from the field while dominating the paint with his 28-point performance.

Ian Clark proved to be the difference-maker for Phoenix, delivering a masterful shooting display that included five three-pointers on eight attempts. His 24 points in just 20 minutes of action demonstrated remarkable efficiency, complemented by Wes Iwundu's 23-point contribution on 8-from-13 shooting. The Phoenix's superior three-point shooting proved decisive, connecting on 18 triples compared to the Breakers' six makes from beyond the arc.

South East Melbourne's victory was built on their exceptional shooting performance, connecting at 55% from the field while maintaining a 42.86% clip from three-point range. The Phoenix controlled the tempo for most of the contest, leading for 38 minutes and 50 seconds compared to the Breakers' brief 17 seconds in front. Despite New Zealand's late surge and superior free throw attempts, Phoenix's balanced offensive attack and hot shooting from deep secured the seven-point victory at State Basketball Centre.