Phoenix boast 'Championship quality roster'

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

"This is our best ever shot at a title ... there are some real positive changes that have happened in the off-season."

Part-owner of the South East Melbourne Phoenix Josh Childress knows a thing or two about winning, and the former All-NBL First Team member believes is in a position to compete for the ultimate prize.

“This is a championship quality roster in my eyes,” Childress told the Phoenix website.

“This is our best ever shot at a title.”

Childress was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and went on to play over 400 games in the NBA, while also representing Sydney and Adelaide in the NBL.

He’s part of a growing contingent of current and former NBA stars to have bought stakes in an array of NBL sides, including 2011 champion Shawn Marion, former number one pick John Wall, and two-time All-Star Zach Randolph.

Childress says he can't wait for the NBL24 season to get started and see what the Phoenix can achieve.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">All the pieces have come together with Phoenix finalising their NBL24 roster. ?<br><br>Even part-owner <a href="https://twitter.com/JChillin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JChillin</a> is excited to see where this team leads to for the upcoming season! ?<br><br>? Limited tickets remain for tomorrow’s game: <a href="https://t.co/e8iY0hwhZd">https://t.co/e8iY0hwhZd</a></p>— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix/status/1690226607271874561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We have an MVP candidate from last year (Mitch Creek), a multiple international MVP winner in Will Cummings, and the league-leaders in assists (Gary Browne) and rebounds (Alan Williams),” Childress said.

“More importantly, these guys are ultimate team players.

“Add in the recruiting of Craig Moller and a tougher, more defensive bench – there are some real positive changes that have happened in the off-season.”

South East Melbourne opened its pre-season with a strong victory against the touring California Baptist University on Sunday afternoon.

Returning guard Gary Browne impressed with 17 points and seven assists in the 25-point win, while development player Anzac Rissetto was a strong influence off the bench with 13 points and four rebounds.

Newly-signed development player Austin Rapp registered six points after pulling in eight rebounds in Knox’s NBL1 South triumph not even 24 hours prior to the clash.

South East Melbourne’s next official pre-season game is slated to come against the Adelaide 36ers on September 1.