Heads held high despite Phoenix’s Game 3 heartbreak

Home court advantage mattered little during the NBL26 regular season, but it proved decisive in the Playoffs, with South East Melbourne Phoenix coach Josh King left reflecting on what might have been after another Game 3 exit on the road.

After Saturday’s comeback win in Game 2 at John Cain Arena, King warned his side they couldn’t afford to fall into a similar hole in the decider in Adelaide if they wanted to reach the Championship Series.

But the Phoenix again found themselves chasing the game, trailing by 20 early in the second quarter. Despite 32 points from NBA and NBL champion Ian Clark, there would be no comeback this time as their season came to an end.

It marked a second straight Game 3 road defeat for the Phoenix, after last year falling to the eventual champion Illawarra Hawks, highlighting just how valuable home court advantage can be in a close-out game.

"That's why you play the regular season so you try to get that home court advantage, but still, we came here with a lot of confidence," King said.

"But it's why it's tougher to win on the road and we're close, we're raising the expectations at South East Melbourne, but we've still got steps to take even while loving the direction that our program is heading.

"My team has really elevated the bar at South East Melbourne and they've got nothing to be ashamed of, and they need to walk out of the building with their head held high, and I'm really proud of the group I got to coach this year but it really stinks that it has to end tonight."

With the season now over, King’s immediate focus turns to his own future, with the coach hopeful of securing a contract extension to remain with the Phoenix.

Beyond that, he takes confidence from the club’s strong core of local talent already locked in, including recently re-signed stars Nathan Sobey and Angus Glover.

King believes that foundation will allow South East Melbourne to keep building on what he calls the most exciting style of basketball in the league.

"I love being at South East Melbourne, I love being in Australia, it's an amazing place to be and the league is great, and I foresee being back," King said.

"I'm biased but I think we're the most exciting team to watch in the NBL in terms of the way we play night in and night out, but we'll look at everything to try and get better so that we have a chance to win a championship.

"No matter where you coach around the world, you have to have a really strong local core group, and we will make sure we have that and then we'll branch out from there and work on the three imports.

"Hopefully we have some of the guys back again from this season and how about Ian Clark tonight? What an amazing performance and he's been a real joy to coach, and a real boost to this group after coming in at Christmas time.

"Then obviously John Brown (III) and Wes (Iwundu), they had just killer seasons themselves so we'll see."