"This is a revenge game"

Tonight’s Throwdown is more than just a top of the ladder battle past the mid-way point of the season.

Yes, Melbourne has proved itself to be the team to beat, and yes, the genuine contender status around South East Melbourne is yet to be totally confirmed, but Peter Hooley believes the Phoenix have the chance to lay some demons to bed in this clash.

Last time these two sides met United were without starting duo Luke Travers and Matthew Dellavedova, while crucial sixth man Ian Clark was also sidelined through injury. The likes of unheralded duo Kyle Bowen and Flynn Cameron stepped up alongside Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and Chris Goulding to snatch the win though.

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“We talk to all these players about the Throwdown and they say ‘it’s just another game on the calendar’. It’s not. The more they say it the more you tend to believe it even less,” Hooley said on NBL Now.

“No doubt about it this game means so much to the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

“We all remember what happened last time, the South East Melbourne Phoenix remember what happened last time. People were saying it was inexcusable, Melbourne short-handed, they got punched in the mouth in a game they simply couldn’t afford to lose. Add to the fact it was their rivals in a Throwdown and the magnitude of that.

“This is a revenge game where they’ve got to come out and basically try to punch Melbourne United in the face.”

While there’s been an in-city rivalry between United and the Phoenix since South East Melbourne’s entrance into the competition in 2019, it was taken to a new level during the NBL21 semi-final series.

United triumphed in the best of three series thanks to an immense second half comeback.

The Phoenix led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter but went on to lose by 10. United advanced to the Championship Series and went on to sweep the Wildcats.

“They already think they have that edge – and they probably do have that edge – and this goes back,” Hooley said of United.

“You remember a couple of years ago with no crowd at Qudos Bank Arena and the Phoenix were a half away from a Grand Final Series, and more to that, they were a half away from winning their first ever title.

“We know what happened in that Championship Series and whoever won out of Melbourne United and South East Melbourne were going to be champions, because of what happened to the Wildcats. That would still stink in terms of the overall organisation.

“The Phoenix have been good at home and you think ‘ok, this team can contend’, and then they have slip ups. That game in Adelaide, they couldn’t afford to lose, the game against Melbourne United last time, the way they lost was alarming.

“The beautiful thing about basketball and pro sport is you get revenge opportunities and they need to look at this saying ‘they might be confident they’re going to come out and get the job done, but we’re coming in here to stamp our authority’.”

Tonight’s Throwdown clash tips off at 7:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN via Kayo.