The South East Melbourne Phoenix opened their 2026–27 National Basketball League campaign with a heartbreaking 99–95 home defeat to the Cairns Taipans on Thursday night, as the visitors produced a clinical fourth-quarter surge to snatch victory at John Cain Arena.

The Phoenix looked the more composed side through three quarters, building a lead that at times stretched to double figures behind sharp ball movement and aggressive rim pressure. But Cairns, as they often do, refused to go away, and a decisive 32–20 final period flipped the contest on its head.

How the game was won

South East Melbourne controlled the tempo for most of the night, knocking down timely triples and beating Cairns' pressure with quick outlets. The Phoenix backcourt caused problems in transition, and home fans were rewarded with a series of highlight-level finishes in the paint.

However, the Taipans tightened their defence in the fourth, switching more aggressively on screens and forcing the Phoenix into contested jumpers. Cairns converted those stops into fast-break opportunities, and their scoring burst in the closing minutes proved too much for a tiring home side.

Key moments

• Strong start from the Phoenix, who led by seven points at the first break.
• A mid-game scoring run gave the home side their biggest lead of the night early in the third quarter.
• Cairns shaved the margin to single digits entering the fourth, setting up their late surge.
• A pair of clutch triples from the Taipans in the final three minutes sealed the comeback.

Standout performers

The Phoenix will look back on a balanced scoring effort, but it was Cairns' ability to hit big shots in the clutch that made the difference. The Taipans displayed the kind of veteran composure that has made them a perennial NBL contender, particularly in hostile road environments.

Early-season implications

For South East Melbourne Phoenix, the narrow loss is a bitter pill to swallow, especially with a winnable home fixture slipping away. James Duncan's side will want to tighten their late-game execution before their next outing.

Cairns Taipans, meanwhile, will take enormous confidence from this road win. The NBL season is long and unforgiving, but stealing a game on the road against a playoff-calibre opponent is exactly the kind of result that builds momentum.

Both teams now turn their attention to the early-season NBL standings, with the Phoenix eager to bounce back and the Taipans aiming to prove this performance was no fluke.