South East Melbourne Phoenix to play two games at State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South

Brace yourselves basketball fans — the NBL’s newest team will play two of its home games in Melbourne’s outer east this summer in a coup for sports lovers. This is where.

Australian player Mitch Creek is South East Melbourne Phoenix’s marquee signing. Picture: Matt Loxton

National Basketball League games will be played in Knox for the first time in the league’s 41-year history this summer.

In a major coup for outer-east sport fans, Knox Leader can reveal new NBL team South East Melbourne Phoenix are set to host two regular season games at the 3200-capacity State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South.

The dates of the two games and Phoenix’s opponents will be revealed when the 2019-20 NBL fixture is released tomorrow.

Phoenix’s marquee signing Mitch Creek is part of the Australian Boomers squad for the upcoming FIBA World Cup. Picture: Julian Smith

Knox Leader understands the two games are likely to be held after Christmas and in early January when the Phoenix will have to vacate their home court — Melbourne Arena — for the Australian Open tennis.

The team trains at the centre and has just opened a high-performance office there.

South East Melbourne Phoenix had their launch at the State Basketball Centre in November last year. Picture: Daniel Pockett

The Phoenix were originally going to start their two-games-a-season arrangement at the SBC when its planned $126 million upgrade was completed .

But information on their membership website indicates they will be playing games at both the SBC and Melbourne Arena this season.

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The Phoenix have assembled an exciting player roster for their debut season, led by Australian NBA star Mitch Creek, who had stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this year.

Hotly-hyped American teenager and NBA 2020 draft hopeful Terry Armstrong has also signed with the club as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program.

Last week, the Phoenix announced three NBA players — Zach Randolph, Josh Childress and Al Harrington — had bought an ownership stake in the club.

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