‘Keep defence rolling’: New recruit Jordan Hunter is full of praise for how South East Melbourne Phoenix has turned around their form

The Phoenix were staring into the abyss at 0-5, but that is now a distant memory with new recruit Jordan Hunter buoyant about a finals tilt, ahead of facing his old NBL side in Sydney.

South East Melbourne captain Jordi Hunter says the Phoenix’s remarkable recovery from an 0-5 start is just the beginning as the hottest team in the NBL eyes more than just a top-six finish.

The Phoenix, under caretaker Sam Mackinnon, then new man Josh King, have risen from conceding the third-most points per game in the league through their first five games to become the NBL’s No. 1 defensive team — a stretch where they’ve gone 4-1 to rocket back into finals calculations.

About to return to Sydney for the first time since departing the Kings, where he won two titles, club co-captain Hunter believes a lesser group would have been crushed by the horror start that cost then-coach Mike Kelly his job, but, after weathering that storm, they are aiming high.

Jordan Hunter is confident his new team has left the 0-5 start well behind them. Picture: Allison/Getty Images

“It would have been easy for the group to think that the season’s over when you lose five and then, all of a sudden, you string a few together, and we look up and we’re one win out of the play-in and there’s more than half the season to go,” Hunter said.

“If we’re the best defensive team in the league over the last five games, keep that rolling. See where that takes us.

“I don’t think this group is thinking ‘All right, let’s just get to sixth and see what happens’.

“There’s so much runway still for us to really make a push for a strong position.

“If you’re the best defensive team in the league at the end of the season, that’s a pretty helpful place to be.”

Hunter admitted it was a “tough” adjustment to go from Kelly’s messaging, be revitalised under Mackinnon, then switch again to King.

“Sammy Mack really fixed the vibe up and then human nature is like, you’re almost prepared to resist the further change, because you finally have something rolling,” he said.

“This would have broken lesser groups but there’s been a real willingness to be like, ‘All right, Josh’s system, let’s f***ing figure it out’.”

Hunter said the leadership group was working hard to keep the squad level after its swift rise.

“Every leadership meeting, the leadership group has spoken about not relaxing,” he said.

“We’ve given everyone a head start, we haven’t done anything, we’re bloody still eighth.

“The chat is being cognisant of that sort of energy from the group of getting excited but no one’s really doing anything but trying to learn Josh’s system and be as prepared as possible for the next game.

“All you can do is stay process-oriented.”

Originally published as ‘Keep defence rolling’: New recruit Jordan Hunter is full of praise for how South East Melbourne Phoenix has turned around their form