Unpacking the beaten NBL semi-finalists: How did it play out for the Wildcats and Phoenix?

The Perth Wildcats and South East Melbourne Phoenix beat the odds to get within touching distance of the grand final, but ultimately fell short. What worked, what didn't, and what's next?

South East Melbourne and Perth weren’t meant to be here, one win away from the NBL grand final. Both clubs faced their fair share of challenges in NBL25, some bigger than others; if you asked any fan midseason for their title contenders, and not many would have named the Phoenix or the Wildcats.

Credit: JBC Studios