United 'better prepared' two-week finals break

• Melbourne United finish second on the NBL25 ladder
• South East Melbourne Phoenix finish fourth on the NBL25 ladder
• Phoenix face Perth on Tuesday in Play-In Game

Melbourne United secured a crucial 103-93 victory against cross-town rivals South East Melbourne Phoenix in the Throwdown at John Cain Arena in a thrilling finale to the NBL25 regular season.

The win solidified United's second-place finish and earned them a coveted two-week break ahead of the playoffs.

"It was a nervous day for me," admitted Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman post-match.

"Any time you have a team coming in with that mode is really dangerous. The goal for this club every year is can we finish top two, and we ticked that one off."

NBL.com.au reports that Vickerman feels better about that scenario given the preparation time will be similar for both teams to start that series with the FIBA break in between, but he's also confident they learned some lessons from last year.

"It's a little bit different this year and we felt that in the Wollongong series last year we tried everything we could to be up to speed, but for that Game 1 it just didn’t feel like we were at speed," Vickerman said.

"Now there's no real kind of advantage playing those hard games right before the semi finals this year, everyone's going to have this little break and hopefully our performance staff feel like we can do it the best, and come out ready."

The match was a tale of two halves, with the Phoenix mounting a spirited challenge early on. South East Melbourne stormed to a 12-point lead early in the third quarter, threatening to upset United's top-two aspirations.

However, Melbourne showcased their championship mettle, orchestrating a remarkable turnaround to claim the 10-point victory.

United's resurgence began late in the third quarter, spearheaded by the sharpshooting of Shea Ili and Tanner Krebs. The home side unleashed a 12-2 run to erase the deficit, setting the stage for a nail-biting final period.

Melbourne's momentum carried into the fourth quarter, where they opened with a decisive 7-0 burst to seize control of the contest.

The statistics tell the story of United's efficiency and resilience. Despite shooting a lower percentage from the field (45% compared to Phoenix's 51% in the first half), Melbourne's ability to generate second-chance points proved crucial.

They outscored the Phoenix 9-0 in this category during the pivotal second-half comeback.

Shea Ili emerged as the standout performer for Melbourne United, notching 18 points and two assists in a stellar display.

The guard's leadership and clutch shooting were instrumental in turning the tide. Tanner Krebs provided a significant boost off the bench, draining 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc en route to 16 points.

Looking ahead, Melbourne United will relish their hard-earned break before the playoffs commence.

Meanwhile, the South East Melbourne Phoenix must quickly regroup as they face a daunting trip to Perth for a Play-In Game against the Wildcats on Tuesday night.

With the season series between United and Phoenix now level at two wins apiece, the stage is set for potentially explosive encounters should these Melbourne rivals meet again in the postseason.