Melbourne United overturned a 15-point deficit to beat South East Melbourne Phoenix 104-99 in Throwdown XXXIV, with Luke Travers leading the scoring and Cole Anthony helping shut the door at the other end.
Saturday night’s comeback at John Cain Arena gave United consecutive wins after their victory in Adelaide. Just as importantly, Melbourne found a way through a difficult start without needing Anthony to carry the scoring load: Travers finished with 24 points, Josh Oduro delivered 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Anthony contributed 18 points and seven assists.
Anthony’s defence settles the derby
Anthony’s most consequential moments came late, when the Phoenix still had a chance to reclaim the game.
With United leading 98-94, he blocked Skylar Mays’ three-point attempt as the shot clock ran down. In the final minute, he also chased down Mays for a diving steal before adding two free throws, according to AAP’s match report.
Those interventions changed the shape of Anthony’s night. He had missed six of his first seven shots and encountered foul trouble, but remained influential through his passing and the defensive possessions that helped secure the result.
For United, that was the distinction between a productive individual line and a winning finish. Anthony did not lead Melbourne in points; he still supplied decisive plays when the margin left little room for error.
Travers and Oduro drive the recovery
The Phoenix controlled the opening quarter, taking a 30-17 lead, and stretched their first-half advantage to 15. Melbourne reduced the deficit to 53-45 by half-time, keeping the derby within reach rather than allowing the early damage to become terminal.
The third quarter brought the reversal. Phoenix turnovers and a drop-off in outside shooting opened the door, and United put together an 11-0 run while Anthony was on the bench with foul trouble.
Travers then hit a three-pointer to bring the scores level at 74-74 at three-quarter-time. From there, Melbourne edged ahead and ultimately finished the job.
Travers and Oduro combined for 45 points, giving United enough scoring support to survive Anthony’s uneven opening. Oduro’s double-double also supplied production on the glass alongside his offence.
Nathan Sobey scored 24 points for South East Melbourne, while D’Shawn Schwartz added 19. Their contributions were not enough to preserve the Phoenix’s early control.
A useful fantasy signal, not a new baseline
The win followed United’s 96-91 victory over Adelaide, giving Melbourne a second consecutive close-game result after a difficult opening to the season.
For fantasy managers, the useful takeaway is the spread of production. Anthony’s seven assists mattered on a night when two teammates outscored him, while Oduro paired his points with double-figure rebounds. Travers’ 24 points put his offensive contribution firmly in view.
None of those totals establishes a new weekly expectation, and this game alone does not prove a rotation or usage change. The next check is whether the scoring opportunities and supporting categories repeat — the same distinction explored in Buckets’ Round 4 role-change guide.
The immediate verdict belongs to the derby: Melbourne recovered together, then Anthony delivered the stops that helped make the comeback count.
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