Boom recruits Tanner Krebs and teenager Dash Daniels have starred as South East Melbourne issued an early, striking statement of intent, trouncing the Perth Wildcats 100-79 on the NBL's opening night.
Without their superstar co-captain Nathan Sobey, sidelined with a calf injury, the Phoenix used a 30-13 second-quarter surge and 35-17 fourth-quarter flourish to put the Wildcats away at Perth's RAC Arena on Saturday evening.
Krebs (25 points) and Daniels (career-bests with 24 points and 12 rebounds) had both switched from crosstown rivals Melbourne United during the off-season, and took turns in taking Perth down.
"Tanner got us going offensively ... and this guy (Daniels) really opened the game up with his defensive presence, getting steals, getting easy baskets," Phoenix coach Josh King said.
"We have a lot of different guys we can throw out there."
Kristian Doolitte (25 points), Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (20) and Elijah Pepper (19) were the main contributors for the Wildcats, who wilted badly down the stretch.
They started promisingly, though, Doolittle scoring 13 first-quarter points, including three three-pointers, to put Perth in front 24-19 at the opening break.
Doolittle was held to two points in the second stanza, while fellow import Dylan Windler was uncharacteristically scoreless at the half.
At the other end, Krebs spearheaded a sizzling SEM fightback, beginning the quarter with back-to-back triples, before splashing two more from downtown for the half.
SEM snatched the lead on a Krebs-led 11-0 burst before extending their advantage with another 7-0 run, motoring ahead 49-37 by halftime.
Dash is rising 📈 https://t.co/ythQP4sJAb
— NBL (@NBL) September 19, 2026
Daniels, the 18-year-old brother of NBA star and Olympian Dyson Daniels, pushed the margin out to 54-39 before the Wildcats awoke from their protracted slumber and launched a spirited rally.
Elijah Pepper's four-point play got Perth going, before 40-year-old Jesse Wagstaff finished the quarter with a three-pointer, a pair of free throws - after taking a charge - and a strong drive to trim the Phoenix's advantage to 65-62 at the final change.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the fourth stanza, Doolittle's fourth triple squaring the scores.
But from 69-all, Perth fell to pieces, Daniels scoring eight points in 88 seconds and Krebs getting off the chain as SEM peeled off 31 of the last 41 points.
They ended up wearing us down over the course of 40 minutes," Wildcats coach John Rillie said.
"That's why the score ended up being the way that it became."
