Building South East Melbourne Phoenix's new homebase in the heart of the Latrobe Valley

Traralgon might be a bit of a drive from the bright lights of Melbourne, but it’s a lot longer journey from places such as Muscatine in Iowa, Rochester in Minnesota and Detroit, Michigan.

That hasn’t stopped the NBL’s South East Melbourne Phoenix from building a keen fanbase in Gippsland with the team locking in more matches at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium (GRISS).

As one of 3 American imports in the squad, star point guard Derrick Walton Jr grew up in the Motor City and has spent time playing in the NBA with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and his hometown Detroit Pistons.

Despite the NBA being one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, he says the fans in Gippsland are just as passionate from his past experiences playing at GRISS.

'Memories of a very interactive crowd, very loud. I remember us going on a run and it feeling like I couldn’t hear anything but shrills.'

Through the support of the Significant Sporting Events Program, the Phoenix will play a regular-season home game at GRISS in both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 NBL seasons, extending a partnership which began in 2022.

The first of the games will be held early next year, as the Phoenix face off against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday 11 January 2025.

The team recently travelled to Traralgon for a Community Day with kids from local schools, meeting the fans who have helped build the strong Phoenix following in Gippsland.

Derrick wants these locals to bring the same intensity in January as the Phoenix look to climb up the NBL table.

'I’m expecting and will be hopeful for the crowd to root us on for our many victories to come.'

All 3 previous games were played in front of sold-out crowds, with the most recent Phoenix game at GRISS bringing basketball fans from across Victoria and generating an estimated economic benefit of almost $650,000 to the local region.

South East Melbourne Phoenix CEO Tommy Greer says the entire organisation can’t wait to be back in Traralgon for the clash against the Bullets.

The Significant Sporting Events Program helps sporting, community and event organisations to deliver significant sporting events like the Phoenix at GRISS, in Victoria.

Since its inception in 2010, the Program has secured more than 1,000 events for Victoria, keeping local businesses busy, hotels and shopping strips bustling and our economy strong.

Already capable of hosting elite sporting events like NBL regular season matches, there will be an added bonus for Phoenix fans in Traralgon as works continue on the Victorian Government-funded upgrades at GRISS through the Regional Sporting Infrastructure Program.

The upgrades will deliver a refurbishment of courts, foyer and broadcasting facilities​, new solar panels, officials change room and other amenity upgrades, benefits Derrick Walton Jr says will be huge for basketball in the region, providing players and fans with an elite sporting venue.

'It allows people to come into a place and know it’s going to be some hi-tech and state-of-the-art facility, gives you an extra oomph and incentive to go hard and be in it as much as possible.'

Tickets are now on sale for the Phoenix vs Bullets at GRISS. Get yours on the Ticketek website.