Phoenix beat Kings in stunning shootout

The two teams play at a frenetic tempo and combined for 241 points in the highest scoring game of NBL26 with the South East Melbourne Phoenix beating the Sydney Kings 124-117 in a crucial result.

There were 34 lead changes in the finals-like contest at Qudos Bank Arena on Monday night, with Nathan Sobey the linchpin as the Phoenix (15-7) laid down a marker against their title rivals.

It was a huge result in the context of the season for both teams too with South East Melbourne now solid in second position ahead of the 15-8 Melbourne United while the Kings slip further back in fourth at 13-9 only just ahead of the 13-10 Perth Wildcats.

Sobey top-scored for the Phoenix with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 9/14 shooting from the field with 5/10 from downtown, but he had plenty of help.

Former Kings championship winning pair Jordan Hunter (23 points, five rebounds, 4/9 from deep) and Angus Glover (18 points, 3/5 from downtown) came up huge as well.

Owen Foxwell added 16 points and four assists with DJ Mitchell stepping up for 16 points and three assists with 4/5 three-point shooting while John Brown III's physical presence meant he had as big as impact on the result as anyone with 10 points and eight rebounds with six of those offensive.

Sydney came into the game without their defensive barometer Bul Kuol with a knee injury and then lost Xavier Cooks early in the game to an ankle injury, and ultimately Kendric Davis fouled out with 1:30 to go to cost them any chance.

Before that, Davis had 30 points and six assists on 11/13 shooting with 4/4 from downtown for the Kings with Matthew Dellavedova adding 20 points and five assists, and Makuach Maluach 15 points and six rebounds.

Kouat Noi returned after missing Friday night's loss in Adelaide through illness for 14 points and five rebounds with Tyler Robertson adding 11 points and three rebounds.

South East Melbourne dominated the offensive boards (20-8) and shot the ball at 50 per cent from the field, including 17/40 triples with Sydney shooting 60 per cent overall and 10/26 from deep.

Sydney held a narrow 35-31 lead after a free-scoring first quarter that set the tone for a shootout, but lost Cooks to a rolled left ankle in the opening seconds of the second period.

Brown III and Tim Soares tangled off the ball, leading to a brief scuffle between the teams and a behaviour warning for both, then tension boiled over when Sydney coach Brian Goorjian received a tech foul.

The Kings' mentor took exception to South East Melbourne having an extra man on the floor at the time of an in-bounds pass, with Sobey still walking off as the ball came back into play.

Both sides had work to do defensively at half-time, with Sydney holding a 60-59 advantage on the back of Davis's 20 points on 8/9 shooting.

Sobey caught fire in the third, leading the Phoenix to a double-figure lead before they turned for home with a 95-92 advantage.

It was anyone's game in the final period until a big plus-one bucket from Sobey, Hunter's drive to the rack, and Glover's two free-throws gave the Phoenix a seven-point buffer with 17 seconds left to play.

The Phoenix are back in action at Melbourne's State Basketball Centre on Thursday against the Illawarra Hawks while the Kings head across the Tasman to play the New Zealand Breakers on Friday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

SYDNEY KINGS 117 (Davis 30, Dellavedova 20, Maluach 15)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 124 (Sobey 26, Hunter 23, Glover 18)

BOX SCORE