Sobey inspires Phoenix over Hawks in OT

The South East Melbourne Phoenix take pride in playing at a frantic pace and outlasting their opponents and it took until overtime, but eventually it worked as they won another 124-113 shootout against the Illawarra Hawks.

Fresh off beating the Kings 124-117 in the highest scoring game of the NBL season on Monday night, the Phoenix put on another spectacular offensive show along with the Hawks on Thursday at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne.

It had added feeling too as a rematch from last year's playoffs with the Hawks on the way to winning a championship and they needed a win to stay in touch with the top six.

South East Melbourne were attempting to consolidate second place too setting the stage for a contest that not only ended up featuring 237 points, but had plenty of drama, feeling, physicality and tension across all 45 minutes.

The Phoenix dominated the extra five minutes, though, with 18 points to seven with Nathan Sobey earning MVP chants from the home crowd on his way to 37 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Sobey racked up 13 of his equal career-high 37 points in the heated extra period after scores had been tied at 106 after four pulsating quarters.

Angus Glover buried a huge three-pointer with 4.8 seconds remaining to put the Phoenix up 106-104, before QJ Peterson equalised for the Hawks via a layup with 2.3 seconds left.

Somehow, the drama escalated from there.

Sobey dominated overtime, throwing down a dunk of the year contender over Mason Peatling, pulling off two more athletic finishes and getting to the foul line repeatedly.

Tensions rose when Sobey responded to being bumped by Biwali Bayles by grabbing the Hawks guard's uniform with the benches quickly clearing.

Hawks coach Justin Tatum earned a technical foul in remonstration for a lack of a call against Sobey in the aftermath although the Phoenix guard and Illawarra's Davo Hickey received technicals.

On top of the heroics from Sobey, Angus Glover enhanced his hold on the Best Sixth Man crown with 22 points 5/9 three-point shooting with DJ Mitchell chiming in with 16 points and four rebounds, Owen Foxwell 15 points, seven boards and six assists, and Jordan Hunter 11 points and five rebounds.

Sam Froling continued his stunning return from an achilles rupture with 22 points and nine rebounds for Illawarra on 10/13 shooting with Peterson added 22 points on 4/8 shooting from deep but he had four costly turnovers.

Tyler Harvey added 19 points on 4/7 three-point shooting, JaVale McGee 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists, and Mason Peatling 15 points and five rebounds.

Sobey was aggressive from the tip with 11 first-quarter points but the Phoenix had their hands full with Illawarra's twin towers McGee and Froling in the paint as the Hawks led 25-23 at quarter-time.

Illawarra coughed up seven second-quarter turnovers and trailed 9-2 in offensive rebounds as the Phoenix moved ahead 55-50 at half-time.

The Hawks took better care of the ball after the break, squaring the scores at 79-79, before the two sides again couldn't be separated at the end of regulation.

Both teams play again this weekend ahead of HoopsFest in Perth next week with the Phoenix hosting the Perth Wildcats on Saturday night while the Hawks are back home against the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 124 (Sobey 37, Glover 22, Mitchell 16)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 113 (Peterson 22, Froling 22, Harvey 19)

BOX SCORE