VETERAN guard Nathan Sobey continued his career-best season in the National Basketball League (NBL) last night, dropping an astounding 37 points to lead his SEM Phoenix past the Illawarra Hawks in a high-scoring encounter.

The Hawks entered the clash with their season on the ropes, sitting three games outside the top six and with the gap between sixth and seventh growing on a weekly basis, in desperate need of a win. In their way at the State Basketball Centre on Thursday night were the Phoenix, who sit in the top two and are among the heavyweights for the championship in the coming months.

Matchups between these two sides always go down to the wire, and last night was no exception, with overtime needed to separate the two teams as the Phoenix took over in the bonus period on the back of some elite clutch offence from Sobey, who continues to lead his team to victories.

South East Melbourne Phoenix (124) def. Illawarra Hawks (113)

It was a match played with blistering pace from both sides, with offence coming from all angles in what was an excellent display of the scoring power these two sides possess. It was just a five-point game in favour of the Phoenix at the main break, and despite sitting much further down the ladder, the reigning champions were taking it right up to the Hawks in Gippsland.

There was plenty of feeling in the match with an abundance of physical contests in the low block, but both sides were not going to back down from a challenge. Illawarra’s carelessness with the ball that had plagued the Hawks all season and in the first half of this match disappeared after the main change, and the two sides could not be split after three quarters.

After the back-and-forth action continued into the fourth quarter, the two teams could not be separated as the buzzer sounded to end regulation, with the State Basketball Centre host to yet another thrilling contest on Thursday night.

However, it was all one way traffic in the final frame, as Sobey completely took over the match despite being one of the oldest players in the competition. The Hawks had no answers for him on the defensive end and he proved to be the defining factor when the game was up for grabs as South East Melbourne consolidated second spot on the ladder.

Sobey was the star of the show for the Phoenix, dropping 13 points in overtime alone en route to 37 for the match on 13/26 shooting from the field in a tremendous offensive performance. His ability to create his own baskets off the dribble is one of South East Melbourne’s biggest weapons, and ended up splitting the teams last night.

Teammate Angus Glover was also impressive for the Phoenix, dropping 22 points and five three-pointers, while DJ Mitchell was strong in his own right on the offensive end, finishing the contest with 16 points in a crucial showing.

Having missed most of the season through injury, big man Sam Froling was excellent, dropping 22 points on an efficient 10/12 shooting and leaving the Hawks to ponder what could have been if he was a part of the lineup since Round 1. Import QJ Peterson had 22 points off the bench as well and continues to inject offence into Illawarra’s gameplan.