MATCH REPORT: Kings topple 'Nix despite scorching start

The South East Melbourne Phoenix made a scintillating start with 30 points and seven threes in the first five minutes, but the Sydney Kings took control from there to reclaim NBL top spot with the 110-99 home Sunday victory.

The Phoenix arrived at Afterpay Arena having not played since losing to the Tasmania JackJumpers last Sunday and desperate to build some momentum into their season, and they couldn’t have possibly started better.

South East Melbourne scored 21 of the first 23 points in the game inside three minutes before leading 30-9 halfway through the first quarter having already knocked down seven three balls.

But the Kings locked in from there and turned the tide back their way and by the time it got to late in the third quarter, they had a 17-point lead of their own having outscored the Phoenix 70 to 32 from the momentum they had been down 21 in the first period.

South East Melbourne did get back to four midway through the last quarter with another triple from Nathan Sobey, but Sydney had all the answers to win by 11 and improve to 8-3 to again replace the Tasmania JackJumpers in top spot.

Kendric Davis warmed into the game nicely and had 14 points in the third quarter on his way to 28 in the game with nine assists while Torrey Craig delivered 23 points, five rebounds and three blocks with 3/6 three-point shooting.

Xavier Cooks came up huge too with 15 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two blocks with Makuach Maluach contributing 14 points, three boards, three assists, three steals and two blocks, Will Johnston 13 points and the returning Matthew Dellavedova seven points and four assists in 17 minutes.

The Phoenix are now 4-7 on the season with Nathan Sobey having his best game of the season with 33 points, six rebounds and four assists on 6/11 shooting from the outside.

Tanner Krebs also had 16 points on 4/11 from deep, Yannis Morin 12 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, milestone man Angus Glover 11 points, three boards and three assists, Dash Daniels 10 points and six rebounds, and D'Shawn Schwartz 10 points and five boards.

But import guard Skylar Mays continued to struggle with just two points and two rebounds on 1/7 shooting in 11 minutes.

It was a remarkable start on the road from the Phoenix and they have always had faith in their three-point shooting game, and it showed why in the first four minutes on Sunday.

South East Melbourne raced out to a 21-2 start to the game in just over three minutes and then a minute later, they were up 30-9 and had the Kings on the back foot.

Sydney did respond to close the first quarter on a 19-8 run, but the Phoenix were still leading 38-28 after one on the back of 8/15 three-point shooting with Nathan Sobey going 3/4, Dash Daniels 2/2, Tanner Krebs 1/3, D'Shawn Schwartz 1/2 and Yannis Morin 1/1.

But the Kings had grabbed the momentum back to close the opening quarter and then maintained that through the second by putting up 26 points with another 10/17 shooting including 4/8 from the outside.

Torrey Craig was up to 13 points on 3/4 three-point shooting by half-time and Will Johnston had been a spark with 12 points and after being down 30-9, the Kings outscored the Phoenix 45-21 the rest of the half to go into the break leading 54-51.

The Phoenix managed just 13 points on 4/16 shooting with 1/9 from deep in the second quarter along with having four turnovers.

It was more of the same through the third term for Sydney with another 29 points on 11/24 shooting and it was Kendric Davis who got going with 12 points and three assists for the period and the Kings had taken further control to be leading 83-70 by three quarter-time.

The Phoenix did make a run to get back to within four with five minutes to play with another three ball from Sobey, but the Kings had the answers with the next eight points capped off with a Makuach Maluach dunk on the way to the 11-point win.

The Phoenix now return home to host the Illawarra Hawks in an Ignite Cup by 7-Eleven match up on Wednesday night.

FULL TIME STATS

Sobey: 33p/6r/4a
Krebs: 16p/4r/1a
Morin: 12p/12r/4a/1stl/3blk
Glover: 11p/3r/3a/1stl
Daniels: 10p/6r/2a/1stl
Schwartz: 10p/5r/2a/1blk
Aliir: 3p/1stl
Hunter: 2p/3r/2a
Mays: 2p/2r/1a