A Nathan Sobey masterclass has helped South East Melbourne snap the New Zealand Breakers' three-game NBL winning streak with a 92-80 victory in Traralgon.
Sobey poured in a season-best 36 points - one off his career-high - including 7-of-16 from three-point range at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium on Saturday night as the Phoenix (11-6) consolidated third position.
Jordan Hunter was SEM's next best with 12.
"This is a big one for us," Sobey said.
"Wednesday night (home loss to Tasmania), I don't think we were us.
"For us to come out and really have that energy on the defensive end to get us out and play good offence, it was great to bounce back."
Imports Rob Baker II and Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored 16 points apiece to be best for seventh-placed NZ (7-11).
Sobey, the clear difference between the two teams, drilled back-to-back triples in a run of eight straight Phoenix points inside the last 55 seconds of the first term to put the hosts up 26-20.
The Breakers' shooting was ragged but they compensated by handsomely winning the first-half rebound count 28-19 - including 10-2 on the offensive glass.
NZ pinched the lead late in the second period on a tough Tai Webster drive before Sobey got off the leash again and put SEM back in front 44-41 at halftime.
Sobey had 27 by three-quarter time as the Phoenix pulled further ahead 71-62 before the Tokyo Olympian continued to fill his boots in the fourth.
After Hunter Maldonado extended SEM's cushion to 86-69, the Breakers ate into some of the margin late, before Maldonao finished the visitors off with a bomb from just inside the halfway line - the Phoenix's 14th three-pointer - on the final siren.
"We didn't have enough poise or patience," NZ coach Petteri Koponen said.
"Sobey obviously had a great game and is playing unbelievable basketball - he won them the game.
"Everybody else we kind of controlled, but we let Sobey get hot from the beginning."
