Nathan Sobey's season-high haul of 33 points has steered South East Melbourne to a tough 112-95 NBL home win over the Sydney Kings.

Hunter Maldonado (17 points) and Jordan Hunter (15) also shone as the Phoenix took control in an outstanding second half at John Cain Arena on Thursday night.

Owen Foxwell (17 points, eight assists) enjoyed a running battle with Kings star Kendric Davis (31 points, six assists), who threatened to drag his team over the line.

Instead, SEM improved to a 4-2 record and left Sydney behind the eight-ball at 3-4.

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Sobey also had five assists and shot the ball at 60 per cent in his best performance of the season.

"I made the first couple, felt good and was able to get a little bit of rhythm after that," the experienced sharpshooter told ESPN post-game.

"The boys did a great job of keeping on finding me."

Former NBA veteran Wes Iwundu had 10 points in his first NBL appearance for the Phoenix, but fouled out in just 11 minutes on court.

Little separated the teams in a first-half arm-wrestle, with Sydney holding a narrow 48-45 lead at the main break despite Sobey's 15 points.

Davis was almost waging a one-man battle on the offensive end for the Kings, and SEM grabbed momentum when Iwundu and Maldonado lifted.

The home side tipped in 34 points in the third period and turned for home with a 79-73 lead.

Two huge Hunter triples hurt his former team and brought Phoenix fans to their feet as the margin ballooned to double-digits, before a technical foul against SEM coach Josh King briefly halted his team's momentum.

Tempers flared with four minutes left when Davis took exception to some words from Sobey after a foul, and players from both sides rushed in to remonstrate.

Davis was hit with a technical foul and Sobey sank the resulting free-throw as the Phoenix kicked away for the gritty victory.

"People are competitors, want to get after it and want to win," Sobey said.

"That's what we love and that's why we're playing.

"No hard feelings or anything. It's part of the game."

Sydney's three-point shooting woes continued, the visitors nailing just 4-of-16 from long range to SEM's 16-of-33.

Tim Soares had 24 points for the Kings, but former league MVP Xavier Cooks had just three points and one field-goal attempt, as well as two turnovers, before he fouled out with almost six minutes left to play.

Iwundu was given his marching orders a few moments later, while Hunter and Sydney's Bul Kuol were also forced to sit in the dying stages of the niggly affair.