Jaylen Adams free to play in Sydney’s play-in NBL final if he pleads guilty to eye-gouging

Jaylen Adams will be free to play in Sydney Kings’ cut-throat NBL final after avoiding suspension for an eye gouge. HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE INCIDENT HERE

Jaylen Adams and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk tussle. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Sydney star Jaylen Adams is free to play in next week’s sudden death eliminator against Adelaide, the Kings avoiding a one-game suspension for eye gouging.

Adams was slapped with a one-game ban over the ugly incident, where the import guard made contact to the eye region of Illawarra’s Wani Swaka Lo Buluk during Friday night’s 20-point loss to the Hawks.

The penalty was reduced to a $1550 fine after the Kings entered an early guilty plea to an action assessed by the league’s game review panel as intentional, low impact and high contact.

Adams was ejected as tensions flared late in the fourth quarter.

Adams’ leg appeared to catch Hawk Tyler Harvey’s and he lost balance, cannoning into Swaka Lo Buluk. The Hawk was incensed, making a beeline for Adams, who then poked Swaka Lo Buluk in the eye.

Referee Chris Reid watched the incident unfold and issued Adams a disqualifying foul.

Kings coach Brian Goorjian slammed the officiating after his side’s capitulation consigned it to fifth place and a home eliminator against Adelaide — a team which has had their measure in each of their past three clashes, two at Qudos Bank Arena.

“You had a lot of incidents go on in the game, I thought it was horrendous,” Goorjian said.

“There was a lot of stuff that went on in the game where now, ‘OK, It’s on’.

“It’s a hornets nest, the place is going nuts every call, we’re not getting anything from that side (officials).

“JA lost his cool and I put that back on them (referees) … I thought it was horrendous.”

The Kings were behind the eight-ball from the start against the Hawks, losing star forward Xavier Cook two hours before the game.

It’s not clear if the Kings captain will be back for the play-in as he deals with a personal issue.

Jaylen Adams has been ejected from the game after this incident with Wani Swaka Lo Buluk.

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SEM PHOENIX OWNER ROMIE CHAUDHARI FINED $10K FOR SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACK ON REFEREE

The NBL has fined South East Melbourne Phoenix Owner Romie Chaudhari after he targeted a referee on social media.

Property baron Chaudhari, understood to have a net worth approaching half-a-billion dollars, has been hit with a $10,000 fine for breaching the NBL’s Code of Conduct and Social Media Policy.

Chaudhari posted a photograph of referee Nico Fernandez and branded him a “definite front runner for worst ref ever, by a mile”.

South East Melbourne Phoenix owner Romie Chaudhari with former NBA point guard John Wall. Credit: Phoenix Media

“Refs aren’t going to get every call right, and that is totally understandable ... but this guy is exceptionally bad,” Chaudhari wrote, following last Friday night’s loss to Perth.

The NBL found the remarks in the now-deleted post to be “derogatory and disrespectful.”

“The NBL stands by the integrity of the game and its officials. Comments directed at referees and game officials are viewed seriously and will be investigated,” a league spokesman said at the time.

The sanction comes ahead of Saturday night’s post-season shaping clash with state rival Melbourne United.

The Phoenix can finish anywhere from third to fifth, depending on results.

Originally published as Jaylen Adams free to play in Sydney’s play-in NBL final if he pleads guilty to eye-gouging