NBL 2023: NBL concedes crucial flop call against Kings star Kouat Noi was wrong, Chase Buford fined

Fiery Sydney Kings coach Chase Buford has been fined after saying a referee “sucks” and unleashing a foul-mouthed blow up during his side’s finals loss to Cairns.

The NBL has hit Sydney Kings coach Chase Buford with a $1875 fine for unsportsmanlike behaviour, but the Kings mentor is free to coach Sunday’s do-or-die semi-final against Cairns.

Buford attracted the league’s attention for saying: “Chris Reid sucks”, down the barrel of the camera during Friday’s 11-point loss to the Taipans prior to being ejected.

The Sydney mentor was referring to referee Chris Reid after officials wrongly slapped Kings forward Kouat Noi with a flopping warning which resulted in a technical foul, despite replays showing he had clashed heads with Taipans star DJ Hogg.

It isn’t the first time Buford has questioned Reid’s refereeing.

Last season, he was fined $10,000 and handed a suspended one-match ban for insinuating Reid held a bias against his team and writing profanities on the officials’ door following a close loss to Illawarra.

Chase Buford is facing a potential sanction.

A fortnight later, in Game 2 of the grand final series against the JackJumpers, Buford was fined $375 after angrily kicking the LED advertising signage, resulting in damage to the panel.

The NBL released a statement on Saturday afternoon, confirming Buford’s punishment following two incidents in Friday’s semi-final.

The Kings coach was charged for disparaging remarks about an official (Reid).

The incident was assessed as a $1000 fine, reduced to $750 with an early guilty plea.

Buford was also charged for his conduct that led to his ejection. That incident was assessed as a $1500 fine, reduced to $1125 with an early guilty plea.

Buford accepted both early guilty pleas and is available to coach in Sunday’s deciding Game 3 against Cairns.

However, the Kings mentor was justifiably far from happy with the NBL’s decision to hand Noi a flopping warning in the dying minutes of Friday’s loss to the Taipans.

Buford exploded, storming the court, and then later swearing at officials.

“How the f*** is that a flop warning? He’s bleeding, you missed it. Admit it… you missed it … you f****** up,” he yelled.

“He’s got a f****** broken nose now, and it’s a flop warning.”

Chase Buford leaves the court in Cairns. Photo: Brendan Radke

Buford fired up again after Noi left the court, shouting at an official, when he was finally ejected.

He was tossed from the game with little more than two minutes left, with the 4628-strong Orange Army soaking up every step of his walk to the back.

“Again, they (the referees) guessed, they guessed wrong,” Buford said post-game.

“It happens a lot in this league, I don’t know why I’m surprised.”

On Saturday, the NBL conceded the mistake, issuing a statement which stated the flop warning should not have been called.

“The decision was incorrect and a flop warning should not have been called,” the statement read.

“A regular foul should have been called on Noi, which would have resulted in two free throws for the Taipans.”

Kings’ centre Tim Soares was slapped with a one-game ban for striking in an off-the-ball incident involving Taipans rookie and NBL Next Generation Player award winner Sam Waaedenburg.

The game review panel deemed the incident as “intentional, high contact and low impact”.

The penalty was reduced to a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea, and the centre is free to play in the series decider.

It comes as the Kings have a nervous wait, with captain Xavier Cooks and forward Kouat Noi in doubt for the crucial clash due to injury.

Cooks (ankle) and Noi (broken nose) will be game day decisions, however there is optimism that both players could suit up.

Meanwhile, Kings guard Shaun Bruce is expecting another torrid affair in Sunday’s deciding Game 3.

Bruce said the emotion on display in Game 2 in Cairns is just part and parcel of playoff basketball.

“There’s spice in every game,” Bruce said. “That’s just part of playing and that’s the fun of it.

“We’ve got two good teams that are playing their [butts] off. It’s the time of year we want to be playing and there’s going to be emotions.

“People care, coaches care a lot. It’s what it’s all about.

“We would have loved to get it done tonight but we earned the right to host two games this series, and we’re looking forward to getting there (Qudos Bank Arena) on Sunday.”

NBL ADMITS KINGS DUDDED IN CHAOTIC SEMI-FINAL

The NBL has conceded it made the incorrect call to slap Sydney Kings forward Kouat Noi with a flop warning and technical foul in a chaotic semi-final between the Kings and Taipans on Friday night.

The crucial call against Noi came with just two minutes remaining in a heated match in Cairns, which saw the Taipans level the semi-final series at 1-all following a 93-82 victory.

The Kings bench star had an accidental head clash with Taipans forward DJ Hogg as the pair battled for possession.

Noi was hit with a flop warning and a technical foul, despite walking away with a broken nose.

The referees’ decision prompted Kings coach Chase Buford to verbally hit out at the officials before he made the choice to leave the game before he was ejected.

Kings' Kouat Noi lies on the court after being floored by Taipans' DJ Hogg in the NBL semi final match between the Cairns Taipans and the Sydney Kings, held at the Cairns Convention Centre. Photo: Brendan Radke

“How the f*** is that a flop warning? He’s bleeding, you missed it. Admit it… you missed it … you f****** up,” he yelled.

“He’s got a f****** broken nose now, and it’s a flop warning.”

“Again, they guessed, they guessed wrong,” Buford said post-game.

“It happens a lot in this league, I don’t know why I’m surprised.”

The NBL released a statement on Saturday saying the league had reviewed the incident and acknowledged a mistake was made.

“With 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, Sydney’s Kouat Noi was issued a flop warning which resulted in a technical foul,” the statement said.

“The decision was incorrect, and a flop warning should not have been called. A regular foul should have been called on Noi, which would have resulted in two free throws for the Taipans.”

Kings coach Chase Buford was ejected over the controversial call, following a verbal barrage against referees. Picture: Getty Images.

The Noi call wasn’t the only incident in a drama-filled semi-final game between Sydney and Cairns.

Kings centre Tim Soares could be cited after his shoulder came in contact with the jaw of Taipans’ forward Sam Waardenburg.

However, expert commentators Liam Santamaria and Andrew Gaze perceived Soares’ contact to Waardenburg’s jaw to be accidental.

The NBL’s Game Review Panel will assess other incidents from the Kings versus Taipans match and further comment will be provided once that process is complete.

Originally published as NBL 2023: NBL concedes crucial flop call against Kings star Kouat Noi was wrong, Chase Buford fined