NBL round 15: Sydney Kings bounce back after shock loss to Adelaide 36ers.
Rumours of the Sydney Kings’ death have been greatly exaggerated, with the defending champions bouncing back from a horror loss in Adelaide with a dominant win over the Breakers.
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The Kings haven’t given up hopes of retaining their crown just yet.
After reaching their lowest point of the season earlier in the round, Sydney responded in emphatic fashion to destroy the New Zealand Breakers 105-76.
In front of a season-high NBL crowd of 16,605 at Qudos Bank Arena, it was the Denzel Valentine and Jaylen Adams show as the star imports made the visitors look second rate.
The duo combined for 41 points on 21 shots in the first half, with Adams dropping 21 and Valentine 20 (8/9 FG) as they came out with clear intent to attack and take over the contest.
Former league MVP Adams checked out with 39 points for the evening in just 27 minutes on court.
They were assisted by a nice cameo from Angus Glover, who hit four of six from beyond the arc to chip in with 13 points.
KINGS, FLAMES PRETTY IN PINK
On a night dubbed ‘Pink Hoops’ in support of the ‘McGrath Foundation’, Jo Hunter was presented to the crowd pregame to talk about her experience with breast cancer.
Proud son Jordan certainly took inspiration from that with a hot start on the defensive end that saw him shut down the Breakers’ big men and set the platform for a win built on stopping the opposition.
It was a special afternoon with the Sydney Flames taking a key 87-84 WNBL win over Perth, as they paid tribute to former player Tiana Mangakahia who was forced to retire due to her own battle with breast cancer.
SCRAMBLING FOR ANSWERS
New Zealand coach Mody Maor was at a loss to try and stop a rampant Kings run midway through the opening quarter.
The Kings went on an 11-0 run to open up a 24-12 lead, forcing Moar to burn both first half timeouts in the space of 54 seconds.
It did little to turn the tide through the first 10 minutes as Sydney held onto a 34-19 advantage at the first break on the back of 11 points from Denzel Valentine.
TURNAROUND IN FORTUNES
You’d be forgiven for thinking a new team came with the pink jerseys.
Just three days prior the Kings were embarrassed by bottom-placed Adelaide to the tune of 13 points, resigning them to their eighth loss in their last 11 games.
They fired out of the blocks with 63 points in the first half, hitting 11-15 from long range and shooting at 68 per cent in the first 20 minutes.
During that period they out-rebounded the visitors 22-7 to lead by 29 at the main break.
BULLETS EYE UNLIKELY PLAY-OFFS BERTH AFTER FOUR STRAIGHT
- Gyan Reece-Rocha
A fourth straight win has given the resurgent Brisbane Bullets a hunger for the play-offs in the National Basketball League after they plucked the Illawarra Hawks 110-103.
A Sunday full house of 5000 fans at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena roared their approval for a team which has risen from ninth to fourth at full-time on the back of resilience and expanded threats in their closeknit team.
The Hawks were always playing catch-up or mess-up except for brief leads early in the second quarter.
No one at the start of this season was predicting game-winning bursts from guard Mitch Norton or centre Tyrell Harrison but they were stars.
Norton stroked two key three-pointers in the third quarter to build a 10-point buffer (88-78) as features of a calm 18-point game built around 5-8 shooting.
Harrison was superb for 32 minutes. He made three fine drives to the hoop for buckets in traffic en route to 18 points, worked hard for his seven rebounds, blocked three shots and was the best big man on court.
“It means everything these wins and having the fans out supporting us. From previous years, it shows the change of culture and how hard the team is working,” Harrison said.
SUSTAIN THE RAGE
The Bullets play four of their final six regular season games on the road so they have to sustain the rage to keep their high position for the Play-In Tournament (for teams finishing third to sixth).
At 11-11, the Bullets still have plenty of heat coming from the Tasmania JackJumpers (11-11), the Sydney Kings, Cairns Taipans (10-12) and Hawks (9-10), who can all flip the script.
The Bullets are the great find-a-way comeback story of this season. They’ve won when Aaron Baynes was suspended, they’ve won with a Chris Smith three-pointer when scoring ace Nathan Sobey was injured and scrapped to stay in tight games with much improved defence.
“MVP, MVP”
Sure, it was a pro-Bullets crowd but they were chanting “MVP, MVP” late in the fourth quarter to recognise the huge contribution and season of team trump Nathan Sobey.
After a foot injury forced his withdrawal from a mid-week game, Sobey was back with 25 points, his three three-pointers (3-7) at key moments and 10-of-13 at the free-throw line.
He had enough white bandaging and padding on his right leg to look like a cast member of the movie “The Mummy” especially if he’d borrowed the leg and arm bandaging of teammate Shannon Scott.
FOUL HAWKS
You might go a month without seeing a shooter fouled beyond the three-point arc. The Hawks committed that cardinal sin three times. In the first half.
That’s no credit to William Hickey, twice the culprit.
Poor Lachlan Olbrich, he missed all four of his free throws as Lachlan All Brick.
Brisbane Bullets 110 (Nathan Sobey 25, Chris Smith 19, Tyrell Harrison 18, Mitch Norton 18) bt Illawarra Hawks 103 (Tyler Harvey 29, Sam Froling 15, Justin Robinson 15) at Nissan Arena
RECORDS TUMBLE AS CAIRNS WIN OVERTIME THRILLER
— Gyan Reece-Rocha
In a season-defining overtime showdown that had it all, Tahjere McCall inspired Cairns to a 111-101 victory over Adelaide 36ers.
Isaac Humphries and Trey Kell III got the 36ers off to a blistering start, slicing through theTaipans defence with a 0-15 run.
Taipans coach Adam Forde had seen enough inside the first two minutes to call his first timeout, before audaciously subbing off three of his starters (Taran Amrstrong, Sam Mennenga and Bobi Klintman for Bul Kuol, Akoldah Gak and Lat Mayen).
Kuol, Gak and Mayen had an immediate impact, getting defensive stops and snatching rebounds to shift the tide of the contest, ending the first quarter 27-28.
The 36ers continued to go on pulsating runs with Dejan Vasiljevic building steam, but the Snakes weren’t rattled, slithering their way back into the contest and forcing overtime after a late fourth-quarter storm.
Patrick Miller (25 points and eight assists), McCall (30 points and nine assists) caused Adelaide nightmares in overtime, knocking down a row of clutch shots to close out the contest.
Miller is one of only three qualified players in the league to be leading their team in points (18.8) and assists (6.0) per game this season.
Miller has recorded at least five assists in six consecutive appearances, the longest active streak of any player in the league.
Gak was sensational as soon as he was subbed on in the third minute of the first quarter. His reading of plays on the defensive end charged Cairns back into the contest after a poor start. Combining with his killer offence, finishing with 21 points, 14 rebounds (five offensive), two steals.
PUNCTURING THE PICK AND ROLL
Former-NBA centre IHumphries’ and Trey Kell III’s pick-and-roll offence has become a menacing threat to the league.
Kell III was searching for Humphries early in the paint, starting the game perfectly with 0-15 run, with Humphries dominating against Taipans centre Sam Mennenga.
Humphries finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds while Kell III finished with 25 points and seven rebounds.
Humphries said he’s in career-best form after 19.9 points in his last five games with a season-high 26 points on New Years against Hawks.
“Absolutely, (I feel like I’m in career best form) my body feels great, my mind feels great, the numbers don’t lie I feel the best I’ve ever felt,” he said.
Gak, Roberts and Klintman all attempted to quell their lethal offence with varied success, however their combative combination proved to be a problem throughout the course of the game.
MAN OF THE MOMENT
Guard Tahjere McCall continues to be Taipans loyal leader and barometer on both ends of the floor. He had 15 points at halftime and 30 points, 9 assists and two steals to finish the game. He also came up clutch in overtime.
McCall, 29, finished with six turnovers but Forde will encourage his urgency to push possession in transition and find open teammates. The Philadelphia native had a career-high 15 assists in his last outing against Adelaide in Round 10.
Becoming more of a consistent scorer this season with guards Patrick Miller and Taran Armstrong running more offence, McCall attacked the rim viciously and showcased his bag of tricks with a nasty spin manoeuvre in the second quarter. He shot 2-4 from the three-point line, a part of his game he has dedicated to improving. He ranks first for steals per game (2.1) this season.
HAWKS’ RESURGENCE ROLLS ON IN THRILLER
— Ryan Rosendale
Illawarra’s NBL resurgence continued on Friday night with a famous double overtime victory over Tasmania at MyState Bank Arena.
Doubling as their fourth win on the trot, the Hawks withstood numerous late charges from Tasmania in one of the games of the season in the 108-107 win.
Returning to the same arena they suffered a 30-point loss in round 3, the Hawks controlled large stages of the game but Tasmania fought back to send the game to overtime thanks to a Milton Doyle three with four seconds remaining.
They couldn’t be separated after just one period of extra time and with Doyle, Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay all fouled out it was too much for the undermanned but courageous JackJumpers to handle.
The loss also doubled as Tasmania’s fourth from the last five games.
Hawks big men Gary Clark (25 points and 15 rebounds) and Sam Froling (23 points and eight rebounds) were terrific throughout while Doyle (19 points and six assists) recovered from a scoreless first half to almost win the game for Tasmania.
Jordon Crawford (24 points) also rediscovered some much needed form while Magnay’s (13 points and seven rebounds) influence on the contest went far beyond his final stats.
It was far from an ideal start for the home side, going at just 8/21 from the field with the Hawks jumping out to an early eight-point lead.
Two consecutive long range shots from Fab Krslovic, followed by a jumper to Lachie Barker, pulled back the margin in Tasmania’s favor though with the JackJumpers up by two at the first break.
The second quarter was a scrappy and physical affair with Clark going down and spending time on the bench before Magnay asserted his presence in the contest.
A block followed by contested rebound and two free throws saw him score his fifth and sixth for the quarter but it was the Hawks that took a 36-35 lead into the long break.
The JackJumpers were again limited to just 15 points in the third quarter before a breakout final term, outscoring the Hawks 36-30.
Tasmania (11-11) remained in third spot ahead of a major home clash against Melbourne United next Friday night.
For Illawarra, they’ll face Brisbane at Nissan Arena on Sunday and now sit fourth with a 9-9 record.
CLUTCH DELLY HELPS UNITED ESCAPE WITH WIN IN A THRILLER
- Lance Jenkinson
A smart play by veteran Matthew Dellavedova to draw a foul with four seconds left has seen Melbourne United escape with a last-gasp 82-81 win over New Zealand Breakers in a thriller at TSB Stadium in New Plymouth on Friday night.
With scores locked at 81-apiece, Dellavedova went to the line to score the first of his two free throws before deliberately missing the second, forcing the Breakers to take the ball the full length of the court to find a winning basket.
The Breakers never got a shot up because import Zylan Cheatham tried to call a time out, but only the coach can call a time out in the NBL and time elapsed.
It was an unlikely win for United, who trailed by double digits and operated without top defender Shea Ill, out with concussion, and starting centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, out for personal reasons.
Staring a half time deficit in the face against the Breakers does not faze United, who completed a seventh win from eight games when trailing the Breakers at the midway point.
It was fitting that Dellavedova iced the game because he produced a vintage performance.
The 33-year-old was vital when United was trailing in the first half and finished with a double double 14 points and 10 assists.
Veteran sharpshooter Chris Goulding was immense for United after a slow start, finishing with a game-high 24 points, including three triples, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Top of the ladder United improved to 16-5, while the Breakers remained bogged down on 8-11, but showed their best is goods enough to match it with the best teams in the league.
The Breakers came out with a purpose, racing to an early double digit lead.
Two big Mangok Mathiang dunks had the home crowd buzzing, while diminutive guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright was having his way.
When United cracked down on Jackson-Cartwright, young Breakers Next Star Mantas Rubstavicius stepped up and showed his versatile skill set.
Rubstavicius exploded for 11 first-quarter points, showing an array of ways to score, from driving on multiple occasions to his trademark long range shooting ability.
Unfortunately it was a flash in the pan as Rubstavicius finished the game with 11, while his opponent Goulding went on a tear.
With United losing grip, Goulding injected himself into the contest, sniping his first three of the game, but worryingly, it was United’s only three-pointer of the first half, while the Breakers had six.
The tightening of the score came as a by-product of some better United defence and direction from Dellavedova.
Dellavedova took control from the point, instilling some calmness for United, who drew level at 35-apiece late in the second.
But Breakers import Anthony Lamb, almost non-existent until late in the second, scored three triples late in the second to give his side a 44-39 half time lead, which irritated United captain Goulding.
“We let Lamb get off, a couple of those were contested, not bad defence, but we’ve got to know when a player like that wants the ball and wants a shot,” he said at half time.
The Breakers led by nine in the third, but two threes to Goulding and another to Ian Clark got United back in it.
A sweet assist from Dellavedova to a cutting Goulding saw the game locked up at 62-apiece at three quarter time.
A huge three from Tanner Krebs at the start of the fourth gave United a first lead since 9.51 in the first and the visitors held on thanks to Delly’s nous.
MASTER VERSUS APPRENTICE
The contest between Rubstavicius and Goulding was hyped before the game and it did not disappoint.
Rubstavicious, a 21-year-old Lithuanian NBA hopeful, was on fire early, scoring 11 first quarter points.
The longer the game wore on though, the better 35-year-old Goulding got and he would be pivotal to United’s win.
JAM SESSION
The game had a bit of NBA Jam about it with multiple players from both teams producing highlight reel dunks.
The biggest of the night came in the fourth when Breakers import Zylan Cheatham soared above the rim to slam it home.
VASILJEVIC GETS LAST LAUGH AS 36ers TOPPLE KINGS
- Jake Garland
All eyes were on DJ Vasiljevic when the Adelaide 36ers took on the Sydney Kings in Thursday night’s grudge match and the Sixers’ star had the last laugh in a stunning 95-82 upset win over the reigning champions.
Hot on the heels of their superb win over ladder leaders Melbourne United, the last-placed 36ers shocked the title contenders in front of a record sellout crowd of 9,580 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Calls from fans for the 36ers to go back to their throwback jersey permanently will surely intensify after their team produced another superb effort in the club’s strip commemorating the ’99 championship win.
Much of the talk heading into the match was the acrimonious war of words between former King Vasiljevic and Sydney after he signed with Adelaide earlier this season.
In his first meeting against his old side, Vasiljevic was a solid contributor with 12 points, with Trey Kell III and Isaac Humphries leading the charge, Kell with a game-high 27 points and Humphries 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The result means the slumping Kings have lost eight of their last 11 games to slip to a 10-11 record, while Adelaide improves to 7-13 with its third win in seven games under interim coach Scott Ninnis.
The Sixers led at every change and by as much as 22 points in the third quarter.
The Kings scored as many points in the third quarter as they did in the first half, but they were still outscored by the home side, who led by 16 points heading into the final term.
SLOPPY START
For all the improvements under Ninnis, the Sixers still ranked last in the league for scoring going into the clash, while Sydney led the league in points per game and first-quarter points as well.
A tough night was in the offing for the home side when disjointed Adelaide didn’t hit a shot from the floor in almost five minutes to open the match, with the visitors up by as much as seven points before their own scoring dried up.
A cold Vasiljevic was 0-for-3 from three-point range, but a Kell triple helped fire the 36ers to a 7-0 burst in 60 seconds that swung the momentum.
Even when the shots weren’t dropping, Kyrin Galloway’s energy was emblematic of the 36ers’ intensity, a Galloway giving his side a one-point lead with the last bucket of the first quarter.
SECOND SLUMP
Adelaide continued to improve on offence in the second quarter, but things went from bad to worse for Sydney.
Mahmoud Abdelfattah’s men managed just eight points in the second term, which ranks as their worst quarter of the season.
Star import Jaylen Adams was 0-9 at halftime, with two points from the foul line to his name, Kouat Noi led the way with seven points at quarter-time and still had seven points at the main break, with the Kings just 2-from-18 at 11 per cent from three-point range.
Sent that back to the Opera House.
— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) January 11, 2024
📺 - ESPN via Kayo Sports. pic.twitter.com/mjhrYHrfx3
Both teams combined for 4-from-30 three-point shooting at one stage, but back-to-back triples, Kell with his second and Vasiljevic with his first, sent the Sixers into halftime with a surprise 15-point lead.
The Kings’ three-point shooting didn’t get much better, finishing with 5-from-33 shooting at 15 per cent.
SMITH DAGGER LIFTS BULLETS OVER TASSIE IN EPIC
– Jake Garland
Brisbane and Tasmania played out one of the best games of NBL 23/24 season at Nissan Arena.
Without their biggest name Nathan Sobey, the Bullets and JackJumpers were tied with 12 seconds to go.
Chris Smith held the ball, winding down the clock to put up a three, draining it with one second to go.
It was his third and most important three of the night as Brisbane jumped up to fifth on the ladder on the opening night of round 15.
The Bullets have now won three games on the trot as they looked to their Sunday clash with Illawarra Hawks to make it four in a row and continue to push for a top four finish.
NO SOBEY, NO WORRIES
The Bullets were without their star Nathan Sobey for the clash with Tasmania JackJumpers but his absence wasn’t missed as Brisbane got it done at Nissan Arena.
With scoring hard to come by for both teams, forward Chris Smith (19) led the way with the scoring throughout the night, supported by Sam McDaniel (12) and Tyrell Harrison (13).
Everything the JackJumpers threw at Brisbane, the Bullets answered right back
BRISBANE DRAIN THE THREE
The Bullets headed into their first game of round 15 winning two games on the trot and looking to make it a third in front of their home crowd.
Brisbane led at every break and despite Jordan Crawford for the JackJumpers lifting late in the third quarter, Brisbane were able to maintain the lead to run out 80-77.
A low scoring game, Brisbane jumped out of the blocks early in the fourth only to have Tasmania claw their way back to draw even with 12 seconds to go.
The Bullets will now look to make it four wins in a row as they push for a top three spot when they take on Illawarra Hawks on Sunday.
COACH CHALLENGE COSTLY
Midway through the third quarter, Tasmania’s coach Scott Roth made a coach challenge after it came off Jackjumpers’ Milton Doyle, thinking it had come off Brisbane.
On the replay it was very clear that it had come off Doyle and the challenge was lost.
Less than 60 seconds later, a ball went out of play clearly off Aron Baynes and was called against Tasmania, giving the ball back to Brisbane.
It all went the way of the Bullets when they made their coach challenge with four minutes to go in the final, which turned out to be challenged correctly in favour of the Bullets.
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE BETWEEN BULLETS AND JACKJUMPERS
The two clubs have met eight times in the history of the NBL, with six of those games decided by less than 10 points and the ninth time was no difference.
The biggest difference between the two clubs is 15 points, the lowest just two but this time round it was decided by just three points thanks to Chris Smith’s last massive three with a second to go.
Brisbane led by one point, five points and two points at the breaks and got themselves out to an eight point ball game midway through the fourth but the JackJumpers responded big thanks to Crawford and Doyle.
But it was the final play by the Bullets and Chris Smith who held the ball for eight seconds before shooting his most important three of the night to give the Bullets a 80-77 win.
NBL SCOREBOARD
BRISBANE BULLETS (80) Smith 19, Harrison 13, McDaniel 12, Bannan 12 def TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS (77) Doyle 19, McVeigh 17, Crawford 13
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