Kings hold on to defeat Breakers

The Sydney Kings have regained top spot on the NBL ladder after edging the New Zealand Breakers 81-77 at Spark Arena on Sunday. 

The four-point round six win sees the Kings extend their NBL away win record to 17 matches. 

Match summary 

The Kings jumped out of the blocks, scoring the game’s first 10 points, which extended to 22-7 following two big triples by Dejan Vasiljevic. The visitors’ tough defence throughout the opening period, combined with 10 points by Xavier Cooks, ensured they held a double-digit lead (26-12) at the first change. 

Chase Buford’s side continued that momentum in the second term, as the lead ballooned to 20 midway through the period. Despite losing Cooks to an ankle injury, Tim Soares and Derrick Walton Jr started to leave their imprint on the game, to help the Hoops Capital side lead 45-27 at the main break – marking the Breakers’ lowest-ever half-time score at Spark Arena (85 games played). 

Adjusting to playing without Cooks, scoring dried up a little for the Kings in the third but thankfully their defence held firm. This combined with solid play of Kouat Noi and Jaylin Galloway off the bench ensured the harbour city side went into the fourth up 64-46. 

With the Kings not troubling the scorers until 7.20 left to play into the term, the Breakers closed to within single digits following two consecutive triples by Tom Abercrombie and two buckets by Izayah Le'Afa. Those offensive struggles and foul trouble cruelled Sydney throughout the period but clutch shots by Shaun Bruce and Justin Simon late in the piece kept the Kings’ noses in front. After the visitors missed five straight free-throws, the hosts closed to within just two points with 9.3 to play. But Walton Jr held his nerve at the death, with two clutch shots from the charity stripe, to secure the Kings’ 81-77 win. 

Where the match was decided 

The Kings’ secured their seventh win of NBL23 by winning the statistical categories of field goal percentage (43-38), three-point percentage (36-23), assists (14-10) and points off turnovers (11-7) - in a very even contest. 

Key moment 

The platform of Sunday’s win was established in the first quarter when the Kings outscored their rivals 26-12 while shooting greater than 60 per cent from the field and holding New Zealand to just four made field goals. 

Player of the game 

With Cooks exiting the game before half-time, the Kings needed someone to step up and that man was Justin Simon. 

In the win, the forward stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 13 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists. 

What’s next 

The majority of Chase Buford’s side, except Dejan Vasiljevic and Tim Soares (with Xavier Cooks being forced to withdraw from the Boomers due to an ankle injury), representing their respective national teams, will now enjoy some time off during the FIBA window. When they return to the training court, the Kings will ramp up preparations ahead of Sunday, November 20’s Adrian Hurley Cup clash with NSW rivals Illawarra at Qudos Bank Arena from 4pm AEDT.