Kings slump to road defeat against Phoenix

The Sydney Kings slumped to their second straight defeat on Thursday night, losing 104-98 to the South East Melbourne Phoenix at the State Basketball Centre. 

Match summary 

The hosts raced out to a 6-2 lead thanks to triples by Mitch Creek and Kody Stattmann, which grew to 13-8 after hitting their first five shots of the game. Strong play by Jaylen Adams kept the visitors in touch despite Creek carrying the Phoenix. Eight quick ones by Jonah Bolden made it 31-25. The high-scoring first quarter ended in a flurry by South East Melbourne, seeing them lead 36-27. 

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The Hoops Capital side started the term on 10-2, fuelled by Kouat Noi and Adams (who chipped in five each), to make it a one-point game. A hoop and harm by Adams gave the Kings their first lead since the opening minutes. A vicious dunk by Jaylin Galloway kept Sydney’s noses in front. Creek continued to put the hosts on his back, helping them regain the lead 49-47 in the final minutes of the term. Sixth Man of the Year candidate Noi didn’t stop his attack on the rim, ensuring it stayed a one-possession game. A late Luke Rosendale triple gave the Phoenix a 61-54 lead at the main break – powered by Creek’s 25 first-half points. 

A 15-4 run to open the third saw the hosts move up by as many as 18 points in the early stages of the third quarter, with Ben Ayre and Stattmann doing a lot of the damage. Turnovers by the harbour city made it hard for them to reduce the double-digit margin. But the 21-14 third period ensured the Phoenix carried a 14-point lead into the final change. 

The Kings opened the fourth with a Glover triple, which was quickly followed by an effort by Valentine, as the lead was reduced to eight. Stattmann kept scoring for the hosts though, which cancelled out efforts by Galloway. Scores by Adams and Noi brought the game back to 95-89, but Ayre landed a deep shot from downtown to keep SEM’s noses in front. Valentine’s triple with 1.12 to play made it 99-94 but a late free-throw and lay-up by Owen Foxwell – combined with a pair of shots from the charity stripe by Ayre - sealed the Phoenix’s six-point triumph. 

Where the match was decided 

The Phoenix claimed the victory thanks to statistical wins of rebounds (38-33), steals (9-67), second-chance points (16-4) and points off turnovers (19-8) while committing fewer turnovers (15-11). 

Key moment 

The Phoenix’s huge first (36-27) and third quarters (21-14) proved pivotal for in the victory.

Player of the game 

In the tough defeat, Adams continued his impressive season with 24 points, nine assists, three rebounds and one steal. 

Others to score in double-figures were Noi (19), Valentine (13) and Bolden (10). 

Watch Mahmoud Abdelfattah nd Jaylin Galloway post-game press conference via the Sydney Kings' YouTube channel above. While you're there, be sure to hit subscribe, to ensure you never miss out on any of our great videos. 

What’s next 

Mahmoud Abdelfattah’s side, who are now 11-13, now return home to Sydney for their second-last regular season fixture at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday. 

That fixture will pit them against league-leaders Melbourne United from 4pm. 

Tickets for this blockbuster are still available here.