Craig and Kings send message over 36ers

Torrey Craig put up 26 points and led the defensive charge on Bryce Cotton as the Sydney Kings signalled their intent for NBL26 with a standout performance in front a monster Qudos Bank Arena crowd to beat the Adelaide 36ers 106-101.

It was Pink Hoops Day at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday for the McGrath Foundation and 16,846 packed in and most of them left decidedly happy with the Kings putting together a third strong showing in four attempts against the league-leading 36ers in NBL26.

The result keeps the battle for second spot fascinating too with Adelaide still on top at 20-7 but having lost three of the last four to be just ahead of the South East Melbourne Phoenix (19-8) and Kings (18-9).

In just his second game since joining as a replacement for Bul Kuol, Craig was brilliant for the Kings not only putting the clamps on five-time MVP Cotton for a lot of the night, but knocking down 6/8 from deep for 26 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Former 36er Kendric Davis was also outstanding for the Kings running the point racking up 20 points and 14 assists - the most by a Kings player since Boomers legend Shane Heal in 2001.

There were plenty more contributors for Sydney too with Jaylin Galloway producing 16 points and eight rebounds, Tim Soares 12 points on 4/5 shooting, Kouat Noi 11 points and Makuach Maluach 10 points and three assists.

Xavier Cooks also returned from an ankle injury with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 23 minutes with Matthew Dellavedova still to return from a concussion.

Newly arrived import shooter John Jenkins was a shining light for the 36ers with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists on 5/11 three-point shooting.

Isaac Humphries also had 17 points and 10 rebounds, DJ Vasiljevic 17 points with 5/8 three-point shooting on his former home floor, and Flynn Cameron 14 points and eight assists.

Cotton did end up with 17 points and nine assists but also had five turnovers and 12 of his points came in the final 10 minutes.

The five-time MVP was scoreless in the first half, blanketed by the tag-team pairing of Craig and Maluach, who stepped up in the injury-enforced absence of primary stoppers Dellavedova and Kuol.

Adelaide shook off an early stalemate to move ahead 20-13 before Sydney responded with the last nine points of the opening term to hold sway 22-20 at quarter-time.

Little continued to separate the teams, but after Vasiljevic drilled a three to put the Sixers in front 43-42, the Kings went 19-4 either side of the half-time break to steam ahead 62-46.

Sydney dominated the second stanza 37-26. Davis had the ball on a string and Craig hit his first six three-point attempts.

Davis finished the third term by feeding Jaylin Galloway for an athletic tomahawk dunk, then weaved his way through traffic for a layup on the three quarter-time bell for an 84-70 lead.

Cotton finally registered his first field goal of the afternoon 16 seconds into the fourth period and finished with 14 for the term.

But like his side, he left his final flourish too late.

The 36ers now head to the Gold Coast for an Ignite Cup match up with the Brisbane Bullets with a chance to lock in a place in the final of the in-season tournament while the Kings remain at home to host the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – PRIDE ROUND

SYDNEY KINGS 106 (Craig 26, Davis 20, Galloway 16)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 101 (Jenkins 20, Humphries 17, Cotton 17, Vasiljevic 17)

BOX SCORE