Kings escape in 2OT, despite Noi heroics

Kouat Noi was on a mission with 19 fourth quarter points on return to Afterpay Arena with the New Zealand Breakers to get his new team to overtime but it took two extra periods for the Sydney Kings to shake them off to prevail 111-102.

The two teams played a one-point thriller in Canberra earlier in the season and also played tight battles back on Friday night so the stage was set for Sunday at Afterpay Arena.

Sydney did get up 11 early in the second quarter but New Zealand responded to tie scores up by half-time and it was a close contest the rest of the way.

Kendric Davis hit two huge late threes for Sydney, but his championship teammate of NBL26 Noi wasn’t going to be denied.

Having averaged 3.8 points a game this season with the Breakers and only having five to three quarter-time, he exploded on his old home floor with 19 fourth-quarter points including four massive three-point bombs.

That was crucial in getting the game to overtime before again Noi came up huge for the Breakers with the last four points to get the game to a second extra period.

But the Kings got on top again and then the experience of Xavier Cooks and Torrey Craig got them to the nine-point win to improve to 9-4 and retain top spot.

Davis finished with 36 points and nine assists on 14/28 field goal shooting along with 4/9 from the outside.

Craig provided 17 points and 11 rebounds, Tyler Robertson 16 points and five assists on 4/5 shooting from deep as a starter, Cooks 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks, and Makuach Maluach 10 points and 3/5 three-point shooting.

It was a valiant 50-minute showing from New Zealand despite now slipping to 5-9 with Noi having his best performance since joining the Breakers for 32 points with 9/17 field goal shooting, 4/9 from long-range and 10/13 at the foul line.

Another former King, DJ Vasiljevic, had another 22 points with 4/9 three-point shooting while Charles Bediako was a monster inside with 18 points and 10 rebounds including six of those at the offensive end. But he did go 0/7 at the foul line.

Mojave King added 13 points and three rebounds while Carlin Davison just narrowly missed a second straight triple-double with 11 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds.

Both teams were coming off playing in thrillers back on Friday and not much separated them through the first quarter with the Kings ending up leading 21-20 by the end of one.

It was a fascinating point guard battle with Kendric Davis having seven points and two assists for the Kings and Carlin Davison four points and three assists for the Breakers, but the major difference was New Zealand missing all five free-throw attempts.

Tyler Robertson also gave a spark to Sydney starting with six points and a couple of three balls before the Kings got on a roll early in the second term completing a run of 12 straight points to lead by 11.

But the Breakers responded and that was led by former King DJ Vasiljevic who ended up with 4/6 three-point shooting by half-time for 16 points.

Charles Bediako also had 12 points and three rebounds with Davison up to six points, six assists and five rebounds, but the Breakers were still going just 3/10 at the line with the Kings levelling up scores at 45-45 by the half with 15 points and three assists from Davis.

The tight battle continued through the third quarter and by the end of it the Kings were clinging to the 65-64 advantage with Davis adding another six points and three assists while Davison was closing in on back-to-back triple doubles with eight points, 10 assists and six rebounds.

The teams continued to be unable to be separated through the fourth quarter but Davis made a huge three for his second make of the game to put Sydney up there with two minutes on the clock.

Davis hit another from deep shortly after, but Kouat Noi was on a mission to enjoy his return to his old home floor to hit two massive triples to bring the Breakers back level.

That gave Sydney one final possession but Davis wound down the clock too far and was well defended by King. The shot clock expired by the time he got the pass off to Robertson and the game went to overtime.

Sydney did get up four in the extra period but Noi finished with the last four points and then again the Breakers did well to get the stop on Davis on the last possession to force a second overtime.

New Zealand couldn’t fight back one more time, though, and Sydney secured the nine-point win after 50 minutes with a three-point play from Xavier Cooks and then offensive rebound and put back from Torrey Craig crucial.

The Breakers back up for an Ignite Cup by 7-Eleven match up with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at Spark Arena on Wednesday while the Kings are next in action on the road next Sunday against the Brisbane Bullets.

SYDNEY KINGS 111 – NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 102

Sydney Kings
Kendric Davis – 36 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds
Torrey Craig – 17 points, 11 rebounds
Tyler Robertson – 16 points, 5 assists, 4/5 3PT
Xavier Cooks – 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Makuach Maluach – 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3/5 3PT

NZ Breakers
Kouat Noi – 32 points, 3 rebounds, 4/9 3PT
DJ Vasiljevic – 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4/9 3PT
Charles Bediako – 18 points, 10 rebounds, 9/12 FG
Mojave King – 13 points, 3 rebounds
Carlin Davison – 11 points, 15 assists, 9 rebounds