Kings go top, Hawks' season over

The Sydney Kings are now on top of the NBL with nine straight wins after continuing their ominous form in Wollongong on Friday night with the 120-94 victory against the Illawarra Hawks.

The Hawks, who ended a 24-year championship drought last season, needed to win their final three games by big margins and have other results fall their way in order to be any chance to make the finals.

It was already decidedly unlikely with the Tasmania JackJumpers in sixth and two games 185 points ahead of them, but the Kings put the final nail in their coffin at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night completing a 4-0 sweep of their season series.

Davis top-scored with 24 points as Sydney (22-9) extended their winning streak to nine games and climbed back into first place - above Adelaide on percentage - with the finals in sight.

He added nine assists, five rebounds and three steals in just 26 minutes before being rested for the final period.

The import point guard, who was runner-up in MVP voting when with Adelaide last season to Bryce Cotton, has now scored 20-plus points in eight consecutive games as he and Cotton wage a two-man battle for league MVP honours again.

It was the depth that was the great strength again on show from the Kings beyond Davis with seven players scoring in double-figures and nine players out on the floor for at least 18 minutes.

That saw Tyler Robertson made 3/5 from three-point range for 17 points and seven rebounds with Tim Soares adding 16 points and seven boards, Kouat Noi 14 points and four rebounds, Makuach Maluach 11 points and three boards, and Xavier Cooks 11 points, six rebounds and two assists.

The Hawks are now 11-20 on the season with two games to go and were without three-time NBA championship winning centre JaVale McGee who sat out their last appearance at home for NBL26.

Tyler Harvey top-scored with 16 points and five assists on 4/7 three-point shooting with Sam Froling contributing 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Mason Peatling 11 points, nine boards and three assists.

Davis and Jaylin Galloway led the charge from tip-off as Sydney raced to a 15-5 lead and put 21 points on the board in the opening five minutes.

The visitors were in complete control, with Xavier Cooks' two-handed jam a highlight in a dominant opening period.

It wasn't the only time the 2023 MVP would hang from the ring.

The Kings' 58-46 half-time lead should have been more on the back of Davis's 19 points, six assists and three steals to that point.

Illawarra twice got within four points midway through the third quarter, but Sydney steadied as Robertson nailed a pair of threes off the bench.

Davis was held back in the final period as the margin blew out.

Both teams have two games left in their seasons with the Hawks on the road to Melbourne United on Sunday and then the Tasmania JackJumpers on Wednesday.

The Kings now prepare to host the Perth Wildcats in a tantalising match up on Sunday before finishing away to the wooden spoon bound Brisbane Bullets next Friday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – ROUND 21

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 94 (Harvey 16, Froling 14, Peatling 11)

SYDNEY KINGS 120 (Davis 24, Robertson 17, Soares 16)

BOX SCORE