Kings hit back in dominant fashion

The Sydney Kings were left devastated by blowing a big lead on Sunday but bounced back with their most complete and emphatic performance of NBL26 to beat the Brisbane Bullets 116-79.

The Kings blew a 16-point fourth quarter lead at home to the Tasmania JackJumpers on Sunday, but your response is even more important and it couldn’t have been better as they destroyed the Bullets at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre by 37 points.

Xavier Cooks showed the way for the Kings with the two-time championship winner and former MVP making his first four shots.

He finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Kings improved to 11-1 in their last 12 Brisbane clashes.

The 37-point thumping improved them to 4-5 after three losses from their last four games and it was an emphatic performance at both ends of the floor.

The Kings had six players scoring in double-figures while shooting at 53 per cent from the field, 41 per cent from deep and getting to the foul line 26 times to just eight from Brisbane.

Sydney also dished out 30 assists to four turnovers while Brisbane had just 16 assists and 13 turnovers.

Kendric Davis produced 19 points and seven assists, Tim Soares 19 points and six rebounds, Jaylin Galloway 16 points, four boards and three steals, Bul Kuol 13 points and six rebounds, and Kouat Noi 11 points, four boards and four assists.

Brisbane had dominated Cairns on the same home court two days earlier to win by 28 points for a first home win of the season, but looked out of answers with the 13 turnovers, six offensive rebounds only and just eight free-throw attempts.

Casey Prather again top-scored for Brisbane with 24 points while new import Dakota Mathias shot well with 7/11 for 16 points in his second appearance.

Cooks powered a 35-17 first quarter as one of four Kings with at least seven points.

In contrast, only three Bullets scored at all in the first quarter, Casey Prather again shouldering the load to finish with 24 points on 10/15 field goals.

Brisbane steadied in the second quarter and eventually made a run after the main break, reducing the margin to six points.

But Kings coach Brian Goorjian called a timeout and in the blink of an eye the comeback was cancelled.

Kouat Noi buried another triple to silence the crowd, Davis and Bul Kuol then following suit for a 23-point lead at the final break.

Brazilian big Tim Soares made 3/4 triples to extend the Bullets' defence.

Brisbane guard and former MVP Jaylen Adams had 13 points, three assists and a steal against his former team but shot just 6/16.

After three straight home games, the Bullets are back on the road against the Tasmania JackJumpers next Saturday while the Kings have a quick turnaround to take on Melbourne United at John Cain Arena on Melbourne Cup eve.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

BRISBANE BULLETS 79 (Prather 24, Mathias 16, Harrison 13, Adams 13)

SYDNEY KINGS 116 (Cooks 24, Soares 19, Davis 19)

BOX SCORE