Kings sweep Queensland road trip

Updated October 28, 2012 21:33:25

Sydney Kings overcame the loss of one co-captain and were sparked by another to notch a notable Queensland NBL road double.

A 92-87 win over Townsville (0-5) on Saturday was followed by a 71-69 victory at Cairns (2-3) on Sunday to lift Sydney (3-2) into the top four.

It is the first time the Kings have had a win-loss record above 50 per cent since winning their opening match on readmittance to the NBL for the 2010-11 season.

Co-captain Ben Madgen scored 23 points against Townsville, just behind the 25-point haul of Aaron Bruce.

He followed up with a team-leading 22 points against Cairns where Sydney came from eight points down in the last quarter.

Import Corin Henry produced a game-tilting steal and basket inside the last 20 seconds.

The Kings are currently without their other co-captain James Harvey, who is expected to be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks with a broken arm.

"Pressure was mounted and you can either get it done or suck your thumb and now the challenge is to maintain the level we've set," Kings coach Shane Heal said.

Wollongong (4-0) maintained its perfect start to the season with a 77-63 away win over Adelaide (2-2).

Guard Adris Deleon scored 16 of his 23 points in the last quarter, as the Hawks rallied from a 12-point, first-quarter deficit.

"We thought we probably should have been 15 or even more down at half-time, but we found a way to hang around," Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod said.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, cairns-4870, qld, australia

First posted October 28, 2012 20:38:21

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Kings sign Blaze skipper Harvey

Updated May 15, 2012 21:07:33

The Sydney Kings have snapped up Gold Coast captain James Harvey for next NBL season while the embattled Blaze remain mired in voluntary administration.

Veteran sharpshooter Harvey, who captained the Blaze since their inaugural 2007-08 season, was one of four signings the Kings announced on Tuesday.

The others were Cairns Taipans big man Ian Crosswhite and Tom Garlepp, also from the Gold Coast, and the re-signing of Aaron Bruce.

Crosswhite is a ready-made replacement for star centre Julian Khazzouh who, along with Anatoly Bose, signalled his intention to chase a contract in Europe.

Sydney coach Shane Heal hailed 33-year-old shooting guard Harvey as a key acquisition, welcoming his leadership qualities as well as his scoring ability.

"The addition of Harvey to the Sydney Kings roster will help with a crucial missing link behind the arc," Heal said.

"Every team needs a leader, and I am confident James will fill the void from last season. He is one of the most passionate leaders I have played with both on the court and in the gym.

"James Harvey is a big game player who has dealt with persistent injuries over the past couple of seasons, so he will come to the Sydney Kings with something to prove."

Heal added the Kings were hopeful of unveiling further signings, this time on the import front, later in the week after deciding not to offer Jerai Grant another contract.

Harvey's signing was unveiled on the same day Basketball Australia (BA) expressed increased optimism that Gold Coast will continue in the NBL.

BA interim chief executive Scott Derwin said he could not guarantee the club's future but was encouraged by talks with the Blaze about a new investor.

"I flew to the Gold Coast last week and, on Thursday, met with the ownership of the Gold Coast Blaze as well as the players, team staff and the club's appointed administrator Roland Robson," he said.

"Those meetings have given us reason for renewed levels of optimism around the future of the club.

"The team's ownership and management are extremely confident of finalising negotiations with an additional new investor with whom they had already been in discussions.

"Clearly, we still need to allow the administrator to analyse these plans and the overall position of the club in detail before we can be certain that Gold Coast will continue to play on in the NBL.

"However, based on the information we have so far, those who have been forecasting the demise of the Blaze since Friday are certainly premature and quite possibly wrong."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted May 15, 2012 21:07:33

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Kings dump Taipans from play-off race

Updated March 17, 2012 23:28:37

Sydney ended Cairns' NBL title hopes with an impressive 80-74 win in Cairns on Saturday night.

Needing a win to stay alive, the Taipans were out-sized by Sydney from the outset.

They gave up a 14-point headstart after 10 minutes and, despite constantly challenging, were never able to drag the Kings back.

Jerai Grant imposed his massive frame on the injury-hit Snakes with 21 points, 17 of which came in the first half.

He, Anatoly Bose (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Julian Khazzouh (17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) led the way as Kings' coach Shane Heal had the last laugh in front of a near sell-out crowd.

On a night when they needed shooting guard Drew Warren to fire, he did not.

The rookie shot 1-of-11 and could only shake his head as his efforts rimmed out and he watched the final quarter from the bench.

After scoring 17 points, a shattered Alex Loughton limped off in the late stages of the third quarter, making the task even harder for Cairns.

Point guard Jamar Wilson battled hard again for 27 points but the Taipans could not make the big plays when needed.

In the opening stages Grant, Bose and Khazzouh were an unstoppable force inside as Taipans' enforcer Ian Crosswhite was kept to light duties on his dodgy left ankle.

Those three helped the Kings surge to an early 17-4 lead in front of the disillusioned crowd.

At 25-9, Taipans coach Aaron Fearne had finally seen enough and called time out.

Things marginally improved as the hosts when to the first break down 26-14.

The Kings shot at 61 per cent in the first quarter, a statistic helped by a staggering 20 of their 26 points coming in the paint.

While they cooled off to a still-impressive 51 per cent, they always seemed to make the shots needed to blunt repeated Taipans challenges.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, cairns-4870, qld

First posted March 17, 2012 23:28:37

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Hawks hold off fast-finishing Kings

Updated March 24, 2012 23:37:55

Wollongong survived a blistering Kings fightback to score a 77-68 win in Sydney on Saturday night.

Hawks import point guard Ayinde Ubaka's back-to-back three-pointers midway through the final quarter, after the Kings had cut the Hawks' 16-point lead to two, were decisive.

It had been a quiet night for Ubaka until that point, with Joevan Catron (15 points) and Rhys Martin (12 points) stepping up for the away side.

The home side, though, will see this game as an opportunity missed.

The Kings appeared set to run over the top of Wollongong after their 7-0 surge reduced their deficit to just a basket late in the fourth quarter, but had no answer once Ubaka struck.

The home side's young gun Anatoly Bose (21 points) was inspirational throughout and was the early catalyst in a blistering opening.

The Kings led by as many as 13 points early in the game, with Ben Madgen and Jerai Grant dominating.

The Hawks were in a daze early, shooting just 26 per cent in the first quarter as the Kings dominated at both ends of the court.

A seven-point run from the Hawks to start the second quarter changed the landscape of the game and sparked the Hawks' three-point shooting into life, with back-to-back triples from Oscar Forman and Mat Campbell stunning.

And where the Kings dominated the rebounds in the first quarter, the Hawks were beginning to flex their muscles under the glass soon after.

When Ubaka's first points of the game early in the third quarter gave the Hawks a handy 14-point lead, the home side's task became a lot tougher.

Despite their sensational final-quarter run that brought the 7,282-strong crowd to life, the gap proved a bridge too far and the Hawks held on.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, wollongong-2500, nsw, australia

First posted March 24, 2012 23:26:04

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Kings coach shifted to CEO

Updated February 16, 2012 18:07:40

Ian Robilliard has been stood down as Sydney Kings coach and been appointed interim chief executive officer in an organisational reshuffle at the club.

Robilliard, who had coached the club since their re-admission into the competition for the 2010-11 season, stood down from the post on Thursday and assumed the role of interim chief executive after the departure of executive director Stephen Dunn.

The Kings finished last in their first season back and are virtually out of contention for this season's play-offs, with a 8-13 record that has them running seventh out of nine clubs.

Robilliard's coaching contract expired at the end of the season.

Tim Hudson, Robilliard's assistant coach this season, will act as head coach for the Kings' clash away to Perth on Sunday.

The club is hopeful of appointing a permanent coach by the time of their next game at home to Townsville on Sunday week.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000

First posted February 16, 2012 18:07:40

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Kings win first game under Heal

Updated February 26, 2012 22:33:52

Shane Heal's first game as an NBL head coach ended in victory as Sydney Kings held off the visiting Townsville Crocodiles 71-69.

Barking orders, twitching with every play and encouraging his side throughout, Heal's presence had the desired effect.

Inspired by Ben Madgen, Julian Khazzouh and Luke Martin (all 15 points), the Kings recovered from a lacklustre first half to run over the Crocs in the third term.

After racing 13 points in front after at the last break the home side had to withstand a fierce Crocs comeback to record its slender two-point win.

Youngster Todd Blanchfield was Townsville's best with 15 points and five rebounds, while Jacob Holmes (14 points, nine rebounds) and Luke Schenscher (11 points, seven rebounds) provided support.

Early on it looked like it was going to be a homecoming to forget for former champion player Heal.

In a poor first quarter, where the Kings shot just 25 per cent from the field, stage fright seemed to have swept through the team.

But when the visitors ran out to an early eight-point lead Heal implemented a full-court press that stemmed the flow and threw the Crocs off their game.

Following a rugged second term that knotted scores at 32-32 at half-time the Kings emerged from the sheds a new team, a 17-3 run setting up a 60-47 lead after 30 minutes.

When Anatoly Bose stole the ball off Peter Crawford on the halfway line and drove for a lay-up it epitomised the Kings' newfound belief.

The Crocs were at sea and the Kings were firmly in control.

But, with victory apparently assured for the Kings, the Crocs closed within four points with 66 seconds on the clock and threatened to pull off a miraculous comeback.

Despite a nervy final minute, the Kings held on for a well-deserved victory as Khazzouh controlled the boards.

"It wasn't pretty offensively today, but the boys showed a lot of pride to hold on," Heal said.

"These are the types of games that scare the hell out of me, I knew Shane was going to give the team a newfound energy, but we didn't match it," Crocs coach Paul Woolpert said.

"We made too many mistakes and you just can't do that."

Martin, making his 250th appearance in the NBL, praised Heal for the performance.

"Having a player of Shane's stature at the club instantly demands respect from the players," he said.

"He has talked to us about accountability and the boys showed a lot of that tonight."

Meanwhile, Cairns (14-10) climbed above Townsville into the top four with a 83-78 away win over second-placed over Perth (16-8).

The Taipans trailed by 11 at half-time, but scored the first 15 points of the third quarter and led by six at the last change.

Perth regained the lead in the last term, but a 7-0 run secured victory for Cairns.

Alex Loughton notched 20 for the visitors and Lisch 21 for Perth.

Townsville slumped to fifth as Gold Coast (13-9) consolidated third place with a 85-72 home win over last-placed Wollongong (6-17).

The Blaze scored the last six points of the first half to lead 46-40 and never relinquished their advantage despite hitting just one out of 10 three-point attempts.

Worthington top-scored for the Blaze with 17.

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, sydney-2000

First posted February 26, 2012 19:40:13

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Hammer Heal to coach Kings

Updated February 24, 2012 16:36:22

Sydney Kings have installed Shane Heal to coach the team for the remaining six games of the NBL season.

Heal will take over the role immediately, replacing Ian Robilliard who has recently been appointed as the club's interim chief executive, and will be in charge for his first game when the Kings host Townsville on Sunday.

Heal, a former point guard known for his aggressive play, loud haircuts and three-point shooting, captained the Kings to their first championship in 2003, has his number 23 jersey retired and is still highly regarded at the club.

The Kings have endured a mixed season under Robilliard, missing out on landing Boomers superstar Andrew Bogut during the NBA lock-out due to unresolvable insurance issues while overcoming a series of injuries to hover mid-table with an 8-14 record.

The Kings are on a five-game losing streak but Heal, who at this stage does not have a deal for next season, says he simply hopes to bring his own touch to the team for the final six games of the year.

"I will really be working on getting their mindset right and belief in themselves," he said.

"I am looking forward to sitting down with the team to talk about philosophies and expectations."

Robilliard says he expects Heal to use his experience to instil a championship-winning mentality into the young Kings squad.

"It is a great feeling to have secured Shane Heal for the role of head coach," he said.

"The club definitely considers him a Sydney Kings legend.

"Having played in the purple and gold, he knows first hand what it means to wear in our colours, to win a championship, and to play at the Kingdome.

"If he can instil half of his Sydney Kings personal experience into our roster, it could help our team of committed professionals become a champion team."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted February 24, 2012 16:36:22

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On-target Kings shoot down Hawks

Updated March 09, 2012 22:34:29

An amazing shooting display by the Sydney Kings has secured a 92-81 win over arch-rival Wollongong on Friday night.

Sydney shot at 52 per cent from the field and 71 per cent from beyond the arc in its most impressive display of the season to seal the comfortable victory in Wollongong.

The visiting Kings built a handy double-digit lead in the first half before absorbing the Hawks' own long-range shooting barrage which featured seven three-pointers for the half.

The Kings were led by Jerai Grant (20 points, eight rebounds), Anatoly Bose (19 points, six rebounds) and Ben Madgen (17 points), while former Hawk Luke Martin (six assists) iced the game with nine of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Hawks centre Larry Davidson made the most of Kings star Julian Khazzouh's absence, pouring in a team-high 24 points with seven boards, but his team lacked considerable punch at the defensive end.

After two quick fouls to Graeme Dann the injection of Alex Gynes sparked the Kings to an 11-4 start.

Gynes paced Sydney with six points in seven minutes, while Martin capped the quarter with a triple to push the Kings ahead 23-12.

Wollongong rallied behind Davidson, who found a pair of buckets inside before stepping behind the arc and swishing a triple.

The Hawks pulled within five points at 25-20, but were suddenly hit with six unanswered points from the visitors, highlighted by Grant storming down the lane for a thunderous dunk in traffic.

Grant led a devastating defensive stand and Luke Cooper knocked down a pair of threes as Sydney surged ahead 46-29 at half-time.

Wollongong clawed back in the third term through the long-ball, connecting on five three-pointers to pull to within three points at 52-49.

Madgen kept Sydney afloat with a three in reply, before Bose drained a pair of triples to steady the ship at 61-53.

Luke Martin once again had the last say of the period with another top-of-the-key triple to make it 64-57 heading into the fourth.

Martin was hot down the stretch, exploding for seven straight points including a three-point dagger that sealed the result.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport

First posted March 09, 2012 22:34:29

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Blaze too strong for Kings

Updated February 10, 2012 23:32:05

Adam Gibson awoke Gold Coast Blaze from a first-half slumber to steamroll the Kings 84-72 in their NBL game in Sydney.

The Blaze were in foul trouble and trailed by six points at half-time before Gibson (17 points, nine assists) exploded with 15 points and three assists in the third quarter.

Mark Worthington (12 points, seven rebounds) sat out most of the second quarter due to foul trouble, but returned in the second half to wreak havoc, draining three-pointers at one end and blocking Kings shots at the other.

Blaze guard Adris Deleon had a game-high 29 points, his outside shooting and control of the offence a struggle for the Kings to contain.

When Deleon and Worthington again hit from three-point range the Blaze led by 14 with just under two minutes left and the contest was over.

Sydney's Jerai Grant, chief tormentor the last time these two sides met, had a tough night, while star centre Julian Khazzouh's influence was fleeting.

Anatoly Bose (21 points) tried in vain to bring the home side back into contention, while Khazzouh (16 points, nine rebounds) and Ben Madgen (14 points, four rebounds, four assists) provided the best support.

Meanwhile, the Taipans defeated Perth Wildcats 76-67 at Cairns Convention Centre.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, carrara-4211

First posted February 10, 2012 23:32:05

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Wildcats reel in Kings for NBL win

Updated January 20, 2012 23:43:58

Perth survived a nail-biting finale to record a 76-75 NBL win over the Kings in Sydney on Friday night.

In front of a crowd of over 7,500, Sydney's Graeme Dann missed two free-throws with less than a second remaining to hand the Wildcats their one-point victory.

Despite being down by 11 points midway through the final quarter, Perth's Shawn Redhage (15 points), Jesse Wagstaff (15 points) and giant centre Luke Nevill's game-high 19 points formed a three-pronged assault the Kings were unable to contain.

Nevill also proved a handful for Kings' star centre Julian Khazzouh, his work at the defensive end enforcing a quiet night for Sydney's leader.

Redhage's final quarter was crucial, popping up with rebounds and draining long jumpers to break the Kings' resistance when an upset win for the home side looked on the cards.

Rookie Anatoly Bose was the star for Sydney, his 16 points and 10 rebounds almost setting up a memorable victory, but his wayward 8-of-15 free-throw shooting proved decisive.

Bose was supported by crowd favourite Jerai Grant (17 points) and Ben Madgen (16 points) in a game that featured 22 lead changes.

When Khazzouh hit the opening two baskets of the final term, then Bose and Madgen both scored, the Kings had converted a two-point lead into double figures just two minutes into the quarter.

Perth coach Rob Beveridge then went with Redhage and Wagstaff in the front court and their mobility was too much for Khazzouh and Grant.

From their the Wildcats controlled the boards and the tempo, holding the Kings scoreless for almost six minutes.

Three straight baskets from Redhage edged them in front with three minutes to play.

Madgen responded, but a putback from Wagstaff gave Perth their one-point margin before Dann's attempted heroics came up short.

In the night's other game, the Wollongong Hawks beat the Cairns Taipans 80-74 in Cairns, as the visitors spread the points across the board to pick up a rare win.

The bottom-of-the-ladder Hawks had Oscar Forman (13 points), Tim Coenraad (12) and Larry Davidson (11) to thank for sharing the scoring duties, while Mat Campbell, Tyson Demos and Glen Saville also chipped in with 10.

The Hawks remain bottom of the NBL table despite the win, while Taipans hang onto fourth spot in the last of the finals places.

ABC/AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, wa, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 20, 2012 23:41:48

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Crocodiles beat Kings in overtime epic

Updated January 15, 2012 07:48:01

The Townsville Crocodiles escaped with a nail-biting 118-114 double-overtime win over a never-say-die Sydney Kings at The Swamp on Saturday night, in one of the best NBL games in recent memory.

Croc Jacob Holmes hit a clutch basket 24.3 seconds from the end of regular time to level the scores at 85-apiece.

Luke Martin then nailed a giant three-point buzzer-beater on the run to tie the scores at 102 and force a second overtime.

Martin, Sydney's leading scorer at the time, Julian Khazzouh and Graeme Dann all fouled out in the sixth period, leaving the Kings severely undermanned.

Townsville's Michael Cedar and Eddie Gill helped the Crocs score 10 unanswered points in the final two minutes to edge four points clear.

But Sydney's Ben Madgen shot a pressure three-pointer with seconds on the clock to silence the deafening crowd and force Cedar to seal the game from the free-throw line.

It was a memorable end for the home side which was celebrating its 20th season in the NBL with festivities including a Croc/Suns Legends vs NBL All Stars curtain raiser.

Townsville coach Paul Woolpert said it was one of the most nerve-wracking games of his coaching career.

"I think I have a few more grey hairs after that one, it was a great basketball game. It must have been great for the fans," he said.

"We came close to snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory but we made a hell of a lot of great basketball plays.

"We talked about different ways of winning the game ... we made some huge free throws tonight."

Sydney coach Ian Robilliard said his side gave up too many free throws but still should have won the game.

"We had our chances to win both in regulation, in the first OT and second OT so full credit to my guys who played exceptionally well," he said.

"I feel gutted because I look at these stats lines - we won the possession count, we won the rebounds by 20, we won the points in the paint by 20 but we give up 43 free throws and there is the game.

"It is disappointing to lose like that ... close enough is not good enough as professional athletes.

Townsville put the Kings to the sword early - Elvin Mims sinking 10 in the opening term - racing ahead by 15 points. But it failed to maintain the pressure and allowed the lead to slip to 27-24 at quarter-time.

The Crocodiles charged ahead by double figures on two more occasions with Cedar, who was scoreless in the first term, scoring 10 points to give his team a 53-45 lead at halftime.

The Kings were a different outfit after the main break and slashed the margin to just one point in the third with Anatoly Bose and Madgen taking control.

Sydney edged seven points in front in the final term, but the Crocodiles fought until the end and Holmes hit his clutch basket.

The two overtime sessions included several momentum swings, but it was Townsville which emerged victorious in a game for the ages.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, nbl, townsville-4810, qld, australia

First posted January 15, 2012 00:11:53

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Kings hose down Blaze

Updated January 07, 2012 23:30:53

Sydney Kings held off a spirited Gold Coast Blaze to win 102-96 in Sydney.

In a close game where neither side could reach a double-digit lead, Jerai Grant's power at both ends of the court proved the difference.

The Kings import's 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists were an impressive all-round performance, proving his growing self-belief is turning the 22-year-old into a star of the competition.

Perhaps even more important for the Kings was Grant's handling of Boomers star Mark Worthington.

Despite posting his teams highest points total, Worthington endured a difficult night against the red-hot Grant on a court where he once ruled for three years.

Worthington cut a forlorn figure at the final buzzer, staring at the ground as the Kingdome erupted in victory, perhaps best summing up his night.

Grants now-trademark high-flying dunks many in the face of Worthington helped the Kings maintain control and stem any scoring bursts from the visitors.

His action-packed display brought the Kingdome to its feet on a regular basis.

The Kings started lethargically. The Blaze's suffocating, high-energy defence forcing the home side into difficult shots, which they were unable to hit.

With Adris Deleon and Adam Gibson controlling matters, the Blaze took a 19-10 lead and looked ominous.

A time-out from Kings coach Ian Robilliard seemed to rejuvenate his troops, but his introduction of Luke Cooper was perhaps most pivotal.

Cooper's accurate shooting from the perimeter and assists to wide-open team-mates as he drew in defenders with his penetration off the dribble got the Kings back on parity.

For Cooper (10 points, six assists) it was arguably his stand-out performance of the season.

But once again it was Aaron Bruce (21 points) who really drove the home side. Refusing to be subdued, his determination and crucial points in the last quarter were vital for the Kings.

Although a tough three-pointer from Blaze captain James Harvey made it a four-point game with 8.89 seconds on the clock, the Kings held on for a deserved victory.

Meanwhile, a dominant third-quarter performance by Townsville Crocodiles set up a 72-57 win over the Hawks in Wollongong.

The Crocodiles squeezed the life out of the Hawks during a stunning 24-6 third period, responding strongly after coach Paul Woolpert was ejected moments before half-time.

It was a productive night for the North Queensland basketball community with Cairns Taipans defeated the 36ers 72-67 at Adelaide Arena.

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, sydney-2000

First posted January 07, 2012 23:30:53

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Kings crash to 36ers

Updated December 30, 2011 23:08:23

Adelaide forced the Kings' long suffering fans to endure another wretched home performance with a 96-77 win at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

It was a fifth loss in eight home games for Sydney (6-9) and in four of those they have been crushed by at least 18 points.

The shocking Kings suffered the indignity of missing all 10 of their three-point attempts.

Injury-hit Adelaide (5-9) made light of the absences of captain Adam Ballinger and his deputy Nathan Crosswell.

Adelaide big man Daniel Johnson underlined his growing claims to the league's most improved player award with a 21-point, 14-rebound performance.

Stephen Weigh chipped in with 17, Nathan Herbert 14 and Chris Warren 13.

The Kings slashed a 12-point, second-quarter deficit to two in the third, but Adelaide produced a decisive 17-4 run to end the term with a 74-59 lead.

Adelaide got as far ahead as 21 points in the final quarter.

Kings captain and centre Julian Khazzouh fouled out early in the final quarter, though with 12 points on five of 15 field-goal attempts, it was not one of his better games, despite logging nine rebounds and three blocks.

Luke Cooper top-scored for Sydney with 13 points, while Anatoly Bose bagged 12 and Jerai Grant 10.

AAP

Tags: basketball, nbl, sport, sydney-2000, adelaide-5000

First posted December 30, 2011 23:08:23

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Warriors cut Kings' Khazzouh

Updated December 19, 2011 13:09:43

Julian Khazzouh will return to Sydney after NBA side Golden State decided against taking him on for the 2011/12 season.

Khazzouh scored two points against the Sacramento Kings in his only preseason game with the Warriors on Saturday but will not stay on with the side ahead of their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day.

Sydney hopes to have its centre back in the line-up for Friday night's game against Townsville.

Khazzouh's agent Daniel Moldovan had previously said that the lack of an off-season, caused by the NBA lockout may mean his client would have a better chance in 2012 of joining fellow Australian, Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut, in the NBA.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, united-states

First posted December 19, 2011 13:09:43

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Kings prevail in OT

Updated December 08, 2011 23:03:29

Julian Khazzouh led the Sydney Kings to an enthralling 107-103 overtime win against the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday night at the Entertainment Centre.

When Chris Warren's (15 points) three-point bomb gave Adelaide a two-point lead with just 2.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter the game appeared over.

But Khazzouh's drive to the basket on the final buzzer gave the centre two free throws to rescue the game, which he duly did.

With momentum swinging his side's way Khazzouh picked up three boards and three swats in overtime as the Kings secured the win.

His total of 20 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and three blocks proved the difference.

Rumoured to be trialling with the Golden State Warriors in the NBL next week, it took a long time for the Kings captain to come to life, and until he did Adelaide appeared to be in control.

Sixers centre Daniel Johnson (24 points, nine rebounds, three assists) put on a show early, scoring at will and helping keep Khazzouh scoreless for the first half.

With Diamon Simpson (19 points) providing the much-needed muscle under the boards along with Johnson and Stephen Weigh (12 points), the away side led by as many as eight in the second quarter and appeared set to register back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

But Kings point guard Aaron Bruce (24 points, five assists) showed why he has also attracted NBA interest, keeping the home team in the game along with Anatoly Bose (21), Jerai Grant (12), Luke Martin (13) and Ben Madgen (eight).

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 08, 2011 23:03:29

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Kings do enough to edge Taipans

Updated December 04, 2011 21:54:09

Sydney pulled off an upset 69-64 win over Cairns on Sunday night that could drop the Taipans out of the NBL top four.

Coming into the clash with a 5-4 record in third spot, the Snakes finished the round at 4-4 level with fellow Queenslanders Gold Coast and Townsville.

The Kings built a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter and extended it to 10 by the main break.

Cairns fought back and pared five points off the lead going into the final term, an evenly matched affair that saw both sides post 17 points.

Centre Julian Khazzouh was the focal point of the Kings offense, scoring 18 points and grabbing six rebounds as the home side dominated the paint.

Sydney also had scoring contributions from Luke Martin and Jarai Grant, the former going 2-for-3 from downtown.

It was just the second time this season the Kings have won on their home court, but the result was not guaranteed as Andrew Warren put up 19 points and Jamar Wilson had 10 for the Taipans.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, cairns-4870, qld, australia

First posted December 04, 2011 21:54:09

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Mills leads Tigers past Kings

Updated October 07, 2011 22:52:44

Star Boomers guard Patty Mills announced his arrival to the NBL in style by leading Melbourne past Sydney 82-76 in the season opener at The Cage on Friday night.

Mills, who signed with the Tigers while the NBA lockout keeps his American team Portland off the court, scored a game-high 28 points, going 6-for-11 from three-point range and added three assists.

Fellow guard and former Gold Coast star Ayinde Ubaka scored 22 points on debut for Melbourne, while Tigers big man Cameron Tragardh had 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Kings, who learnt on Friday morning that NBA star Andrew Bogut would not be joining the club due to insurance issues, led by as much as 12 in the final quarter and looked to have it sewn up.

But Mills drained 3-of-5 from downtown in the last period, while Ubaka and Ron Dorsey added long-range points of their own, to drag the Tigers back into it.

Down 70-62 with 4:30 to play, a Tragardh put-back followed by an Ubaka lay-up began an onslaught that reclaimed the lead with a little over a minute remaining.

Melbourne completed a 33-17 final quarter to open its campaign with a fighting victory.

Sydney centre Julian Khazzouh had an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double to lead the visitors on the scoreboard, while Jerai Grant added 16.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted October 07, 2011 21:30:47

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Kings reel in Hawks

Updated October 24, 2011 00:05:36

Sydney picked up its second win of the round, coming from behind in the final quarter to notch a 95-89 home win over Wollongong.

Rookie Anatoly Bose finished with 24 points, including two clutch three-pointers in the fourth period, to help the Kings reverse a 10-point deficit.

Big plays from Luke Cooper and Ben Madgen in the final quarter and a haul of 20 points from Julian Khazzouh and 14 from Aaron Bruce also assisted Sydney over the line.

The Hawks almost pulled off the victory after surrendering the lead in the fourth, with Joevan Catron (23 points) and Tyson Demos (20) starring but falling short at the death.

The Kings are now 2-2 for the season with Wollongong 3-1.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, wollongong-2500

First posted October 23, 2011 23:58:27

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