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Star import Jaylen Adams has scored 31 points as he led the surging Sydney Kings to a 98-95 NBL home win over the Perth Wildcats.
Trading haymaker after haymaker in Saturday night’s final quarter, Sydney (9-7) almost let slip a seven-point lead down the stretch when they gifted the visitors six straight points in a matter of seconds from the charity stripe.
Down 96-95, Vic Law had an opportunity to win it from deep for Perth (8-5) with 13 seconds remaining, but it rattled off before the Kings’ outlet pass found Xavier Cooks for an exclamation dunk to ice the game on the horn.
But it was Adams who controlled the contest from the outset, powering to 28 points through three quarters before combining with Jarell Martin and debutant import Ian Clark in the final term.
Adams improved on his late-game heroics from the Kings’ last outing, with 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, as he duelled with Wildcats ace Bryce Cotton (33 points).
The Kings have now won six of their last seven NBL outings and are knocking on the door of the top four, with the trio of Adams, Cooks and Martin imperative to their hot streak.
Jaylen Adams. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
“Health’s played a huge part of it,” Kings coach Chase Buford said of the Kings’ run of form.
“We were so banged up, hurt, guys in and out early in the year and (it’s) not an excuse, but you know, we had some tough games. We weren’t able to get over the line a couple times even when we did get our guys back.
“I think there’s a confidence growing in this group that we know we can come out and compete with anybody in the league.
“And we’re just fired up to come compete every night.”
Clark finished with 13 points in 20 minutes hitting three of his four attempts from beyond the arc, as the 371-game NBA veteran was clutch in the dying stages for his new club.
“I feel great, it was a big win for us,” Clark said.
“That first first couple minutes I was just anxious trying to get the feel of the game but once we got I got going, we got competing, it felt great.
“I want to thank the coaches and my teammates, they just helped me so much and it feels good to just be back out there and compete.”
For the Wildcats, Cotton was at his MVP level best all evening but fellow star Law struggled, shooting 4-13 on the night.
Saturday’s loss is Perth’s third from their last four outings, and it doesn’t get any easier with their next clash against fellow heavyweights South East Melbourne in one week.
Meanwhile, South East Melbourne Phoenix have staved off the defiant Brisbane Bullets for a 98-94 win at home off the back of strong performances from MVP front-runner Mitch Creek and Ryan Broekhoff.
Bouncing back from a tough derby loss to Melbourne United on Thursday, the third-placed Phoenix (9-5) kept the Bullets (5-9) at arms length throughout Saturday’s contest but the visitors rallied late to keep the game alive to the final possession.
Down by two with 11.9 seconds remaining, Bullets coach James Duncan drew up a great play to get Robert Franks (23 points) open, but the American’s three-point attempt wouldn’t fall.
Broekhoff was fouled on the rebound and iced the game at the stripe to give his side a much needed home win and hand Brisbane their sixth loss from their last seven outings.
The Phoenix guard finished with 18 points on 4-7 from deep, while Creek had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Mitchell Creek. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Veteran sharpshooter Cam Gliddon provided wonderful spark off the bench for the Phoenix against his former team, tallying 20 points on a perfect 7/7 from the field and 6-6 from beyond the arc.
Brisbane fought hard all game to stay within reach of the Phoenix, tying the scores at 59-59 early in the third term, but their stops on defence couldn’t transition to vital buckets down the stretch as the Phoenix held on to win in their sixth game in 14 days.
“Brisbane really came strong at us today, we were just hanging in there from a physical standpoint,” Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell said.
“In the last time-out I’m looking at the guys and they just looked jaded, they looked fatigued and and they hung on.
“So I’m proud of them for that.”
Duncan said he was proud of the resilience on show from his Bullets, and challenged them to persist as the season continues.
“Tonight wasn’t one of our best defensive efforts like the last two games, but you’re playing one of the top teams with a lot of weapons,” said Duncan.
“And all we could ask for was an opportunity to win the game at the end, and where we were able to get a stop and a rebound.
“We’ll chop up the tape and then see where we can improve because there were breakdowns, especially in the first half.
“But I can’t fault the effort, I think everybody has seen that over the course of the last three games. The challenge is to continue to do that for the rest of the season.”
© AAP
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