Kings depth shines to open HoopsFest

The depth of the Sydney Kings shone in the absence of Bul Kuol, Xavier Cooks and Matthew Dellavedova with Kouat Noi, Makuach Maluach and Tyler Robertson showing the way in 95-80 HoopsFest win over the Brisbane Bullets.

It was the opening NBL game at RAC Arena for HoopsFest on Thursday with the Bullets trying to put in a more competitive showing after losing the first two games against the Kings by a combined 62 points this season.

Even though for a lot of the night the Bullets kept things interesting, the Kings had all the answers and blew the game open closing the third quarter with an 18-3 run on the way to the 15-point win.

It keeps the Kings right in touch of the second placed South East Melbourne Phoenix at 16-9 and the players that stepped up in the absence of Dellavedova, Cooks and Kuol was most impressive.

Noi saw his role increase and he had 17 points in the first half on his way to 24 for the game on 6/10 three-point shooting to go with 10 rebounds.

He had plenty of help too with Kendric Davis producing 23 points and 10 assists while Robertson knocked down 4/7 from deep for 17 points and eight rebounds.

Makuach Maluach picked up the defensive pressure role and finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists with Tim Soares also ending up with 14 points and six boards.

The Bullets remain in last place at 6-20 with Hunter Maldonado finishing with 20 points and five assists with Alex Ducas 14 points and six rebounds, Terry Taylor 12 points and 10 boards, and Jacob Holt 12 points and eight rebounds.

The Bullets made a perfect start to open the NBL action at HoopsFest beginning with three straight triples from Alex Ducas, Terry Taylor and Hunter Maldonado to already make as many as they did on Monday night in Cairns.

Sydney took two and-a-half minutes to score but then went on their own 10-0 run including a three-pointer from Tyler Robertson and and-one from Kendric Davis.

Robertson nailed another three and then Kouat Noi made two of them on his way to eight points in the first quarter to help the Kings to the 29-23 advantage on the back of shooting 65 per from the floor opposed to the 50 from the Bullets.

The hot shooting from the Kings continued in the second quarter and Noi hit another three triples of his own to go into half-time on 17 points with Sydney shooting 61 per cent overall and 8/13 from deep to be leading 52-41.

Turnovers again hurt the Bullets with nine to the half but a combined 23 points from Ducas and Maldonado kept them in touch.

The Bullets did make a fighting start to the second half with three balls to Mitch Norton and Jacob Holt before closing to within two after a pair of free throws from Maldonado.

Fro there, the Kings took control, though, going on an 18-3 run to close the rest of the third term including a couple of long balls to Robertson as the lead ballooned to 17 by three quarter-time.

The Bullets made an enterprising start to the fourth quarter and got back within eight after five straight points from Holt, but the Kings responded with the next seven points and turned that into the 15-point win.

The Kings now don't play for a full week until they are at home to the Tasmania JackJumpers next Thursday while before that the Bullets will have an Ignite Cup clash against Melbourne United in Bendigo.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 - HOOPSFEST

SYDNEY KINGS 95 (Noi 24, Davis 23, Robertson 17)

BRISBANE BULLETS 80 (Maldonado 20, Ducas 14, Taylor 12, Holt 12)

BOX SCORE