Sixers fire late to overrun Kings

The NBL's two hottest teams locked horns in another chapter of their spirited rivalry which saw Flynn Cameron, Bryce Cotton and finally DJ Vasiljevic fire late as the Adelaide 36ers moved further clear in top spot beating the Sydney Kings 85-79.

The Kings arrived at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night having won their past six matches to be closing in on a top two position as they took on the 36ers having also won three in-a-row to be clear on top.

Last time they met it went to overtime too and this felt every bit like a playoff battle and it was the Kings leading for a lot of the contest including by as much as 11 points in the third quarter.

But they did lose defensive maestro Bul Kuol to a knee injury just before half-time with Kouat Noi already out through illness, and then centre Tim Soares fouling out with almost six minutes to go.

The Sixers were able to take advantage with their raucous home crowd behind them finishing the game going on a 12-5 run in the last three minutes.

Flynn Cameron hit two huge threes as part of that run on his way to a career-high 25 points before Bryce Cotton made a tough jumper, and then the dagger came from two-time Kings championship winner DJ Vasiljevic as he celebrated with another sold out crowd on the way to the six-point win.

Cotton never quite got going under close attention even after Sydney lost Kuol to a knee injury with the five-time MVP having 16 points and 10 assists on 6/19 shooting, but Cameron stepped up huge.

He knocked down 6/7 from three-point range when the rest of team only went 6/19 including Cotton 2/8 with him also having four assists and two steals in the best scoring performance of his 90-game NBL career.

Isaac Humphries also had 15 points and six rebounds against his original NBL team with Vasiljevic hitting three triples against his old team too for 13 points with Zylan Cheatham contributing another eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.

Kendric Davis had another strong showing in his second return to Adelaide for Sydney with 26 points, six assists and five rebounds but he was made to work and shot 10/24 from the field and 1/9 from deep.

Matthew Dellavedova took over the defensive duties on Cotton after Kuol hurt his knee and did well while having 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists with Xavier Cooks having 11 points, 13 boards and four assists, and Makuach Maluach 10 points.

Davis fed off the jeers of Sixers fans on his return to Adelaide and scored nine first-quarter points on perfect shooting and had 15 by the main break, helping the Kings to a 41-35 advantage.

The lead had been as much as 11 points as Sydney's defence strangled Adelaide, despite Soares' foul trouble and Kuol's injury late in the first half.

The Sixers gradually fought their way back into the contest and a Cotton three to open the scoring in the final period tied the scores.

His next bucket put the home side in front for the first time since the opening quarter - the first of nine lead changes in the last quarter.

Cameron hit three huge triples in the dying stages of a see-sawing contest.

It hung in the balance until Cotton and Vasiljevic hit daggers - either side of a long-range Davis miss - sealed the result in the last minute.

The 36ers now head straight across to Brisbane to take on the struggling Bullets on Sunday afternoon with the Kings then in action back at home on Monday against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

ADELAIDE 36ERS 85 (Cameron 25, Cotton 16, Humphries 15)

SYDNEY KINGS 79 (Davis 26, Dellavedova 15, Cooks 11)

BOX SCORE