IN one of the most bizarre games in National Basketball League (NBL) history, the Sydney Kings snagged a three-point win over the Cairns Taipans in the first match of Round 10.

Remarkably, the game was played without a shot clock in the second half, after power outages caused problems at the main break. Although the league allowed for contingency plans to be brought in, both coaches agreed to play out the final two quarters without a shot clock. The power issues also resulted in a lack of air conditioning, and in the humid environment at the Cairns Convention Centre, there was plenty of slipping players.

Regardless of the obstacles, the game proved to be a cracking affair, with the Kings jumping out to a dominant lead of 33-15 at the first break. The Taipans missed 14 three-pointers in a row to start the game, and trailed by as much as 22 points in the second term. However, a 9-0 run on the eve of quarter time saw Cairns breathe some life into the match.

Although the main change was extended due to the shot clock issues, the Kings came out of half-time firing, jumping back out to a 20-point lead, which was whittled down to 13 at three-quarter time. Despite being on the back foot for most of the game, the Taipans produced a remarkable run to tie things up late in the fourth. However, Jaylen Adams nailed eight free throws in the last three minutes to give the Kings the edge, and although Taipan Jonah Antonio nailed a last-gasp three-pointer from well outside the arc, it was ruled to be after the buzzer and disallowed.

Adams was the man of the hour for the Kings, playing a match-winning role and delivering a clutch performance when his team needed a calm presence.

Cairns Taipans (83) def. by Sydney Kings (86)

Jaylen Adams – 24 points, four rebounds, seven assists

Adams was as professional as they come in a game that was riddled with chaos throughout, keeping a cool head and guiding his side to victory.

He finished the game with a match-high 24 points, proving too much for Cairns’ defence to muster as he got to his spots more often than not. Although it was an inaccurate performance from the field (5/13 FG), he remained a threat with his ability to draw contact and pass out of his drives.

The former NBL MVP was also a perfect 12/12 from the free throw line, and did not let the occasion get to him in the dying minutes of the game. A perfect 8/8 in the last 180 seconds of game time ensured Sydney got over the line in the end.

He was also savvy enough to take advantage of the shot clock error, and dribble out long possessions late in the game to give the Kings as much time as possible.

It was a classy performance from one of the league’s best players, with Adams showing his importance to this team with a game-winning outing.