FOR THE second match in a row, the Sydney Kings have got the job done in overtime in the National Basketball League (NBL), this time defeating the ladder-leading Adelaide 36ers by four points in the Ignite Cup last night.

It was shaping as a blockbuster clash coming in, with the Sixers sitting comfortably atop the standings with a record of 14-3, while the Kings recorded two wins against top four sides in the previous round and had hosting rights at the AIS Arena on Wednesday night.

Although the Sixers came into the clash as favourites, the Kings forced overtime at the end of the fourth quarter and got the job done in the extra period, stamping their claims as true title contenders and remaining in the top four with a tremendous comeback win.

Sydney Kings (97) def. Adelaide 36ers (93)

The Kings were able to erase an 18-point deficit to stun the championship favourites and defend their second home court successfully, marking their third victory in a row over a fellow top four side in what could be a definitive run in their title chase.

The first half belonged to the Sixers, who silenced the crowd in Canberra and managed a double-digit lead on the back of their backcourt pairing in Bryce Cotton and Dejan Vasiljevic. The pair led Adelaide to a lead as big as 18 points, and the Sixers held a 13-point buffer at the main change, completely in control of proceedings.

The turning factor in the game was Sydney’s defensive performance in the third quarter, with the Sixers only able to produce nine points for the quarter, which opened the door for the Kings to drag themselves back into the game. The margin was trimmed to just one point at the final change as a result in a defining period in the match, with the result truly up for grabs.

With the Sixers up two and just seconds on the clock, the Kings put the ball in the hands of star guard and MVP candidate Kendric Davis, who stormed down the court and saw only Cotton in the paint for the opposition. Instead of going for the three-pointer and the win with the perimeter guarded heavily, he sprinted into the paint and scored at the cup as time expired to force overtime.

In the extra period, it was the Sydney backcourt that stepped up with winning plays, as Davis and Matthew Dellavedova shone in big moments to help the Kings outscore the ladder-leaders by four points in overtime to claim the win.

Davis was electric in his battle with his counterpart in Cotton, with the former stepping up with 27 points, six rebounds and seven assists, including the game-tying basket at the end of regulation. He overcame some tough shooting from long-range (2/10 3PT) to lead his side to victory and combined well with big man Xavier Cooks, who had 27 points and eight boards of his own.

Despite some close defensive attention, Cotton was still able to make his mark on the game, and was particularly damaging in the first half. The five-time MVP ended the contest with 25 points and nine assists, playing all 45 minutes in a tireless performance from the all-time great.