IN A late twist in the race for the 2025/26 National Basketball League (NBL) championship, the Sydney Kings moved to top spot on the ladder after defeating the Illawarra Hawks by 26 points in a dominant display on Friday night.

The Hawks welcomed the Kings to WIN Entertainment Centre looking to keep their own season alive, in danger of dropping out of finals contention. On the flip side, Sydney had the chance to move into first position having been the form team of the competition over the past couple of months, so the stakes were high for both sides.

Although Illawarra had plenty to play for, it was the Kings who won their ninth win in a row in emphatic fashion, leading from start to finish to claim a massive win on the road from their New South Wales rivals on Friday.

Illawarra Hawks (94) def. by Sydney Kings (120)

The Kings were always in control against the Hawks, taking control of proceedings early in the piece and setting the tone with a massive two-handed slam from star big man Xavier Cooks, which gave Sydney plenty of energy. The visitors put up a whopping 34 points in the opening frame to lead by 15 points at quarter time in the perfect start from the contending team.

It was a better performance from Illawarra in the second term, putting the clamps on defensively after quarter time and ensuring the Kings did not have the same freedom. However, MVP candidate Kendric Davis was unstoppable in the first half and ensured Sydney was still well and truly in control at the main change.

The superstar point guard dropped 19 points, six assists and three steals in the first 20 minutes of play to be far and away the biggest factor in the match, leading the Kings to a 12-point buffer at the main change despite some improved play from Illawarra.

The Hawks were fighting to keep their season alive and were able to draw within four points on two separate occasions, but the Kings were able to regain control with three-point ascendancy to steady proceedings. At the final change, the margin remained at 15 points and it looked as if Illawarra’s comeback efforts were in vain.

The game was blown out in the final term, with the Kings putting an exclamation point on the contest with a 36-point fourth quarter performance to slam the door shut on the match and cruise home to a comfortable win.

Despite being held back in the fourth quarter with the match in the bag, Davis was still the best player on the floor with 24 points and nine assists for the match, adding to an impressive resume for his MVP chances. Sydney’s depth was on full display, with seven players hitting double-digits in the scoring column.

Bench scorer Tyler Robertson showed his perimeter presence with 17 points and three triples, while Kouat Noi (14 points), Tim Soares (16 points, seven rebounds), Makuach Maluach (11 points), Cooks (11 points, six boards) and Jaylin Galloway (10 points) all hit the scoreboard.

For the Hawks, captain Tyler Harvey led the way with 16 points and five assists, while forward Sam Froling also fought hard against the tide, stuffing the stat sheet with 14 points, six boards and five assists in a well-balanced showing.