{"id":436613,"date":"2026-01-25T13:48:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T13:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/436613\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T13:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T13:48:10","slug":"craig-and-kings-send-message-over-36ers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/436613\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig and Kings send message over 36ers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Torrey Craig put up 26 points and led the defensive charge on Bryce Cotton as the Sydney Kings signalled their intent for NBL26 with a standout performance in front a monster Qudos Bank Arena crowd to beat the Adelaide 36ers 106-101.<\/p>\n

It was Pink Hoops Day at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday for the McGrath Foundation and 16,846 packed in and most of them left decidedly happy with the Kings putting together a third strong showing in four attempts against the league-leading 36ers in NBL26.<\/p>\n

The result keeps the battle for second spot fascinating too with Adelaide still on top at 20-7 but having lost three of the last four to be just ahead of the South East Melbourne Phoenix (19-8) and Kings (18-9).<\/p>\n

In just his second game since joining as a replacement for Bul Kuol, Craig was brilliant for the Kings not only putting the clamps on five-time MVP Cotton for a lot of the night, but knocking down 6\/8 from deep for 26 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.<\/p>\n

Former 36er Kendric Davis was also outstanding for the Kings running the point racking up 20 points and 14 assists – the most by a Kings player since Boomers legend Shane Heal in 2001.<\/p>\n

There were plenty more contributors for Sydney too with Jaylin Galloway producing 16 points and eight rebounds, Tim Soares 12 points on 4\/5 shooting, Kouat Noi 11 points and Makuach Maluach 10 points and three assists.<\/p>\n

Xavier Cooks also returned from an ankle injury with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 23 minutes with Matthew Dellavedova still to return from a concussion.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Newly arrived import shooter John Jenkins was a shining light for the 36ers with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists on 5\/11 three-point shooting.<\/p>\n

Isaac Humphries also had 17 points and 10 rebounds, DJ Vasiljevic 17 points with 5\/8 three-point shooting on his former home floor, and Flynn Cameron 14 points and eight assists.<\/p>\n

Cotton did end up with 17 points and nine assists but also had five turnovers and 12 of his points came in the final 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

The five-time MVP was scoreless in the first half, blanketed by the tag-team pairing of Craig and Maluach, who stepped up in the injury-enforced absence of primary stoppers Dellavedova and Kuol.<\/p>\n

Adelaide shook off an early stalemate to move ahead 20-13 before Sydney responded with the last nine points of the opening term to hold sway 22-20 at quarter-time.<\/p>\n

Little continued to separate the teams, but after Vasiljevic drilled a three to put the Sixers in front 43-42, the Kings went 19-4 either side of the half-time break to steam ahead 62-46.<\/p>\n

Sydney dominated the second stanza 37-26. Davis had the ball on a string and Craig hit his first six three-point attempts.<\/p>\n

Davis finished the third term by feeding Jaylin Galloway for an athletic tomahawk dunk, then weaved his way through traffic for a layup on the three quarter-time bell for an 84-70 lead.<\/p>\n

Cotton finally registered his first field goal of the afternoon 16 seconds into the fourth period and finished with 14 for the term.<\/p>\n

But like his side, he left his final flourish too late.<\/p>\n

The 36ers now head to the Gold Coast for an Ignite Cup match up with the Brisbane Bullets with a chance to lock in a place in the final of the in-season tournament while the Kings remain at home to host the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday. <\/p>\n

HUNGRY JACK’S NBL SEASON 2025\/26 \u2013 PRIDE ROUND<\/p>\n

SYDNEY KINGS 106 (Craig 26, Davis 20, Galloway 16)<\/p>\n

ADELAIDE 36ERS 101 (Jenkins 20, Humphries 17, Cotton 17, Vasiljevic 17)<\/p>\n

BOX SCORE<\/a> <\/p>\n

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