Davis, Noi Lead Ruthless Kings Past 36ers

Kendric Davis silenced his old home crowd, and Kouat Noi exploded for 29 points as the Sydney Kings stormed into Adelaide and handed the 36ers a humbling 103–79 defeat on Saturday night.

It was billed as the grudge match of the season — Davis’ return to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre after an off-season move that stirred bad blood between player and club. But when the ball was tipped, the Kings’ focus was clear: shut down Bryce Cotton, move the ball, and prove a point.

Sydney executed perfectly. Their defence stifled Cotton, who came in averaging 32 points per game but finished with just seven on 3-of-10 shooting. Every touch was contested. Every screen was switched. Jaylin Galloway, Matthew Dellavedova, and Bul Kuol took turns wearing him down. By half-time, Adelaide looked out of sync and out of options.

The Kings dictated the pace from the opening minutes, blitzing to a 29–19 first-quarter lead and extending it to 54–41 by the main break. Adelaide briefly threatened a fightback in the third, but Noi’s relentlessness and Davis’ control stretched the margin to 15 by three-quarter time. From there, Sydney cruised, ballooning the lead to as much as 27 before closing with a 24-point statement win.

Noi’s performance was outstanding — attacking mismatches, drawing fouls, and finishing through contact. He shot 8-of-13 from the floor, made 9-of-10 from the line, and added six rebounds in one of the best individual showings of his NBL career.

Davis, returning to Adelaide as the villain, was composed throughout, scoring 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting with four assists. Tim Soares (14 points, 12 rebounds) anchored the paint with authority, and Xavier Cooks (12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks) provided his trademark hustle and energy — even shaking off a 1-of-14 start to his season at the free-throw line by sinking both of his attempts.

Sydney finished shooting 51 per cent from the field, with 19 assists to just eight turnovers. It was a clinical display from a team that looks back on track after a shaky start to the season.

For Adelaide, the first loss of their campaign exposed their reliance on Cotton’s scoring. Flynn Cameron led with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while DJ Vasiljevic (14 points, four rebounds, four assists) and Isaac Humphries (13 points) battled hard but couldn’t stem the Kings’ momentum.

The 36ers drop to 3–1 but will get the chance to reset quickly when they host South East Melbourne on Thursday night. The Kings (2–2), now oozing confidence, head to Hobart for a Wednesday Ignite Cup showdown with the Tasmania JackJumpers.

Final score: Sydney Kings 103 defeated Adelaide 36ers 79.