IN the first double overtime game since the 2015-16 season, the Sydney Kings outlasted league leaders Melbourne United in a 100-98 Indigenous Round epic that will be talked about for a long time.
After import forward Jarell Martin fouled out with more than six minutes remaining in the fourth period, an undermanned Kings outfit showed enormous character to hang in there and respond to everything Melbourne threw at them, sending the crowd of 6,238 into raptures and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Voted the inaugural winner of the Claude Williams Most Valuable Player award for the Indigenous Round, Craig Moller played the game of his life.
Five players scored in double figures led by Shaun Bruce, who contributed 21 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Casper Ware added 16 points and five assists, Tom Vodanovich had 13 points, Jarell Martin finished with 12 points and six rebounds and Xavier Cooks had 10 points including a second-quarter highlight-reel play when he took a lob pass from Ware and slammed it home with a vicious one-hand tomahawk jam.
So, for the Kings, it all comes down to the final weekend to secure a place in the NBL Finals.
On Thursday, they take on arch rivals Illawarra Hawks, with tipoff scheduled for 7.30pm.
Then on Saturday June 5, the purple and gold will take on the Brisbane Bullets in their final game of the regular season. Tipoff is scheduled for 8pm.
