The Kings led for all but the first 13 seconds of the second half, yet could never establish a break larger than eight points and had to survive a furious Phoenix rally in the final three minutes.
Amazingly, Sydney didn’t score a field goal for the last two minutes. It was their defence that saved them plus some huge plays when they needed them the most.
Jarell Martin (24 points, eight rebounds, two steals), made one of two at the foul line to give the Kings a two-point lead with less than a second remaining – the second free throw made accidentally when he meant to miss; the idea to give the home team no time to throw up a prayer.
The Kings were able to get the ball inbounds to lock away the team’s eighth consecutive victory.
“Our team is growing in those moments and we’re a confident group,” Head Coach Chase Buford said.
Looking to extend their winning run to nine, the Kings head to Perth the Saturday, March 26, to take on the Wildcats and their fearsome Red Army at RAC Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 8pm.
Undermanned yet Kings score eighth straight win
COMING into the game without star forward Xavier Cooks and veteran backup guard Shaun Bruce, the undermanned Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings outlasted the South East Melbourne Phoenix in a 91-89 thriller on Saturday night at John Cain Arena.