The Illawarra Hawks long wait for a second NBL championship will continue for another year after the side fell to the Kings on Sunday afternoon.
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The loss consigned Brian Goorjian's side to a 2-0 semi-final defeat, having dropped game one at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
The Hawks fought bravely throughout the contest, however they were unable to run with their fresher opponents throughout the final quarter.
It was a two-point game with two minutes to play, Sydney hitting a number of crucial free throws to secure a 99-87 victory.
The result matches Illawarra's exit last season, the side falling to Perth in the semi-finals a year ago.
NBL MVP Jaylen Adams led the way for the Kings, with 29 points, while Jarell Martin and Ian Clark came up with vital plays in the big moments.
The result sent the 9824 fans at Qudos Bank Arena into raptures, Sydney returning to the grand final for the first time since 2020.
As they have all season, Tyler Harvey (21 points) and Duop Reath (20 points) were the Hawks best, however Illawarra's depth again proved an issue.
It's a flaw that proved glaring when Harvey fouled out with 3:29 remaining, having played more than 30 minutes of the match.
The Hawks top six barely received a breather and their fatigue became clear as the match wore on throughout the second half.
While the Kings, with their nine-man rotation, remained full of energy at both ends of the court, Illawarra began to waver.
The defensive energy that was there throughout the first half dropped away, with shots starting to miss their mark at the offensive end.
The Hawks entered the sheds at half-time full of confidence, holding a 54-44 lead after a dominant second quarter.
The period played out in stark contrast to game one, where Illawarra were blown off the court.
This time it was the Kings who were sloppy, the side turning the ball over 10 times in the first half.
Illawarra made their opponents pay Harvey securing 16 first-half points.
Sydney, however, dominated the third quarter, turning a 10-point deficit into a two-point lead.
The Hawks battled bravely down the stretch, preventing their opponents from pulling away.
The lead was just two with two minutes to play, but Adams and co just proved too good.
The MVP was huge in the clutch, a three with 63 seconds to play a dagger to the Illawarra hopes.
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Cameron Mee
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
