The Sydney Kings continued their recent dominance of the Illawarra Hawks with a comfortable 103-83 win at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
The reigning back-to-back NBL champions led from start to finish, winning all four quarters.
The visitors were especially lethal in the third term, outscoring the Hawks 32-18 to head into the final term with a commanding 84-60 lead.
Illawarra have now lost their last eight games against Sydney, with their last win against the Kings coming on April 24, 2022.
The ninth-placed Hawks were down early in the first quarter but did well to only be down 20-17 at the end of the first term.
But having dropped their last two outings, Sydney seemed more desperate on the night, winning the second term 32-25 to go to the halftime break 52-42 to the good.
Gary Clark predominantly kept the Hawks in the contest in the first half, top-scoring for the home side with 11 points.
The big American also pulled down five boards and dished out one assist in a dominating opening 20 minutes.
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was the only other Illawarra player with double figures, finishing the half with 10 points and two rebounds.
Sam Froling was the next best, contributing 9 points, three rebounds and one steal.
Hawks guards Justin Robinson and Tyler Harvey though struggled to impose themselves on the game in the opening half, combining for just six points, from three of 17 shooting.
Harvey actually missed his first five shots and didn't score his only two points of the half with only 3.06 minutes of the first stanza remaining.
Robinson only made two of his nine shots in the first half.
The third quarter wasn't much better for the home side who found themselves down 70-51 with five minutes left in the term.
Again it was Clark who was the go to man for the Hawks, adding another nine points in the term.
Fittingly Biwali Bayles also added some impetus, dropping seven points in the third term of the Indigenous Round fixture.
Clark deservedly took home the Tyson Demos Medal presented to the Hawks best player on the night.
Clark finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Froling also stepped up, adding 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Swaka Lo Buluk (10 points) and Robinson (10) also hit double figures in scoring, but the latter made only four of his 12 shots.
Harvey also struggled, with only four points for the game.
Sydney had a number of good contributors, none more so than young gun Makuach Maluach (16 points), who made six of his seven shots, including four from four three-pointers.
Jaylen Adams (16 points, seven assists and two steals)) and the returning DJ Hogg (13 points were also good for a Kings side who now enjoy a 5/3 win-loss record.
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content.
Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
