Xavier cooks in the clutch, Kings beat Bullets

• Xavier Cooks delivered 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists to lead the Sydney Kings to a 93-81 comeback win over the Brisbane Bullets.
• The Kings overcame a nine-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter with a 15-0 run, holding Brisbane to just eight points in the final period.
• Casey Prather’s 28 points and James Batemon’s 19 weren’t enough for the Bullets, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Former NBL MVP Xavier Cooks MVP'd down the stretch to lead the Sydney Kings to a gutted out 93-81 win against the Brisbane Bullets (Game Centre) in the final game of Round 12 on Sunday, December 15, 2024 at Qudos Bank Arena.

Cooks took over in the last six minutes, helping the Kings overcome a nine-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter in front of 11,576 fans.

Cooks finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, anchoring the Kings’ decisive 15-0 fourth-quarter run that turned the game. He had clutch and-1 to break the game open. But again, Cooks struggled at the free-throw line (6-of-13). Kings coach Brian Goorjian took him out in the last minute to avoid any chance of him being put on the line. He was back the next possession.

Cooks, who played for the Washington Wizards in 2023-24, was instrumental in key moments, particularly in the second half when the Kings ramped up their defensive intensity and offensive execution.

The game was a homecoming for the Kings, playing at Qudos Bank Arena for the first time since November 8.

After trailing for much of the game and allowing the Bullets to shoot 11-from-18 from three-point range in the first half, Sydney locked in defensively, holding Brisbane to just eight points in the final 10 minutes while outscoring them 27-6 in the fourth quarter.

Cooks had strong support from Jaylen Adams, who contributed a game-high 32 points along with four assists and four steals, and Kouat Noi, who added 13 points and six rebounds. NBL Next Stars Alex Toohey also chipped in with 10 points and five boards for the Kings, who improved to 10-7 with the victory.

Brisbane, who entered the game on a three-game winning streak, started hot, with Casey Prather and James Batemon combining for nine three-pointers in the first half. Prather finished with 28 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while Batemon added 19 points, including 5/11 from deep.

Tyrell Harrison contributed 14 points and four boards, but the Bullets couldn’t withstand Sydney’s fourth-quarter surge.

The game began with Brisbane racing to a 13-6 lead on triples from Batemon, Prather, and Mitch Norton.

Cooks helped the Kings recover, scoring key buckets in a 14-5 run to close the first quarter tied at 25-25. Cooks then opened the second half with a three-pointer to tie the game and kept Sydney competitive even as Brisbane maintained a seven-point edge heading into the fourth quarter.

After Harrison extended Brisbane’s lead to nine early in the final term, Cooks sparked Sydney’s turnaround with his defensive presence and clutch play. The Kings’ 15-0 run included a crucial three-pointer from Keli Leaulepe and a strong finish from Shaun Bruce, flipping the game entirely in Sydney’s favour.

The Kings will now travel to New Zealand to face the Breakers (Game Centre) on Friday, December 20, 2024, while the Bullets return home to host the Cairns Taipans (Game Centre) in the Sunshine Stoush later that evening.