Kouat brings the 'Noise' in Kings barn-burner

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basketball.com.au

Kouat brings the 'Noise' in Kings barn-burner

Highlights

Kings hold off carefree Taipans 91-87 in NBL25 Sunday showdown

Kouat Noi came up big in the clutch, scoring 11 points
Kings go to 13-10 and 4th on the ladder
Taipans Taran Armstrong (22) and Rob Edwards (25) lead Cairns

Sydney sixth man Kouat Noi made big play after big play down the stretch to lead the Kings to a tough 91-87 win (Game Centre) against the Cairns Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, January 12, 2025 in round 16 of NBL25.

Noi finished with 27 points, hit two big threes in the clutch and grabbed an offensive rebound off Jaylen Adams' missed free throw in the final seconds. He had a dunk right at the end to put the game out of reach.

Cam Oliver is back! The Kings big man added 15 points on 6-from-13 from the field but ripped down a game-high 17 boards.

Noi caught fire in the fourth, draining back-to-back three-pointers to put Sydney in front.

Xavier Cooks of the Kings celebrates as Kouat Noi of the Kings dunks during the round 16 NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena, on January 12, 2025, in Sydney. Photo: Mark Kolbe Photography/Getty Images

The match was a back-and-forth from the opening tip, with neither team able to gain a significant advantage throughout the first three quarters.

Cairns held a slim 19-17 lead after the first period, but Sydney battled back to take a one-point edge into halftime. The third quarter saw the teams trading baskets, setting the stage for a dramatic final frame.

As the fourth quarter unfolded, it appeared the Taipans might pull off a second NSW upset after beating the Illawarra Hawks but the Kings responded.

Cairns star Taran Armstrong was outstanding. Armstrong hit some clutch buckets on the way to 22 points. Rob Edwards had 25 and seven rebounds.

The statistics tell the tale of a closely contested match, with both teams shooting similar percentages from the field. Sydney held a slight edge in rebounding, pulling down 43 boards to Cairns' 38.

The Kings' bench was the x-factor, outscoring Cairns' reserves 44-22 and providing the spark needed to overcome a strong performance from the Taipans' starting unit.

Noi's 27 points came on an efficient 10-from-17 shooting, including 4-from-8 from beyond the arc.

The Taipans were without back-up point guard Jackson Makoi, who was arrested on an outstanding warrant on Saturday, January 12, 2025.

He has been charged with domestic violence-related offences.