The Sydney Kings defeat the New Zealand Breakers to win the NBL23 Championship

And just like when Juan Antonio Samaranch announced the host city of the 2000 Olympic Games, so it was on Wednesday night at the Qudos Bank Arena when the Sydney Kings stormed home 77-69 in the crucial fifth game against the New Zealand Breakers Championship Series 2023 of the NBA.

it was a game some entertainment And some win against a Breakers team that was fearless, skillful, and full of hardened basketball players who left nothing but sweat and skin on the court.

For the most part it was fabulous entertainment. The DJ’s bass hits bounced around. The decibel level was off the charts.

And the all-time NBL sell-out record crowd of 18,124 drove at every game.

What a game.

It started like this: League MVP Xavier Cooks won the tip, but the Breakers won the ball and then whistled their first ping on goal. Derrick Walton Jnr responded with the first three of the game and the roar was as if the crowd favorite had won the golden slipper.

The Breakers answered. They did it all night.

Will McDowell-White landed a three and Dererk Pardon slammed with a dunk. When he ally-ooped a second, it was breakers by six.

Angus Glover was busy. Jordan Hunter missed a jump shot after the ball went a full lap around the rim. The Breakers burned a coach’s challenge.

At quarter time, the Breakers led 22-11.

The second period was a dogfight, punctuated by frenetic, arm-swinging defense and Glover’s booming three-pointer, which was the loudest roar of the night so far.

There would be louder ones.

When Walton Jnr stumbled on a layup attempt, Kings owners Andrew Bogut and Paul Smith nearly stormed the court.

The shooting of the kings was over. Shots flown in during the regular season when they recorded so many double-digit wins ricocheted.

Then Cooks, the best player in a league with hints at the second best in the world after the NBA, did what he’d been doing all season: own it.

He typed for two. He drove for another couple. At halftime it was breakers at three. Cooks started the third quarter the same way. A powerful drive and dunk lifted the roof.

Kouat Noi made a strong lay-up and faced the spectators all the way down the court, nodding to people and smiling his head off.

But the Breakers would not go away. And after three sweaty, loud, passionate periods, it was 56-all.

And into the choppy, cruel sea of ​​the last 10 minutes we went.

Noi made a three for Sydney. Jarrell Brantley for New Zealand. It was raining in threes, if not men.

Cooks came back. Sydney went to him. The Breakers fouled him. It was Breakers at seven.

Glover, whose knee wasn’t good, made a massive turning point play: a shot for three hit the side of the board, rebounding back into his arms before charging in for a dunk.

Then he hit a three. And the roof almost fell off. breaker at two. time out

Walton Jnr connected it at 3:46 to play. Ears bled when Cooks took a two-point lead and Walton Jnr hung up and the Kings got out seven points clear. They had scored the last 13 points.

The clock was ticking. The fans raved. Walton Jnr put the ball on the ground and nodded to the fans. Sports journalists breathed a sigh of relief.

What a game. The winner was Sydney. Also basketball.