Jan 16, 2026, 06:16 AM
Open Extended Reactions
Sydney forward Kouat Noi shot the lights out early and made sure NBA legend Allen Iverson took notice as the Sydney Kings beat Brisbane 95-80 at HoopsFest in Perth.
Noi nailed 5-of-7 three-pointers on the way to 17 first-half points in Thursday night's match as the Kings posted their ninth win from their past 11 matches to improve their record to 16-9.
Iverson, the 2001 NBA MVP, was sitting courtside for the match at RAC Arena as part of his role in promoting HoopsFest.
Almost every time Noi made a long-range bomb, he looked across to Iverson to gauge the 11-time NBA All Star's reaction.
"That's a legend of the game," Noi said during his half-time interview.
Kouat Noi reacts after hitting a three-point shot against the Bullets. Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images
Noi slowed down in the second half but still finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Kendric Davis (23 points), Tyler Robertson (17 points) and Makuach Maluach (14 points) were also important in the victory.
For Brisbane, Hunter Maldonado (20 points) and Alex Ducas (14 points), led the way, with the Bullets' sixth straight loss leaving them last on the table with a 6-20 record.
Brisbane started the match with three consecutive triples to open up an early 9-0 lead, but the Kings quickly settled and took control of the contest.
Robertson and Noi nailed two triples apiece as the Kings entered the quarter-time break with a 29-23 lead.
Koi's hot hand continued in the second term with another three triples as the lead extended out to 13 points, before settling at 52-41 by half-time.
Brisbane closed to within two points in the third quarter as a boilover loomed, but the Kings hit back with a vengeance to take a match-winning 75-58 lead into three-quarter time.
Tempers threatened to boil over when Taylor shoved Tim Soares to the floor in an off-the-ball incident late in the match, resulting in an unsportsmanlike foul.
Both teams entered the match missing a host of their best players.
The Kings were without Xavier Cooks (ankle) and Matthew Dellavedova (head knock), and announced earlier in the week they have signed former NBA forward Torrey Craig for the rest of the season as a replacement for Bul Kuol (ACL),
The Bullets were deprived of star centre Tyrell Harrison (concussion) and import Javon Freeman-Liberty (hamstring), with the pair's absence on top of the season-ending injuries to Casey Prather (knee) and Lamar Patterson (hamstring).