Sport
7 April, 2026
Matthew Dellavedova helps the Sydney Kings win their sixth NBL championship
Maryborough’s own Matthew Dellavedova can finally add an NBL championship to his outstanding resume after his Sydney Kings reclaimed their NBL throne with a title-deciding overtime victory against the Adelaide 36ers.
Easter Sunday’s do-or-die game five delivered a storybook ending to a historic championship series, requiring an extra period after both teams were deadlocked at 95-95 at regulation.
With the championship at stake, the Kings dominated overtime, outscoring the 36ers 18-6 to spark jubilant celebrations at the Qudos Bank Arena, which accidentally caused the champions’ trophy to break.
It’s an ironic metaphor for Dellavedova, rectifying game five heartbreak with Melbourne United over the past two seasons with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists to win an elusive NBL title.
A series filled with twists and turns began in surprisingly uncompetitive fashion, as the Kings blew out the 36ers with the largest margin of victory in championship series history, winning game one 112-68 on their home court.
Often having the responsibility of containing six-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton, the Maryborough product played his patented lockdown defence, holding the Adelaide superstar to 10 points and four turnovers for his seven assists.
With the series moving to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre for game two, the 36ers looked to come out swinging, but the Kings looked poised to take a commanding 2-0 advantage as they led by 14 in the third quarter.
After Dellavedova continued to hound him throughout the first half, Cotton caught fire for the 36ers, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a coast-to-coast layup that gave his team a 91-89 victory with 0.2 seconds left.
Despite Dellavedova’s nine points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals in game two, the series was back level.
However, after ending an inefficient game two by missing the go-ahead layup before Cotton’s winner, NBL MVP runner-up Kendric Davis produced a stunning performance in the pivotal game three.
With 34 points and 15 assists on zero turnovers, Davis placed the Kings on the precipice of NBL glory as they took game three 106-93.
While shooting struggles limited some of his offensive production, Dellavedova kept the Kings’ offence clicking with eight assists while face guarding Cotton for the majority of the contest.
Things were looking good for the Kings at halftime of game four, holding a seven-point lead at the main break thanks to a captivating 13-1 at the end of the second quarter.
The Kings’ offence noticeably cooled in the second half, allowing the 36ers to draw level 88-88 with three minutes left to play.
The two teams remained deadlocked with just over a minute to go before Dellavedova’s first foul of the game allowed Cotton to give the 36ers a two-point lead with a pair of free throws.
After being fouled with less than three seconds remaining, Torrey Craig had the opportunity to send the game into overtime with two shots at the line.
Despite swishing the first, Craig’s second attempt fell short, forcing a mad scramble at the rim which the 36ers contained to hold on to a 92-91 victory.
An NBL record crowd was in attendance for Sunday’s decider at Qudos Bank Arena as the Kings looked to clinch their sixth NBL title while the 36ers looked to break a 24-year premiership drought.
On the biggest stage, Dellavedova rose to the occasion, shaking off some series shooting woes by hitting back-to-back triples to give the Kings the lead deep into the third quarter.
However, the 36ers looked to be in control from that point, with a Cotton four-point play putting Adelaide up six with two and a half minutes to play.
When Dellavedova fouled Cotton while the league MVP shot a three with 41 seconds to go, it looked as though the 36ers had done enough, maintaining a four-point advantage while Dellavedova was forced to the sidelines after fouling out.
A Davis two and Tim Soares’ putback in the dying stages of the fourth drew the Kings level in the nick of time, allowing Davis to finish his series MVP performance with 35 points and 14 assists, including seven points in overtime.