'King's Council': How Goorjian 'Gazed' on greatness

• Kendric Davis and Xavier Cooks both had 27 points as Sydney beat Adelaide 97-93 at AIS Arena
• Bryce Cotton had 25 points, 18 of them in the first half
• The Kings have now beaten both Adelaide and Melbourne United twice this season

Perspective is everything, the "King" of Australian NBL head coaches Brian Goorjian revealed after Sydney fought back from 18 down to beat league leaders Adelaide 36ers 97-93 in overtime at AIS Arena in the first game of round 13 of NBL26 on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

The 72-year-old six-time NBL champion and six-time NBL Coach of the Year said he met with Australian coaching icon Lindsay Gaze during the FIBA Break, ahead of his 850th game as a head coach against the 36ers.

"Really, really a lot of thought," Goorjian revealed.

"When we went into the break, I had this itch – I wanted to see Lindsay and fly back to Melbourne and see him.

"When I sat down with him and he talked about (Lanard) Copeland, his son (Andrew), (Mark) Bradtke, (Warrick) Giddey – he lights up like a Christmas tree. I walked out of there and thought, my energy’s in the wrong place.

"Right now, as a coach, you walk around the door and the guy that lost is in a room by himself going like this, because if you lose you’re going to get fired.

"It’s not about that. It’s about the relationships and the development and the players you’ve coached.

"I started thinking about these guys, what good guys they are, and the enjoyment of spending time with them instead of getting buried in the negative and on the computer.

"More coffees. More talks. More one-on-one. More high road. What am I doing if I’m not enjoying this, if I’m not building those relationships?

"I’ve got guys now I coached who are 60. You go to the Summer League and you see general managers, head coaches – Jamahl Mosley (2002 NBL Sixth Man) – guys who’ve gone on and done great things, and you were part of that.

"If you’re not smelling the roses in that form, you don’t belong in it. That meeting with Lindsay gave me a real lift and got my head back where it should be."

Kings star point guard Kendric Davis and Xavier Cooks' both had 27 in the thrilling four-point win.

Davis made a game-tying layup at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime against his former club.

Goorjian also revealed how much he enjoyed coaching Davis.

"I like what everybody’s saying, but the whole narrative when he came here was, 'Be careful'," he said.

"This guy is an incredible basketball player, but he’s an incredible person. He wants to win. He wants the team to be successful.

"He’s so wound up and excited for games. I’m enjoying being around him. The relationship stuff we talk about – the development, the leadership, the huddles, the communication, the respect he’s building with these guys. He’s only 25 years old.

"It was funny – I had a timeout registered when they were shooting the two shots. He’s coming up saying, 'You don’t want a timeout'. I said, “I’ve already organised one.”

"They missed the second shot. He got the rebound, went the length of the court, laid it in. As he’s walking to the bench, he gives me a wink.

"He didn’t want the defense to get set and try to get the ball to him, as opposed to staying in flow."

Sydney solidified fourth at 10-7 with tough road wins against Perth and Melbourne and "home" road win against the 36ers. It's hard to argue that aren't legit. Adelaide stayed on top but dropped to 14-4.

"Well obviously it hurts a lot, right," 36ers head coach Mike Wells said.

"No. 1, I gotta congratulate Goorj on 850 games and, you know, what a career and everything he’s done.

"So that’s a – it’s a hell of an accomplishment. It’s a long time and he does a hell of a job.

"So, you know, for us, I think every day is a learning day. I think that there’s a ton of really, really positives. It’s probably the one team that came to Adelaide and beat us, you know, in Adelaide, and we’re trying to learn how to change and win in real time.

"And we had a point where we were up, right, by 18 I think, and there was a lot of real positives in that first half. We had way more minutes today just playing a little bit smaller lineup and being kind of in a small-ball lineup than we have been all year because of Nick being out.

"You never want to take an L – but I think that the learning process with our group, we functioned pretty well at times. And then I think that their pressure ramped up.

"You give them credit, they’re a big physical team. And then, you know, the shots weren’t just as clean, the set wasn’t as clean, the shot clock was on us a little bit more, and they kind of wore us down to the point where, you know, we just had to rush a little bit more.

"But I saw a bunch of positives in there. There’s a bunch of things that, you know, as a coach, you can correct and teach and you wanna move the group forward, and you know that’s what we’ll do.

"Unfortunately we’re not celebrating tonight, but we’ve had a hell of a first part of the year. I couldn’t be more proud of our group. You guys hear me talk about how coachable and teachable – we got – we were off a little bit in the second half, and we’ll work to correct it."

Key Details

• Result: Sydney Kings 97 def. Adelaide 36ers 93 (OT)
• When: Tuesday, December 17, 2025
• Where: AIS Arena, Canberra
• Attendance: 4154
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings) starred with 27 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 39 minutes.
• Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers) scored 25 points, and had six rebounds, nine assists and four steals in 45 minutes.

What Happened

The Kings established early momentum, taking a 23-29 lead after the first quarter behind strong offensive output. Adelaide responded in the second period, outscoring Sydney 27-20 to level proceedings at 43-49 at halftime.

The third quarter proved pivotal for Sydney's championship aspirations. The Kings dominated proceedings with a stellar 23-nine scoring advantage, extending their lead to 66-58 entering the final period. Adelaide's lacklustre nine-point third quarter performance left them facing an uphill battle.

Adelaide mounted a determined fourth-quarter comeback, outscoring the Kings 20-19 to force overtime at 85-85. The 36ers' resilience in regulation time set up a thrilling extra period that showcased both teams' competitive spirit.

In overtime, Sydney's experience proved decisive. The Kings outscored Adelaide 12-eight in the additional five minutes, with Davis and Xavier Cooks providing clutch baskets when it mattered most. Davis's efficient 10-from-25 shooting, including two triples, anchored Sydney's offensive attack throughout the contest.

Cooks delivered an outstanding performance alongside Davis, recording 27 points on exceptional 12-from-19 shooting from the field. His four blocks provided crucial defensive stops, while his 63% field goal percentage demonstrated remarkable efficiency. The Kings' dual scoring threats proved too much for Adelaide's defensive schemes.

Cotton's valiant effort nearly carried Adelaide to victory. The dynamic guard's 25 points, nine assists and four steals showcased his complete skill set, but his 42% field goal shooting wasn't quite enough to overcome Sydney's balanced attack. Flynn Cameron added 15 points on efficient 60% shooting, connecting on three triples.

The Kings' superior field goal percentage proved decisive. Sydney shot 47% from the field compared to Adelaide's 41%, while both teams struggled from downtown. The 36ers connected on 36% of their three-point attempts (10-from-28) compared to Sydney's disappointing 28% (seven-from-25) from deep.

Adelaide dominated the boards with 53 rebounds to Sydney's 44, led by Zylan Cheatham's 13-rebound effort. However, the Kings' ability to control the extra period ultimately secured the hard-fought victory in front of 4154 fans.