Davis sleighs Hawks, Froling 'Christmas ruined'

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Kings Kendric Davis and Xavier Cooks feasted on the defending champion Illawarra Hawks 108-84 on Christmas night in round 14 of NBL26 on Thursday, December 25, 2025 in Sydney.

It was a ball game stacked with storylines, none bigger than the turn of Hawks centre Sam Froling, who blew out his Achilles in the NBL25 Grand Final Series. Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee became the first player to start a game on Christmas Day in both the NBA and NBL while Matthew Dellavedova has played in both leagues on Christmas Day.

But it was Davis' gift to unwrap, finishing with 27 points and 9 assists in just 29 minutes. He repeatedly broke down Illawarra’s perimeter defence, getting downhill at will and creating high-quality looks for teammates. Xavier Cooks was brutally efficient, pouring in 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while also adding 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and a block.

The Kings set the tone immediately, racing to a 34–19 first-quarter lead and never allowing the Hawks to establish rhythm. By halftime, Sydney had stretched the margin to 62–41, controlling tempo, winning the paint battle, and forcing Illawarra to chase defensively for the remainder of the night.

Sydney’s ball movement was decisive. The Kings recorded 30 assists on 39 made field goals, a reflection of their pace, spacing, and ability to score before Illawarra’s defence could set. Kouat Noi provided a major spark off the bench with 18 points, knocking down 6 three-pointers, while Jaylin Galloway added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Sydney head coach Brian Goorjian revealed the Kings game day preparation was player led as they moved to 12-7 while it's almost impossible to see the Hawks making a legitimate run at defending their title.

"Prior last year, I had the young ones come in and work out, and then the ones that were married with kids come in on the day," Goorjian said.

"The leadership team met and just said 5:30, everybody here. Let them enjoy their Christmas, have the morning, take your nap, and then go from there.

"Talked about food — don’t consume a lot — and this came not from me, but from the captains in the leadership group to the group.

"Then we came in here, addressed some issues upstairs, some walkthrough, then met, did film, and then went into our normal routine.

"So let them be with their families, let them do their thing in the morning, and then had an early start here."

Goorjian said he was a fan of Christmas Day games.

"I do. I don’t know why, but I look forward to it," he said.

"My family’s in Melbourne, so I’m sitting in the apartment by myself. I’m a little different than everybody else. There’s nothing I like more than playing basketball.

"I think thinking out of the box is important. I was involved in the first open-air game — I was excited about that. The Next Stars program, all the things that have been introduced — I like it. And I like playing on Christmas."

For Illawarra, JaVale McGee led the way with 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Sam Froling posted a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds). Captain Wani Swaka Lo Buluk provided perimeter resistance with 15 points, but the Hawks struggled to generate consistent offence, particularly with Tyler Harvey unavailable.

"You know, tip my hat off to Sydney," Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said.

"They came out aggressive. They came out a hot team, as they’ve been playing the last couple weeks. They were really flowing, shooting well from the three-point line.

"For us it was just a lack of movement on the offensive end. We got stagnant here and there. It didn’t help in the first quarter how opposite of the foul situation was, and that didn’t help — no flow with us. We had to manage a lot of guys’ fouls."

Froling was excited to be back but felt the Hawks grinched Christmas for themselves and their fans.

"Good. I mean, we’ve done six weeks of practice now in full training and body felt good," he said.

"We passed all the tests and I mean, I trusted it. And I know how we’ve played for a long time — it’s quite easy. I know I’ve done it for seven years now. It’s quite easy for me to get that basketball side back after those six weeks of prep as well.

"But yeah, I mean, sucks that we lost and kind of ruined Christmas."

Sydney led for 38 minutes and 20 seconds, pushed the margin out to a game-high 29 points, and cruised through the final quarter with rotation depth and control.

Key Details

• Result: Sydney Kings 108 def. Illawarra Hawks 84
• When: Wednesday, 25th December 2025
• Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
• Attendance: 7,732
• Standings: View NBL Standings

By the Numbers

• Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings) starred with 27 points, four rebounds, and nine assists in 29 minutes.
• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks) scored 20 points and had six rebounds in 25 minutes.

What Happened

The Kings established early dominance with an explosive first quarter, outscoring the Hawks 34-19 to set the tone for their comprehensive Christmas Day victory. Sydney maintained their intensity in the second period, extending their advantage to 62-41 at halftime with another 28-point quarter. The Hawks showed brief resistance in the third, matching Sydney's 21 points with 17 of their own, but the damage was already done. The final quarter saw both teams trade baskets relatively evenly, with Sydney's 25 points to Hawks' 26 ensuring the comfortable margin remained intact.

Davis orchestrated the Kings' offensive masterclass from the opening tip, combining exceptional court vision with clinical shooting. The point guard went 8-from-16 from the field, including 3-from-6 from downtown, while converting eight of nine attempts from the charity stripe. His nine assists demonstrated his ability to elevate teammates, with Xavier Cooks the primary beneficiary of Davis's playmaking ability.

Cooks provided the perfect complement to Davis's performance, delivering an outstanding shooting display with 9-from-11 from the field for 21 points. The forward's 81.82% shooting efficiency, combined with six rebounds and five assists, showcased his versatility and impact across multiple facets. Kouat Noi added crucial firepower from deep, connecting on all six of his three-point attempts for 18 points off the bench.

Sydney's superior ball movement and shooting efficiency proved decisive throughout the contest. The Kings' 53.42% field goal shooting significantly outpaced the Hawks' 40.28%, while their 30 assists compared to Illawarra's 15 highlighted the difference in offensive execution. From beyond the arc, Sydney's 45.16% three-point shooting on 31 attempts overwhelmed the Hawks' 32.14% on 28 attempts. The Kings also demonstrated superior ball security, committing just six turnovers compared to the Hawks' 12.

For Illawarra, McGee battled valiantly in the paint with 20 points on 7-from-14 shooting, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk provided a bright spot with efficient shooting, going 5-from-8 from the field and an impressive 5-from-7 from three for 15 points. However, the Hawks struggled to generate consistent offensive flow, with their leading scorer Quentin Peterson managing just 11 points on poor 3-from-12 shooting, including a dismal 1-from-7 from downtown.