Hammer's time as Kings take NBL crown
Australia's most maligned sports team has finally lived up to its name rather than its nickname, with the Sydney Kings claiming their first NBL title.
It was the first time a team from the harbour city had won the championship since the basketball league started in 1979.
Sydney's story was all the more meritable with the club nearly folding nine months ago.
The Kings, playing in yellow rather than their traditional purple, secured the best-of-three grand final series against Perth 2-0 after winning 117-101 in game two on Sunday to finally shake its "Violet Crumbles" tag at Challenge Stadium.
It achieved what the City of Sydney Astronauts, Bankstown Bruins, Sydney Supersonics, West Sydney Westars and West Sydney Razorbacks have all failed to do.
Captain Shane Heal, one of the best players produced in Australia but who had failed to make an NBL grand final in his previous 12 seasons in the national competition, said he felt on Sunday morning the Kings' time had arrived.
"I think it is something which has eluded me for so long and in team sport you want to win - to go through with it with these guys it was something special," Heal said.
"I sat on the bed this morning with Chris Williams and Matt Nielsen who have been great support for me as leaders of the team I said 'We're going to go win a championship today'."
The blond guard was brilliant finishing with 23 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds to be just one board short of a triple double.
MVP favourite Chris Williams (24 points, six rebounds, six assists) was named best player in the finals but coach Brian Goorjian said Heal's leadership was arguably more instrumental in the wash up.
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