The Sydney Kings have advanced to their ninth NBL grand final after completing a 2-0 semi-final series sweep of the Perth Wildcats with an 89-75 victory.
The regular-season champions and title favourites applied the defensive screws with a 29-16 fourth quarter and 46-29 second half in Game 2 of the playoff series at Perth's RAC Arena on Saturday night.
Superstar Kendric Davis scored 27 points for the Kings, while Makuach Maluach chimed in with a career-best 23 off the bench.
"I'm just really proud of our boys," Sydney co-captain Xavier Cooks said.
"It wasn't the prettiest game and it got tough.
"But when it got tough, the boys really came together."
Ben Henshall posted 20 points for the Wildcats, including five three-pointers, but he was hampered by cramps in the second half, which hurt the hosts, who were already without import Dylan Windler, who injured his left foot in the dying seconds of Game 1 in Sydney.
Kristian Doolittle scored 15 points but misfired at a ragged 3-of-15 from the floor, Perth hitting just 9-of-37 after halftime.
Torrey Craig was active early as Sydney jumped ahead 15-6, before the rest of the opening period was played on the Wildcats' terms.
Elijah Pepper's three on the cusp of quarter-time gave the Wildcats their first lead, 23-22.
Perth started the second term with further triples to Pepper and captain Jesse Wagstaff to pull ahead 29-22.
Doolittle was held to just four first-half points thanks to Matthew Dellavedova's spirited defence.
Surprise-packet Maluach scored 10 points in the second stanza, while Henshall caught fire at the other end.
He had first-half 17 points to lead the Wildcats to a 46-43 buffer at the main break.
The third period was a tough, defensive grind, Sydney winning it 17-13 to edge ahead 60-59 at three-quarter time.
Henshall, whose right calf was bandaged, limped off late in the third term and sat out six vital minutes.
He was subbed back in midway through the fourth quarter and duly drained his fifth trey, but Perth were otherwise out of answers at both ends as Davis and Maluach continued to press home the Kings' growing advantage.
"We gave it a crack," Wildcats coach John Rillie said.
"They've got a lot of experience on their roster, who have played basketball at a high level.
"That probably just wore us down in the end."
