NBL concede Kings’ flop call incorrect

Steve Barrett and Melissa Woods | February 18, 2023

While the Sydney Kings are sweating on the fitness of MVP Xavier Cooks, the NBL has conceded the call which prompted coach Chase Buford to erupt was incorrect.

Captain Cooks rolled his ankle midway through the third quarter of their 93-82 loss to Cairns in game two of the semi-finals and was a picture of misery on the bench with his ankle wrapped in ice.

The Kings are yet to announce if Cooks will be available for Sunday’s game three decider at Qudos Bank Arena, putting Sydney’s bid for back-to-back titles in peril.

He will be assessed on the morning of the game.

In a wild finish to the match in Cairns, Buford was ejected after receiving successive technical fouls with two minutes remaining.

His bone of contention was a flopping technical foul called by referee Nico Fernandes on Kings forward Kouat Noi, who went to ground with a bloody nose after a clash of heads with Hogg.

Buford stormed onto the court and screamed at Fernandes: “How the f*** is that a flop warning? He’s bleeding. Admit it, you f****d up!”

The fiery American coach then went to head referee Vaughn Mayberry and pleaded: “How is that a flop? Can you talk to him (Fernandes)? He (Noi) has got a broken nose now and it’s a flop warning.”

Buford was eventually booted out of the game as he continued to swear and berate the officials.

The NBL issued a statement on Saturday admitting the flop call was wrong.

“After reviewing the game, the NBL acknowledges a mistake was made during last night’s Cairns Taipans v Sydney Kings Playoff game,” the NBL said in a statement.

“With 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, Sydney’s Kouat Noi was issued a flop warning which resulted in a technical foul.

“The decision was incorrect and a flop warning should not have been called. A regular foul should have been called on Noi, which would have resulted in two free throws for the Taipans.”

Buford escaped suspension, fined a total of $1875 after submitting early guilty pleas when charged on Saturday with two counts of unsportsmanlike behaviour.

He continued his attack on the match officials in the post-game press conference.

“They guessed … they guessed wrong,” he said.

“It happens a lot in this league and I don’t know why.

“They’re guessing the whole time.”

Kings centre Tim Soares was charged with striking after a review of the match in Cairns but had his one-game suspension reduced to a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea.