‘Messing with me’: Sydney Kings coach takes aim at NBL referees

On Thursday night, the Kings survived a late surge from the Phoenix to flee Melbourne with a 92-87 win.

Buford was miffed after an unsuccessful coach’s challenge of a charge call on Wani Swaka Lo Buluk early in the fourth quarter that he believed should have been a defensive foul on Phoenix big man Brandon Ashley.

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The Phoenix then went to the line nine times in the last 1.45 of the game, cutting an 11-point lead down to three, before the Kings skipped away.

“I didn’t understand much tonight, I’ve got to be honest,” Buford said of the referee team of

Chris Reid, Mitch Hare and Nathan Durant after the game.

“I felt like after I took the challenge, they were just messing with me trying to see if I get a tech by arguing whatever they were calling.

“I couldn’t believe it.”

The Phoenix had almost double the number of free throw attempts – 29 to 15 – and Buford believes his side was not rewarded for its effort to get into the paint.

“Free throw disparity is one thing – we had a free throw disparity against Tasmania,” he said.

“Usually, it’s the team that attacks the rim the most that puts themselves in a position to get fouls.

“To be fair, I don’t think there was a double – I mean, again, you look at the points in the paint, we had more points in the paint, one more field goal attempt, obviously free throws played a little bit into that, but I don’t think they were twice as attacking, aggressive to the rim as we were.”

Buford hinted the Kings were close to signing a replacement import for RJ Hunter, who wrecked his knee last month and will miss the rest of the season recovering.