Sticky, tacky texture with less sweetness?
You could use corn starch.
People use corn starch to thicken thin sauces and get them to adhere better.  I add it to
try to rescue gravy when I have added more liquid than the roux can handle.  I add it to stir fry with lots of vegetables in an effort to get the liquid cooked off the vegetables to congeal into a sticky sauce that is not all left in the bottom of the pan / bowl.   When you cook down something with corn starch it gets gooey and tacky as you describe.  But corn starch is not sweet.
Try making a sauce with corn starch and the flavorings you like.  I have used a sauce pan for this.  Whisk in some and then some more.  When you get the consistency of the sweet sauces you are used to, try using it to coat ribs or chicken.
Note: taste it first.  The corn starch sauces look great but can be astonishingly flavorless.