BOXSCORE


The Sydney Kings held off a spirited Gold Coast Blaze to win 102-96 in Sydney on Saturday night.

In a close game where neither side could reach a double-digit lead, Jerai Grant’s power at both ends of the court proved the difference.

His 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists were an impressive all-round performance, proving the Kings import's growing self-belief is turning him into a star of the competition.

Perhaps even more important for the Kings was Grant’s handling of Boomers star Mark Worthington.

Despite posting his team’s highest points total, Worthington endured a difficult night against the red-hot Grant on a court where he once ruled for three years.

Worthington cut a forlorn figure at the final buzzer, staring at the ground as the Kingdome erupted in victory, perhaps best summing up his night.

Grant’s now-trademark high-flying dunks – many in the face of Worthington – helped the Kings maintain control and stem any scoring bursts from the visitors.

His action-packed display brought the Kingdome to its feet on a regular basis.

The Kings started lethargically. The Blaze’s suffocating, high-energy defence forcing the home side into difficult shots which they were unable to hit.

With Adris Deleon and Adam Gibson controlling matters, the Blaze took a 19-10 lead and looked ominous.

A time out from Kings coach Ian Robbiliard seemed to rejuvenate his team, but his introduction of Luke Cooper was perhaps most pivotal.

Cooper's accurate shooting from the perimeter and assists to wide-open teammates – as he drew in defenders with his penetration off the dribble – got the Kings back on parity.

For Cooper (10 points, 6 assists) it was arguably his standout performance of the season.

But once again it was Aaron Bruce (21 points) who really drove the home side. Refusing to be subdued, his determination and crucial points in the last quarter were vital for the Kings.

Although a tough three-pointer from Blaze captain James Harvey made it a four-point game with 8.89 seconds on the clock, the Kings held on for a deserved victory.

Sydney Kings 102 (Grant 23, Bruce 21, Khazzouh 14)
Gold Coast Blaze 96 (Worthington 18, Gibson 15, Deleon 14)

Crowd: 4915 at Sydney Entertainment Centre