In what ranks as one of the biggest games of the 2011/12 iiNet Championship season this Friday at the Kingdome, the Sydney Kings will be determined to show how much heart this team really has as they take on the streaking Gold Coast Blaze on a night where the organisation is throwing its full support behind the tremendous work done by the Heart Foundation.
Gold Coast have won four straight games and are one of the hottest teams in the National Basketball League right now. The big thing is that they are getting it done at the defensive end of the floor – something they had been criticised for earlier this season – and have held their past two opponents to historically low scores.
Two weeks ago it was the Cairns Taipans restricted to just 49 points; last week the Blaze completely shut down Wollongong and destroyed the Hawks by 41, holding them to just 50 points in the process. The 49 and 50 points are two of the top ten lowest scores by a team in NBL history, and a pointer to how much Gold Coast has turned the corner since the Kings dropped 102 on them at the Sydney Entertainment Centre a few weeks ago.
Indeed, if Sydney are to prevail in this one, it will have to be about heart, because Gold Coast are a much tougher proposition now than they were that night in early January, and they will be fired up to produce the kind of performance – especially at the defensive end of the floor – that has become their standard of late.
The Kings are at a point in their campaign where every remaining game on their schedule is vitally important. If they want to reach the postseason, they’ll need to win at least seven of their last eight games, meaning that every time they step on that court they must play with playoff intensity. Anything less, and Sydney can begin planning for the offseason.
They have lost their past three games; all to the top three teams in the NBL, but apart from the disappointing loss to the defending champion Breakers in New Zealand a fortnight ago were very competitive in defeats to Perth and Townsville.
Their win over the Blaze in Round 14, set up by a breakout performance from super-athlete Jerai Grant, who wowed the fans with several high-flying dunks as part of a brilliant 23 point, 12 rebound, four assist performance, should give them confidence heading into Friday night’s battle.
However, Jerai (12.1ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.4bpg, 55.6% FG) will need to reproduce that kind of effort if Sydney are to get another win at Gold Coast’s expense. His direct opponent for this game, ex-King and current Australian Boomer Mark Worthington (15.6ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.0spg, 1.0bpg) has played great basketball over the past few weeks and is as aggressive, intense and relentless as any player in this competition. Sydney’s impressive power forward will have his hands full with ‘Wortho’ this Friday.
The other standout performer for the Blaze of late has been their other national team representative, guard Adam Gibson (13.0ppg, 4.4apg, 4.8rpg, 1.2spg, 40.0% 3PT FG), who has always been known as an excellent defender but is emerging as a force at both ends of the floor. He’s solid, very physical, and can nail it from deep, and his matchup with Sydney’s Ben Madgen (11.6ppg, 3.2rpg) will be pivotal, especially given how the Kings’ starting two guard has shown great aggression offensively in the past few weeks.
And despite being without two standout weapons in James Harvey and Chris Goulding during this winning streak, Gold Coast has a number of players stepping up in their absence like mercurial point guard Adris Deleon, who has great one on one skills but is starting to involve his teammates more in the halfcourt offence, Will Hudson, who isn’t your stereotypical import but comes to play every night with a hard hat on and crashes the boards at both ends of the floor and Anthony Petrie, a versatile forward who can either step out and knock down the three or work hard inside for his points.
The Kings shouldn’t sleep on Sydney junior talent Jason Cadee or veteran Stephen Hoare either – two players who have been big keys to the recent success of the Blaze.
There’s no question the Kings are up against it on Friday. They are facing an in-form team playing their best basketball of the season, a team that feels they gave that earlier game away against Sydney and is locked in a tight battle for one of two playoff spots. The Kings will get the Gold Coast full force and need to counter their aggression and intensity with some hard-nosed, tough play of their own.
However, as good as the Blaze have been defensively of late, the Kings have the ability to get at them. Julian Khazzouh and Jerai Grant are a difficult matchup for Gold Coast’s smaller frontline, Anatoly Bose is a tough cover for anyone in the league when he gets going offensively and you have to love what Ben Madgen has brought to the table in some of his recent games.
But in order to get the W, it’s going to take a complete team effort over the 40 minute journey. Everyone must pitch in and do their part, which means playing with confidence, shooting the ball with conviction and getting back on defence quickly.
Are the purple and gold up to the challenge? You better believe it. It’s Heart Foundation night at the Kingdome, and it’s a time where the Sydney Kings will show that heart is what they are all about. Bring it on.
Sydney Kings. My City. My Team.
Don’t miss out on one of the biggest games of the season at the Kingdome and come and show your support for a worthy cause in the Heart Foundation! Good seats are selling fast, but are still available via any Ticketmaster outlet, online at www.ticketmaster.com.au or phone 136 100. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the Sydney Entertainment Centre door.
Sydney Kings (8-12) vs Gold Coast Blaze (10-8)
Friday 10 February
Sydney Entertainment Centre
Tipoff 7:30pm
Doors open 6:00pm
