The NBL ladder-leading Sydney Kings are closing in on a assured semi-final berth after a dominant 108-87 victory over Perth Wildcats to safe their fourth win on the trot.
The defending champions continued their latest red-hot type in entrance of a packed home at Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday night time as they racked up their fifteenth win of the season.
Sydney outpointed Perth in virtually each side of the sport within the first half, main by as many as 21 factors with Xavier Cooks offering the impetus for a 59-41 benefit on the principal break.
The Wildcats’ offence got here to life within the second and third quarters as they managed to shut the margin to 11 factors however Sydney had too many weapons for the guests to include with the championship frontrunners averaging a whopping 19.5-point successful margin throughout their present four-game unbeaten streak.
Cooks produced one other stellar efficiency with 24 factors, 11 rebounds and three blocks however advised ESPN that the group’s defensive concentrate on Perth hazard man Bryce Cotton paved the way in which for the victory.
“That was a great team effort, we did a great job of applying the scouting report tonight. It takes a whole community to shut down Bryce Cotton and he got 22 (points), that’s a good job on Bryce,” Cooks stated because the Kings inched nearer to securing a top-two end.
Recent signing Tai Webster slotted straight into Perth’s beginning lineup, changing injured star Luke Travers, and opened the scoring for his new membership with a triple however factors turned arduous to return by because the Kings restricted the Wildcats to 6-of-19 taking pictures for the time period.
After holding Perth to their lowest first-quarter rating all season in a 27-14 begin, the Kings saved rolling within the second interval as they opened up with seven straight factors to increase the result in 20.
The Wildcats missed 11 of their first 12 three-point makes an attempt earlier than Corey Webster broke the drought halfway by means of the second time period then shortly added two extra triples whereas Bryce Cotton began getting concerned within the offence.
The Kings withstood Perth’s late burst to take a 59-41 buffer into the primary break however Wildcats import Brady Manek bounced again from a scoreless first half to pour in eight factors contained in the opening two minutes of the third quarter because the guests threatened to mount a outstanding comeback.
But Jordan Hunter’s freakish floater from behind the backboard and a pair of Cooks free throws helped the Kings set up an 82-67 lead heading into the fourth quarter and the league pacesetters put the Wildcats away in a dominant end.
