Defence helps Kings punch grand final ticket

The Sydney Kings have advanced to the Championship Series for the second year in a row and did so thanks to a suffocating defensive performance in game three against the Cairns Taipans.

In an emotional and fiery match-up with the Taipans, the Kings ran away with a 79-64 win after outscoring Cairns 17-6 in the decisive final quarter.

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Sydney head coach Chase Buford applauded his team for putting their bodies on the line, and assured the Kings were back to playing their style of basketball as they look to defend their championship.

“The game plan tonight was to get back to who we were,” Burford said.

Kings guard Dejan Vasiljevic echoed Buford’s comments and emphasised the team’s hunger on defence.

“We just went back to being us, centring the ball, knowing our scout,” Vasiljevic said.

“We just locked in defensively.

“Chase has been emphasising that the last month because we’ve been pretty poor at it.

“To get back to where we were, full credit to the guys.”

The Kings started slowly with the Taipans up by six points in the first quarter but were quick to bounce back with a 28-13 result in the second period.

Sydney maintained control from there, highlighted by the 17-6 final quarter, demolishing the Taipans’ title dream.

A key piece in the Kings’ win was Justin Simon who had the job of restricting Cairns star DJ Hogg.

Hogg impacted the first two Playoff games strongly but was held to only nine points in Game 3, with Simon sticking to him.

“Justin Simon especially on DJ Hogg was an elite performance tonight defensively,” Buford said.

“He [Justin] just didn’t let him get going, he didn’t let him shoot the ball and that was our plan tonight.

“Justin did a really good job on him tonight, I thought that was a key [to winning].”

The Kings will play the New Zealand Breakers in the Championship Series starting on March 3 at Qudos Bank Arena.