GAME REPORT: Kings obliterate Hawks on Carr’s history-making night

Result: Sydney Kings 108 Illawarra Hawks 82

Stats that matter: Kings 52.6% FG, Kings 25 assists, Kings 52 points in the paint, Kings 36 bench points

Kings MVP: Andrew Carr came off the bench and did what no Sydney Kings player has ever done before in a single game.

Turning Point: After a tight opening quarter, the Kings took control thanks to a 9-0 run in the second period and never looked back.

The game was over when: The Kings blasted the Hawks in the third quarter in a frightening display of power and precision.

Trending in the right direction: Jason Spurgin was perfect from the field and did an outstanding job defensively.

Statement. Made.

The Sydney Kings left no doubt who the top team in New South Wales basketball is right now with a devastating performance on the road that saw them annihilate the Illawarra Hawks 108-82 on Thursday night at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Nearly 4,000 Hawkheads saw their team decimated in the final three quarters by a purple and gold machine that garnered their sixth consecutive win over the Hawks – five of those victories by greater than a 20-point margin.

It was the usual hostile environment in Wollongong – at least for a few minutes. But after Sydney established their authority during a second and third quarter blitzkrieg, it got very quiet in the gym and many Illawarra fans headed for the exits early.

Six Kings scored in double figures during the massacre, led by game MVP Andrew Carr (16 points, 20 rebounds), who created history on the night. Carr’s 20 rebounds are the most by a Sydney Kings player coming off the bench in a single game, the second most by a Kings player in the 40-minute NBL era and his 16 defensive boards are top 10 all-time in a single game in franchise history.

“We see it in practice,” Sydney Kings Head Coach Brian Goorjian said of Andrew in the post-game press conference.

“Not only have we got a great locker room guy and a team guy; he’s a really good basketball player.

“He’s multi-skilled, he can guard multiple positions, make decisions with the dribble – we’re pretty fortunate there.

“That was a big signing with the loss of Tim (Soares). We feel like he’s only going to get better.”

AC had a ton of help on what was a great night for the six-time NBL champions.

Kendric Davis (23 points, 14 assists) was sublime and his 14 dimes are the equal fourth most in a single game in Sydney Kings history. Torrey Craig (22 points, six boards) was unguardable at one end and a defensive beast at the other. Makuach Maluach (13 points), was his usual efficient self offensively. And Jayden Stone (10 points) had his best game for the club and showed he will be a key piece for this group this season.

But everyone on the roster contributed on a night where Illawarra figured to be desperate and were coming off a confidence-boosting win on the road over Melbourne. But that confidence was shattered very quickly by a Kings unit that went into overdrive after the first quarter to show the rest of the league that their title defence is well on track.

Interestingly however, it was a tight game in the opening period, with both teams struggling to put the ball in the hole, with the exception of Illawarra’s Tyler Harvey, who blasted 15 points in the frame and looked like he was on course for a huge night.

Incredibly, Harvey would score just two points the rest of the way, and despite his first quarter explosion, Sydney led 20-19 after the opening ten minutes thanks to six points and five assists from KD.

The game turned in the second period. A pair of triples from Craig and one from Carr keyed the first big run of the game, a 13-3 Sydney spurt that saw them push the margin out to double figures midway through the quarter.

Illawarra responded with a 10-2 run with their main contributor on the night Makur Maker (24 points, seven rebounds) prominent, but the Kings raised their level again and scored nine consecutive points that helped them to a solid 48-36 lead at the half.

Then the third quarter happened.

It was a reminder of the potential of this young group that is still figuring things out.

And if that ten minutes was a taste of things to come, then Kings fans have a lot to look forward to.

Sydney outscored Illawarra 34-16 in the third stanza to take a scarcely believable 82-52 lead at the final change, powered by a remarkable 24-3 burst by the Kings where they completely befuddled the Hawks at both ends of the floor.

Led by the brilliant Davis, who orchestrated everything offensively, and a superb effort defensively, Sydney did anything they wanted during their powerful charge and Illawarra washelpless in the face of the onslaught.

It made the fourth quarter purely academic and gave Coach Goorjian the opportunity to go deep into his bench – they kept up the intensity right to the buzzer and only some late triples from the Hawks kept the margin from becoming the biggest-ever by the Kings over the Hawks.

It’s a quick turnaround for the defending champions as they head to the nation’s second city and a summit clash on Sunday afternoon with the hyped up Melbourne United featuring NBA talent in Cole Anthony and Joe Ingles at John Cain Arena. Tipoff is at 5:00pm.

SYDNEY KINGS 108 (Davis 23, Craig 22, Carr 16)
ILLAWARRA HAWKS 82 (Maker 24, Harvey 17, Hickey 9) AT WIN Entertainment Centre
CROWD: 3,987

BOXSCORE

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