Kings dominated by United in Melbourne

By Matt McQuade

Result: Melbourne United 89 Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings 47

Stats that matter: Kings 5/36 three pointers; Rebound count United 61 Kings 38; United 16 offensive rebounds; United 10 steals

Kings MVP: Xavier Cooks was the only Kings’ player with double figure points.

Turning Point: None. United dominated from start to finish.

The game was over when: United led by 29 points at the end of the first period.

Trending in the right direction: The hustle and energy of Biwali Bayles was one of the few high points on a tough night for the organisation.

An historic first quarter avalanche has propelled Melbourne United to an 89-47 win over the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings on Thursday night at John Cain Arena in Melbourne.

In scenes never before witnessed in the National Basketball League, a rampant Melbourne, desperate for their first win of the season, unleashed a staggering 26-0 run to start the game and led 34-5 at the end of the first quarter – the 29-point margin the largest at the end of the first period in any game in NBL history.

Led by import Caleb Agada (21 points, seven rebounds), United nailed seven triples in a withering burst while the Kings missed their first 14 shots, including 10 straight from beyond the arc.

Incredibly, Sydney connected on just one field goal for the quarter from 19 attempts and their five points in the first quarter was the lowest in an opening period in franchise history.

“They came out like a team that was desperate to get a win,” said a disappointed Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings Head Coach Chase Buford.

“They brought the intensity and the physicality and we didn’t match it.”

“We didn’t match their intensity to start the game tonight and it showed from the opening tip.”

Melbourne pushed out their lead to 33 points early in the second period before the Kings finally got in rhythm with their best minutes of the game, putting together an 11-0 run to cut the margin to 22 points and forcing United Head Coach Dean Vickerman to call timeout.

Unfortunately, that short-lived patch was as good as it got for the purple and gold, with more defensive breakdowns out of the timeout leading to three consecutive United triples, two from David Barlow (nine points, six rebounds) and one from the returning Chris Goulding (13 points, three rebounds) as the margin again blew out past 30.

Melbourne extended that to 34 at the main break, with Sydney’s 21 points their second lowest ever halftime score.

At that point, the result was already secured for the home team, with the only interest in whether the Kings would punch back after taking a ton of blows in a first half effort that Sydney guard Biwali Bayles later called “pretty embarrassing.”

Unfortunately, there was no comeback in the works, or even much fight from the visitors, who continued to allow Melbourne to bully them around the court. With most of the starters rested, United took a 73-36 lead into the final ten minutes, with the 36 points Sydney’s lowest ever after three quarters.

The final ten minutes was purely academic, with the only interest remaining on whether the Kings would avoid setting a record for the fewest points in a game in franchise history – the unwanted mark sitting at 48 in a game against the Taipans in Cairns on New Year’s Eve, 2010.

Predictably, and befitting a one-sided contest where nothing went right for the purple and gold, they were unable to get past a single game total that had lasted for over a decade, despite the efforts of young Biwali Bayles, who never gave up despite the blowout score and gave everything he had.

“I feel like that’s not what we’re about and that’s not who we are,” Biwali said of his team’s disappointing performance.

“It’s difficult out there getting punched and not really giving anything back.”

“We’ll just flush that one and get ready for Saturday.”

Despite the nature of the loss, Chase Buford remained defiant with the spectre of a tough game against the South East Melbourne Phoenix looming just ahead.

“The Phoenix is a great team, but we’ll be ready,” Chase said.

“We’re not going to lay an egg like this on Saturday, I can promise you that.”

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Sydney returns to Qudos Bank Arena this Saturday for a game against the powerful South East Melbourne Phoenix featuring superstar big man Zhou Qi. The team closes an intense Round Three with another home game on Wednesday December 22 against the newest NBL franchise Tasmania JackJumpers. Tickets for both Sydney home games in Round Three are available via Ticketek.

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MELBOURNE UNITED 89 (Agada 21, Goulding 13, Lual-Acuil 11)
BRYDENS LAWYERS SYDNEY KINGS 47 (Cooks 12, Bayles 9, Makur Maker 8) at John Cain Arena, Melbourne

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