Pre-season Game 1 Preview: Kings vs Hawks

Written by Matt McQuade for Kings Media

280 days.

That’s how long it will have been this Sunday at Qudos Bank Arena since the last time the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings took to the court.

Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s been the longest offseason in the history of the National Basketball League. For all fans of the Kings and basketball, it has been a difficult and at times arduous period.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

For the first time since March 15, the mighty purple and gold will play in their awesome home venue when they officially begin their NBL21 preseason with a game against arch-rivals The Hawks.

Now that the first five rounds of the regular season schedule have been confirmed with an official start date of January 10, this opening game of the preseason will be vital to the Kings’ preparation as the team gears up for what will be yet another highly competitive NBL campaign.

Indeed, for Sydney, each preseason game has extra importance in developing chemistry and roles, given the changes the Kings have undergone since their last game against the Perth Wildcats in the third frame of the 2020 Grand Final Series.

Starting with the retirement of all-time great and team captain Kevin Lisch, the Kings have seen a number of important pieces depart – one other through retirement and a couple in outstanding circumstances given their success in realizing their dream of reaching the NBA.

Andrew Bogut, who in his two seasons with the Kings made a tremendous impact, both on and off the floor, and enhanced his status as the greatest Australian big man ever, decided to hang up his boots after a magnificent career. His loss is obviously significant.

But the same could be said for two men who this club is incredibly proud of – Head Coach Will Weaver and power forward Jae’Sean Tate – who both parlayed a brilliant season in NBL20 into an NBA contract with the Houston Rockets. Will joins the powerhouse NBA club as an assistant coach and there’s no doubt he’s destined for the top job someday; Jae’Sean signed a three-year deal and has already been hailed by Rockets’ head coach Stephen Silas as ‘an exciting prospect’.

So, make no mistake, Sydney will miss four huge contributors to a group that finished with a league-leading 20-8 record and went all the way to the Grand Final in the 2019/2020 season.

But fear not, Kings’ fans. The club has rebuilt their roster with a number of savvy additions and elevated one of the most highly respected coaches in the nation from an assistant role to the top slot as a no-brainer replacement for Will Weaver.

That man, Adam Forde, is regarded as one of the brightest minds and hardest workers in the industry. A multiple championship winner with his previous club the Perth Wildcats, he was an integral part of Coach Weaver’s staff last season in Sydney and will take over head coach responsibilities seamlessly.

And there’s plenty of excitement around the new blood in the club, particularly one Dejan Vasiljevic, who was a four-year standout at the University of Miami as a devastating perimeter shooter who should be an excellent replacement for Kevin Lisch. Angus Glover comes across from the Hawks as an excellent prospect and new import Jarell Martin played 189 games in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic, earning a reputation as an athletic stretch-the-floor big man. He will provide much needed scoring up front, although his status for Sunday’s game remains uncertain at this stage.

Of course, you can’t underestimate the importance of the return of dynamic floor leader Casper Ware, a man who comes back with a point to prove and figures to be on a mission in 2020/21; talented forward Xavier Cooks showed last season that he has star potential while Sydney’s bench, so impressive in NBL20, will once again be a huge key to the team’s fortunes.

Sunday’s game promises to be a fascinating encounter against a Hawks’ unit that finished 5-23 last season but has been completely remade and is now led by the greatest coach in NBL history, Brian Goorjian. The Hawks have loaded up on impressive perimeter players including a former NBA G-League standout in Tyler Harvey, Golden State Warriors draftee and NBL Next Star Justinian Jessup and small forward Deng Adel, who some judges believe will be in the mix for MVP in NBL21; while power forward Cameron Bairstow provides a big target down low and Sam Froling shows promise as an athletic seven-footer up front.

However, for Sydney fans, Sunday is all about welcoming back their beloved Kings, a team that gave them so much pleasure last season and is determined to go one better in NBL21. This is just the first step in a journey to title number four for the purple and gold.

Yeah, it’s only preseason. But how good is it to have basketball back!

Rise With Us, Sydney.

WHO

Sydney Kings vs. The Hawks

WHEN

Sunday 20 December, 3:00pm tipoff

LOCATION

Qudos Bank Arena

TICKETS

Available via Ticketek HERE

TV

NBL TV and NBL’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch channels.

THE PLAYERS

KINGS

Casper Ware (import); Didi Louzada (Next Star); Brad Newley; Xavier Cooks; Daniel Kickert

Dejan Vasiljevic; Shaun Bruce; Craig Moller; Jordan Hunter; Angus Glover

HAWKS

Tyler Harvey (import); Justin Simon (import); Deng Adel; Cameron Bairstow; Sam Froling

Justinian Jessup (Next Star); Emmett Naar; AJ Ogilvy; Isaac White; Deng Deng; Max Darling; Akoldah Gak, Lachy Dent

THE COACHES

KINGS

Adam Forde, 1^st season with Sydney

HAWKS

Brian Goorjian, 1^st season with the Hawks

KEY MATCHUP

Casper Ware vs. Tyler Harvey

There is no doubt that Casper Ware is one of the most intensely competitive individuals you will find in the NBL. And there’s also no doubt that his fire will be burning deep after the events of last season when he was unable to lead the Kings to a championship. So right from the jump, even in preseason, expect a highly focused, determined ballplayer, and new Hawks’ import guard Harvey will have his hands full against Sydney’s explosive floor leader, especially at the defensive end. But Harvey is himself a deadly shooter and scorer, boasting a 58-point game in the G-League, and he represents a significant backcourt threat. This duel will be fun to watch.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings neutralise the Hawks’ perimeter marksmen?

Will Sydney’s impressive strength on the wings give the Hawks a ton of headaches?

DID YOU KNOW?

Brian Goorjian returns to Sydney as an NBL head coach for the first time since the 2008/2009 season when he led his South Dragons to a win over the Sydney Spirit at the old Sydney Entertainment Centre. And as far as Qudos Bank Arena is concerned, it’s been an even longer absence for the man who led the Kings to three straight championships between 2003 and 2005. ‘Goorj’ last coached in the Kings’ current venue – then known as the Sydney Superdome – on December 9, 2006, when he led Sydney to a 93-90 win over the West Sydney Razorbacks.