ROUND 8 PREVIEW – KINGS VS PHOENIX

As any long-time Kings fan knows, double headers are as goodas it gets.

From the first time the Sydney women’s team – initiallyknown as the Sydney Bruins in 1991 before changing their name to the SydneyFlames in 1992 – started playing at the old Sydney Entertainment Centrealongside their brother club the Kings, fans were treated to what were twogreat games for the price of one.

The WNBL has always been a world class league producing aton of outstanding athletes who have represented their country with greatdistinction – multiple medals for Australia at both Olympic and WorldChampionship level testament to that – so for fans of the purple and gold, gettingthat extra game on their regular ticket has always represented tremendousvalue.

Whenever the Kings and Flames are featured on a double bill– as is the case this Sunday afternoon at Afterpay Arena – it’s a specialoccasion that is not to be missed by anyone who loves Sydney basketball.

And making it even more exceptional is the fact that bothteams have begun their campaigns in their respective leagues in fine style –the Flames sit in second place on the WNBL ladder with a 4-1 record; the Kingslead the NBL standings at 7-3 on the season.

From the time these double-headers began in 1991, it’s rareto see both Sydney men’s and women’s teams playing at a high level at the sametime. Sunday afternoon represents a fantastic opportunity to see two ballclubswho represent the Harbour City so well and are genuine championship contendersthis season.

Start with the Flames, who are well coached by Renae Garleppand feature excellent talent up and down the roster, from explosive guards JazShelley, Issy Bourne and Lauren Nicholson to Chinese star Yang Shuyu and importbig Maya Dodson. Sydney is third in the WNBL in scoring; they play at a highpace and are a lot of fun to watch.

And despite a last-start loss to Tasmania, the team startedthe season on a tear with four consecutive wins and will be determined tobounce back in front of an expected big crowd this Sunday against a SouthsideMelbourne Flyers outfit that is 1-3 on the young season and is coming off ahome defeat to Adelaide Lightning.

Once the WNBL battle is done, the Kings will face one of themost dangerous teams in the National Basketball League, the South EastMelbourne Phoenix, whose current 4-6 record belies the threat they will presentat Afterpay Arena.

Any squad which plays at the extreme pace that the Phoenixdo and shoots as many threes as South East Melbourne hoists up every game isthe kind of team that puts maximum stress on opposing defences and Sydney’sleague-leading D will need to be locked in from tipoff if they are to get outof the gym with the win.

Nathan Sobey (17.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.3apg, 1.1spg, 38.6% FG,30.3% 3PT FG, 87.5% FT) is the head of the snake, a guy who only knows one wayto play – full throttle at all times – and is just as adept at flying to therack for the power jam as he is pulling up for the long range bomb intransition.

The Phoenix also boasts two beloved ex-Sydney Kings, bothchampionship winners, in Angus Glover (14.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.0apg, 44.9% FG, 32.8%3PT FG, 76.5% FT) and Jordan Hunter (9.4ppg, 6.1rpg). Glover is an explosivescorer who can knock down a bunch of threes in a hurry; Hunter can stretch thefloor with his outside shooting, defends well and is tough on the glass.

In addition, there is a former and future NBA player toworry about. The former is Skylar Mays (12.7ppg, 2.9rpg, 4.3apg, 40.2% FG,33.3% 3PT FG, 85.7% FT), an intelligent floor leader who can score the ball.The future will belong to Next Star Dash Daniels (12.6ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.3apg,52.7% FG, 38.1% 3PT FG, 56.0% FT), who will likely become an NBA first rounddraft pick given his size, extreme talent, defensive mindset and an improvedthree point shot.

Other Phoenix shooters to worry about include import D’ShawnSchwartz and Tanner Krebs, both of whom can hurt the Kings from the perimeter.

It will be another serious challenge for the defending NBLchampions without a doubt.

But after a brilliant Round Seven road trip, the Kings willbe well prepared.

Sydney defeated the then top two teams on the ladder in lessthan 48 hours, showing tremendous resolve and toughness under enormouspressure.

Beating Perth at RAC Arena in front of the infamous Red Armywas one thing, but then to face long distance travel, virtually no preparationtime and both injury and illness, and still get the job done against theTasmania JackJumpers was something else entirely, a performance that SydneyKings Head Coach Brian Goorjian lauded as the best regular season win he hadbeen a part of since his return to the Kings in 2024.

Importantly for such a young group, the win over theJackJumpers wasn’t based on the team’s league-best offence – it was all about aremarkable effort at the defensive end of the floor. It showed poise andmaturity, and the experience will serve the squad well over the rest of theregular season.

The club is hopeful that Matthew Dellavedova will make areturn from injury this week, and as ever ‘Delly’ will add his leadership andunmatched defensive intensity to a group that is determined to get the job doneat home on Sunday.

Led by the brilliant Kendric Davis (21.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 8.2apg,1.4spg, 39.1% FG, 21.7% 3PT FG, 75.4% FT), who played his 50^th gamefor the Kings in the team’s win over Tasmania, Sydney’s top rated offence willhave every opportunity to bust out against South East Melbourne, whose style ofplay lends itself to a ton of shots going up at both ends of the floor.

Guys like Torrey Craig (18.0ppg, 6.9rpg, 49.6% FG, 37.0% 3PTFG, 68.4% FT) and Makuach Maluach (13.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 68.9% FG, 63.2% 3PT FG,86.7% FT) could feast on the Phoenix from the perimeter while Andrew Carr andXavier Cooks will be tough to stop in the paint and the Kings’ super-athleticyoungsters Will Johnston and Jayden Stone will relish the chance to get out intransition and put maximum heat on the opposing D.

It will be a great afternoon of basketball at AfterpayArena.

The Kings and the Flames together.

It doesn’t get any better.

Let’s go, Sydney.

WHO

Sydney Kings vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix

WHEN

Sunday 8 November, 3:00pm AEST tipoff

LOCATION

Afterpay Arena

TICKETS

Available via Ticketek

THE PLAYERS

KINGS

Projected Starters: Kendric Davis, Makuach Maluach, TorreyCraig, Xavier Cooks, Harry Wessels

Bench: Andrew Carr, Tyler Robertson, Jason Spurgin,Jayden Stone, Will Johnston, Matthew Dellavedova (pending medical clearance),Peitok Machar, Bailey Hanson

PHOENIX

Projected Starters: Nathan Sobey, Angus Glover, DashDaniels, D’Shawn Schwartz, Yannis Morin

Bench: Jordan Hunter, Skylar Mays, Tanner Krebs,Akech Allir, Ellis Biggar, Patrick Ryan, Sam Davidson

THE COACHES

KINGS

Brian Goorjian (9^th season with Kings, recordwith Kings 217-89, NBL career record 604-278, 7 NBL championships)

PHOENIX

Josh King (3^rd season with Phoenix, NBL careerrecord 44-28)

NBL26 REGULAR SEASON

Phoenix won 2-1

NBL27 STANDINGS

Kings 7-3, first

Phoenix 4-6, eighth

KEY MATCHUP

Xavier Cooks vsD’Shawn Schwartz

The left-handed Schwartz plays as a small-ball four in JoshKing’s system that is based on a heavy diet of outside shots, and he prefers tofloat around the perimeter rather than attack the basket – where that works forthe Phoenix is that they can spread the floor more effectively when he’s out there.Cooks on the other hand is obviously more adept at finding ways to scoreinside, especially with his patented floater coupled with exceptional leapingability that allows him to put immense heat on the rim. Add to the fact that Xis a superior rebounder and defender, and he’s a handful at both ends of thefloor. If Sydney’s team captain can disrupt Schwartz’s rhythm and deny him anyeasy looks from three, the South East Melbourne offence will suffer as aresult.

THE QUESTIONS

Will Sydney run the Phoenix off the three point line?

Can the Phoenix stop the Kings from wreaking havoc in thepaint?

HISTORY

All-time Head-to-Head

23 games played; Kings lead 17-6

At Afterpay Arena

11 games played; Kings lead 8-3

DID YOU KNOW?

The 50^th Kings game for KendricDavis against Tasmania qualified him for some franchise marks and notsurprisingly, he ranks very highly. The NBL26 Championship Series Most ValuablePlayer is currently first in franchise history in career assists per game (7.3)and third in career scoring per game (24.4), with his scoring mark placing himbehind two Kings superstars of the past in Dwayne McClain (27.8) and LeonTrimmingham (27.4). KD also ranks seventh all-time in franchise history in careerfree throw percentage (80.4%).

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