Second to none: Quarter two statements prove decisive

The Sydney Kings and Tasmania JackJumpers produced statement second quarters on Friday night, outscoring their opponents a combined 54-15 and earning high praise from coaches Brian Goorjian and Scott Roth.

Sydney set the tone in the early game, overcoming the absence of Bul Kuol and Xavier Cooks to blast the New Zealand Breakers 103-62 at Spark Arena. Later, Tasmania backed it up with an impressive 80-72 road win over the league-leading Adelaide 36ers at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

The damage for both teams came in that decisive second term. The Kings held the Breakers scoreless for more than six minutes on their home floor, then finished the quarter allowing just four points on 2/20 shooting. New Zealand missed all 10 three-point attempts, didn’t get to the foul line, and committed seven turnovers.

In 856 NBL games, Brian Goorjian struggled to recall anything similar.

"I don't think in my coaching career I've had a quarter like that, ever," Goorjian said.

"I came into the game saying I'm not going to look up to the scoreboard and not going to coach the game that way tonight, and won't be getting nervous about the score and will be a free spirit on the sideline communicating with my staff and being comfortable moving bodies, without looking up."

Throughout the term, Goorjian was focused on Sydney’s defensive stops rather than the margin.

"I just was feeling good about the stops we were getting and every time he scored, and I did not look up there until the end of the quarter and we were up 29 points and when I walked in, the assistant told me that we held them to four."

He acknowledged the Breakers’ off-night, but stressed the Kings’ defensive foundations were the real story.

"I know New Zealand had a rough night and it's out of the box for them, but for us the principles of getting back, not giving up second shots, keeping them off the foul and starting to try and play finals basketball with that lock in is what I think was the catalyst towards what happened in that second quarter."

Later in Adelaide, the JackJumpers took charge against the 36ers by closing the first half with a 20-4 run and outscoring the league-leaders 27-11 in the second quarter.

Tasmania maintained control the entire second half and closed out an eight-point win, strengthening their hold on sixth place at 12-13. For coach Scott Roth, there was plenty to like.

"The three ball's this great equaliser in professional basketball and it's obviously a huge factor in FIBA basketball, so we've been quite mindful at trying to do the best we can to defend it," Roth said.

"We've heavily concentrated on trying to take those away even though you can't take them all away, and then I think the other thing is just our foul discipline over the last month has been much, much better.

"Last time we played these guys I think it was 33 and 37 times they went to the line in the first two games, and that foul discipline will always come back to haunt you, so it's these little things that we continue to harp on about repeating on the defensive side, and just trying to keep things as simple as basic as we can to guard your yard and keep the ball in front of you."