IN A true testament to how one quarter changes a game in the National Basketball League (NBL), the Sydney Kings dismantled the New Zealand Breakers with a 41-point margin, 103-62.

The first quarter of play was quite standard, scoring coming from both sides, and the game was looking to be a close-knit contest as by the end of the first quarter, the score was 23-17. In the second quarter, something switched. The Kings turned to play a suffocating defence, which caused the Breakers to crumble under pressure.

A four-point Breakers quarter compared to the Kings’ 27 points was the dealbreaker, as the rest of the game, the score difference never went over seven. The Kings delivered some of the best team efficiencies in a game this season, shooting 50 per cent from the field, 41 per cent from beyond the arc and 88 per cent from the free-throw line. Comparing this to the Breakers’ atrocious 33 per cent field goal percentage, from those stats alone, anyone can imagine how the game would have gone.

This was a statement win for Sydney, helping the Kings now be in the top four, directly behind Melbourne United. While they are behind United, they’ve played them three times this season and beaten them twice, which shows that they are a part of the top-tier contender group.

The Breakers obviously had troubles on the offensive side of the ball, which usually is not the case with Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Sam Mennenga being the offensive forces they are, but they were just no match for the Kings.

The Kings’ defence held Jackson-Cartwright to just three points, on 11 per cent shooting. Mennenga, on the other hand, had just five points on 25 per cent efficiency, which is very different to his season field goal percentage of 50 per cent. When the top two players are being locked up all game, others need to step up. Izaiah Brockington and Karim Lopez were the top scorers for the Breakers with 10 and 11 points.

The Kings saw six players score above ten points, these being Kendric Davis, Makuach Maluach, Kouat Noi, Tim Soares, Jaylin Galloway and Tyler Robertson. This depth, shown even with the loss of Xavier Cooks, who did not play due to an ankle injury, has proved the Kings to be a team full of talent all throughout, and this is a scary sight for the competition’s top three.

Both teams will play again on Sunday, with the Breakers taking on the Illawarra Hawks, who have just come off a heated overtime loss to the SEM Phoenix. The Kings will head back home to defend their castle against the one and only Melbourne United, who are directly above them on the table.