Basketball On The Internet.

SYDNEY's NBA star Torrey Craig pulled off an absolute rarity to close the Kings rout of Perth yesterday, firing up a halfcourt shot which not only went through but bounced back around inside the net to go through the ring for a second time! Finally we have the equivalent of a footy six-pointer!

His long-range basket completed a blow-out which did not truly reflect most of the match, though it did emphasise the level to which the Kings' efficiency drained Perth's will to compete,

Down Jo Lual-Acuil and with Kristian Doolittle also a late withdrawal, the Wildcats needed to be at their best. Instead they were lumbered by a totally pointless contribution from Elijah Pepper - 0 points on 0-of-7 shooting, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, a rebound, two assists and a steal. 

Easily the worst game of his NBL career, additionally assigned a defensive role on Kendric Davis may not have been Perth coach John Rillie's finest decision-making.

In fact it was injury replacement player Jimmy Whitt who did the best job on Davis, the latter still scoring 23 points but on an ugly 9-of-22 shooting. Whitt played him in the same manner as Adelaide and NZ and frustrated him into taking bad shots.

It didn't much matter though because Makuach Maluach continued his stellar shooting accuracy with 16 points at 78 per cent, Andrew Carr paired eight boards with 13 points and Craig was at his torrid best.

After 28 points in the loss to NZ, he was still feeling it, en route to 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting, plus 12 rebounds.

What started as serious intent from Perth, Dylan Windler with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists and Whitt adding a career-best 15 points at 64 per cent to his defensive resolve, steadily devolved into solo adventures and that never was going to get the job done. 

Neither was Cairns' pathetic 9-point third quarter against South East Phoenix in Melbourne where Nathan Sobey (29 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal) enjoyed a field day leading the home team to a 115-83 massacre.

Jordy Hunter, revelling in his new found fatherhood, played an exemplary match, his 19 points at 75 per cent including several vicious dunks and even a 3-pointer after he scrapped on the floor to shake a ball loose! He was a man possessed, additionally compiling 11 rebounds.

So too Yannis Morin for his first double-double (11 and 10) and Angus Glover, until hurt, was continuing his career-best form. But after halftime, everyone in black-and-green was rolling.

Fired up after their loss to Brisbane and some home truths from coach Josh King, Phoenix may have been over-stimulated to start and Cairns capitalised with a stunning 35-point opening quarter.

Jonah Bolden (17 points at 70 per cent) was at his best and the Taipans attacked with flair and accuracy, a 6-0 start growing into 14-7, then double figures peaking at 33-21.

However once South East gathered its bearings, it reeled off a 35-point second quarter of its own and from there, this game was never the same again. At its worst for Cairns, it resembled little more than a Phoenix training run, players cutting to the hoop with such ease the Taipans appeared legless.

Round 5 Results, Saturday

South East Melbourne Phoenix 115 (Sobey 29, Hunter 19, Glover 14, Morin 11, Daniels, Mays 10; Hunter 11 rebs; Sobey 6 assts) d Cairns Taipans 83 (Bolden 17, Smith 14, Pinder 11; 4 with 5 rebs; Bruce 5 assts) at John Cain Arena

Sydney Kings 102 (Craig 26, Davis 23, Johnston 17, Maluach 16, Carr 13; Craig 12 rebs; Davis 8 assts) d Perth Wildcats 81 (Windler 19, Whitt 15, Dell'Orso 13, Knight 10; Windler 8 rebs; Windler 8 assts) at Afterpay Arena