Much like his Melbourne United team, import guard Caleb Agada just needed to see the ball go through the net.
The Nigerian international saw this happen just seconds into Thursday night’s clash with the Sydney Kings and it kicked started Melbourne’s night and perhaps their season in an 89-47 thrashing at John Cain Arena.
The Kings set a new club record with 47 points their worst tally in history while they shot 15 of 71 from the field and 5 of 36 from three-point the line. Sydney missed injured point guard Jaylen Adams but his absence wasn’t solely to blame as their shot selection was poor all night.
United’s Caleb Agada drives to the basket.Credit:Getty Images
Melbourne came into the game with a 0-2 record and questions around their championship defence but those queries were gone within minutes while similar doubts around Agada faded away too as he shot 14 first-half points.
Agada finished with 21 points along with seven rebounds while United skipper Chris Goulding returned from a hamstring injury to score 13 points in 21 minutes while Jo Lual Acuil had 11 points and eight rebounds, much of that during the first half.
United posted an NBL record opening quarter margin of 34-5 while keeping the Kings to an abysmal 1-19 from the field in the first 10 minutes and that horror run set the tone for the night.
Agada, Dellavedova, Goulding and Barlow all fired from outside and saw their advantage multiply as the Kings kept shooting from outside and missing.
Goulding and Agada tested their range firing from several steps behind the line and both of their shots went in.
The Kings shooting woes compounded as 0-5 became 0-10 and then 0-14 with 10 of the Kings’ first 14 shots missed three-point attempts.
