TEAM Solent Kestrels used a near perfect defensive performance to take a resounding 105-38 victory on the road at Essex Rebels in NBL Division One, writes Jack O'Keeffe.

Kestrels held the Rebels to just 18 second-half points as they got back to the TSK of old on the defensive end.

The game opened in back-and-forth fashion as both sides were able to get the scoreboard ticking over early on through Rory Winter and Cole Gentry respectively.

An 11-0 run through the mid-point of the quarter would be the separator that TSK needed, as Orlan Jackman found his scoring touch, putting his side up 18-6.

Winter stopped the run at the foul line but it was the visitors who shifted into gear and ballooned the lead to close the quarter, with Elliot Dadds coming off the bench to knock down back-to-back triples, TSK were 31-9 to the good.

Rebels opened the second quarter the better of the two sides, as Tyreese Hudson scored four straight, off the bench.

However, an 8-0 run post time-out for the Kestrels, through Kemel Archer and Luke Busumbru, restored the advantage at 43-17.

Hudson continued to provide the scoring threat for Essex but the TSK bench poured in the offensive production, after Max Richardson and Dadds once again knocked down a pair of triples. Kestrels were firmly in control at 59-20 by the interval.

A 10-3 scoring run to open the second half for TSK put to bed any hopes of a heroic fight back from the hosts, as Cole Gentry showed his change in speed to score four of those 10.

A further 12-0 run, started and capped off by Elliott Sentance three-pointers would force Essex into another time-out, this time now down 56 at 85-29. Rebels did rally and score five unanswered to close the quarter 85-34 down.

TSK would hold Essex scoreless for the first four minutes of the final quarter and then again for the final four-and-a-half minutes of the game, once again showing their defensive qualities.

Sentance continued to heat up in a hurry as he scored five early points and the lead would be out at 60 when Gentry stroked another triple.

Chris Scarlett got in on the act from beyond the arc before the game was done and Sentance capped off a fine performance for his side, with his fourth three of the night to close the game.

TSK Head Coach Matt Guymon said: “I was really pleased with our defensive performance, specifically on the perimeter defending their actions and key playmakers. It was nice again to get scoring contributions from the whole roster and we were able to play an unselfish brand of basketball.”

TSK now face four back-to-back double header weekends, starting with Team Newcastle University on Saturday evening.