Sixers Come Out Strong from Break to Beat Wildcats

The Adelaide 36ers came out with the best possible flying start out of a month-long break to open up a 28-point advantage on the way to an eventual 87-74 win on Tuesday night against the Perth Wildcats.

Both teams were playing their first #NBL22 games of 2022 with their last matches both being on the road in the Far North against the Cairns Taipans.

The 36ers were embarrassed back on December 18 in a 26-point loss to the Snakes while the Wildcats were able to score a win on New Year's Eve but it was a Cairns team minus Tahjere McCall along with Scott Machado and Mirko Djeric.

So with the Sixers playing their first game in 31 days and the 'Cats their first in 18, it was a great unknown how either team would come out especially having spent much of that time in isolation under COVID protocols and with players on either side still unavailable to play.

However, it was the 36ers who had a full month to stew over that last up performance in Cairns who came out ready to make amends, and all of a sudden they led by 18 points during the first quarter.

That advantage grew to 28 in the second and while Perth did fire back in the second half including holding Adelaide to just three field goals the entire third quarter, the 36ers held firm with a solid fourth period to come away with the 13-point win.

Earning his first start in a 36ers uniform, Cam Bairstow was outstanding with 19 points and 10 rebounds with Daniel Johnson adding 21 points and eight boards, captain Mitch McCarron 10 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and the returning Sunday Dech 10 points and three boards.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton saw how other teams had struggled coming out of their breaks but was delighted with the approach his team took to ensure it didn’t happen to them.

"Watching the last couple of teams like Brisbane and South East come out and play their first games, it was like 'Wow, are we going to be this team?'" Bruton said. 

"I told our boys that I didn’t think we would but there was a way we had to go about it to not be like that. We did come out with energy, we made shots and our delivery was good and direct with what we wanted to do. It kept us in a good position to hang onto the game."

Vic Law finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds for Perth, Bryce Cotton 12 points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Michael Frazier 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Wildcats coach Scott Morrison wasn’t making any excuses for the slow start afterwards.

"We said all week that we weren’t going to look for excuses off the court," Morrison said. 

"Everybody has been through some stuff this last month and everyone has had a big layoff, and COVID didn’t get any offensive rebounds for them or miss any block outs for us. I think that's on us and we are going to have to live with the consequences and try to learn from it."

The 36ers had had a full 31 days to stew over their dismal showing in Cairns in the last game. While their preparation might have not been ideal with players in and out of isolation over the past month, they were clearly a motivated force from the outset on Tuesday night.

Mitch McCarron has been appointed Adelaide captain this season but had been happy to play facilitator in the opening five games, he showed his more aggressive side from the outset opening the contest with a three-pointer.

In the blink of an eye when Daniel Johnson also hit from deep the 36ers were up 8-2 before McCarron again hit from downtown to spark a 14-0 run from the home team.

That included Sunday Dech marking his return with a banked in three that became a four-point play with Mojave King also hitting from deep for Adelaide to lead 25-7.

Perth at least finished the quarter with a three to Michael Frazier but Adelaide still led 29-13 after one and then continued on in the second period.

It began with five quick points to Cam Bairstow and then another 10-0 run from the Sixers including triples to Bairstow and Johnson saw the lead grow to as much as 28 points.

The 'Cats did show some signs of life including their own 7-0 streak courtesy of Vic Law and Bryce Cotton, but it was still the 36ers in control at half-time leading 55-34.

Things offensively really dried up for the Sixers to start the second half and all they managed was a three-pointer from Johnson in the first five minutes. 

With their defence now locked in, Perth was warming to the challenge and a couple of big plays from Michael Frazier, and then a 7-0 run to close the term including a Kevin White triple on the buzzer had Adelaide's lead whittled down to nine by three quarter-time.

The 36ers responded well to start the fourth period with the opening eight points to see their lead grow back out to 17. While the 'Cats responded with the next seven points, the Sixers had all the answers down the stretch on their home floor to end up winning by 13.

The Sixers remain at home to host the streaking Melbourne United on Saturday while the Wildcats are also in action that same day in Wollongong against the Illawarra Hawks.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 7

ADELAIDE 36ERS 87 (Johnson 21, Bairstow 19, McCarron 10, Dech 10)

PERTH WILDCATS 74 (Law 16, Cotton 12, Frazier 10) 

BOX SCORE