Dusty Rychart (#45) in action against Ben Pepper (#31) of the Liberty Giants was the difference in the Cairns cliffhanger back in the 2005/06 season. Photo by Getty Images
When: 2:30pm (ACDT), Sunday, 24th December
Where: Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide
Broadcast: NBL TV, Fox Sports, Sky Sports, SBS
Last time they met:
Round 4: Adelaide 36ers 84 (Johnson 20, Sobey 17, Shorter 16, Creek 11) defeated Cairns Taipans 80 (Carrera 19, Loughton 15, Smith 14) at the Cairns Convention Centre
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE FLASHBACK:
ROUND 3, 2005/06: CAIRNS TAIPANS VS. ADELAIDE 36ERS
In the top five most controversial finishes to an NBL fixture and even today, many fans, officials and players aren’t even sure who won. Was it 94-90, 90-90 or 92-90 at the end of regulation? Did Dusty get his shot in the hoop with 0.7 seconds to go? If you thought tensions were high between these teams because of former 36ers Martin Cattalini and Darnell Mee crossing enemy lines, they blew out after this clash 12 years ago.
Another enemy of the 36ers beyond the arc in Gary Boodnikoff got it going for the Taipans but Dusty and Jacob Holmes had the 36ers in front 26-20 at the first change. The clash of Mee and Willie Farley then went up a notch as both picked up their offensive games but the 36ers still led 47-44 despite the Taipans closing the gap. The last half was a struggle as Dusty and Boodnikoff went bucket for bucket, three quarter time 67-65 then leading onto the finish. Taipans tied the game 90-90 heading into the last play when Dusty made the play and an elated 36ers team felt they had the game giving assistant coach Steve Breheny one of his best wins as coach with Phil Smyth unable to be present for the match.
The Taipans protested through their coach Alan Black as his players continued to warm-up believing that overtime was inevitable, the 36ers in amazing scenes had already bussed back to the hotel for recovery. Eventually the NBL came to the conclusion that Dusty’s shot had counted and the result stood with there being no playing time left to get an equaliser up also the 36ers had refused to return to play out the remaining minutes if there were any.
The final score was 92-90 in favour of the Sixers but in reality, we’ll never really know the final result…
Adelaide 36ers 92 (Rychart 28, Holmes 19, Farley 16) defeated Cairns Taipans 90 (Boodnikoff 21, Mee 17, Cattalini 14, Decker 10) at the Cairns Convention Centre
Quick Keys to the Game:
– Daniel Johnson to dominate the Taipans again
– Scoochie must step if Taipans are any chance
– Sixers have the greater depth in both sides
– Big game for both sides given table, a win to either puts a gap between them and their opposition
– The officiating will be under more scrutiny than ever before after Friday night
THE LAST PLAY
Ironically a Disney fairytale was turned into a farcical footnote Friday night, the Sixers should get their present on Christmas Eve, a solid place in the top four with a full strength team to return in the new year.
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 