Adris Deleon invoked memories of 2011 for the die hard NBL basketball fans turning back time and the clock for his 21 points. Photo by Zimbio/Mark Brake and Getty Images.
It was a case of the Master versus the Apprentice as Adris took on Jerome Randle in a salivating ball handling big game time moments contest that has been seasons in the making and finally took centre stage at the great theatre of Titanium Security Arena…
THE WRAP Q BY Q
The first quarter was a plethora of scoring prowess from Nathan Sobey’s “filaaaaay” to Majok Deng staring his defender down in the face in the low post and draining the deuce. Andrew Bogut welcomed himself to the Adelaide crowd with a two handed dunk before Daniel Johnson showed his wares again exposing the Kings lack of foot speed in the front court with triples and easy give an go layups. A taste of what was to come came in the final minute as Deleon lit up for his first set of triples before Randle beat the buzzer at quarter time 29-26 in the Sixers favour.
The second quarter belonged to a efficient Brad Newley who dropped 9 points and looked the player who nearly got the first legit Australian shot at the NBA. Bogut picked up a third foul and a verbal warning from the official for complaining about a box out that looked in NBA interpretation to be soft as butter, however illustrated the value of having bigs who understand rules about contact under the ring in the league. Bogut received a generous round of applause as he sat for the remainder of the quarter. Deleon helped put some early frosting on Brendan Teys 150th game cake feeding him for a pair of very popularly celebrated triples and then it happened. First Deleon crossed-over Randle then caught him hook line and sinker anticipating a drive but then stepped back for a fade-away triple to put the Sixers up by 10. Randle then quickly at the other end shaked and baked Deleon right back even forcing him right but it was just enough to deny Randle a second consecutive buzzer beater which the officials waved away. Sixers leading 62-52 at the main break.
The first half of the third belonged to Bogut as he found himself in the paint within hook shot range and obliged on more than one occasion while also dishing up some delicious interior passes. The highlight however was after a DJ offensive rebound, the Kings road runner Randle was blindsided by Jacob Wiley “Coyote” as he slashed through the key way and off the pass finished with the one handed slammer followed by a trademark flex we are becoming very use to. Brian Bowen II finished the quarter with a corner triple and we had a close one with an 82-80 edge to the home side.
DJ, Kevin Lisch, Sobey, Teys traded triples continuing the outstanding showcase of offence for both teams but none were quite like the man turning back the clock to 2011 in Deleon who again reeled Randle in and spat him back out with a triple that brought the house down, Deleon walking to the other end of the court showing off a wild celebration bringing the crowd to their feet. In the end despite a ridiculous Randle triple to close the game to a bucket with seconds left, the Sixers held their nerve and sealed it from the stripe with their dominance of the Sydney Kings reigning on for a bit longer after a game we’ll never forget.
COACH SPEAK
Sixers Coach Joey Wright despite Adris’s game was all full of praise for the other star of the night former captain Teys in his 150th game, “People don’t understand what this guy has done sitting here playing. It sometimes irritates me and disappoints me when they (we know who your referring to Joey) attack our players, he’s our glue guy and no-one knows the energy this guy puts in.”
Kings coach Andrew Gaze commented about the adjustments that his star player Bogut is making coming from the NBA into the NBL system and style, “We have to find a balance between him being a rim-runner occasionally. When he’s at that high-post he’s really good and we don’t quite have the balance right just yet.”
DO THE STATS LIE?
The Sixers had 44 bench points to 26 in their favour as Deleon and Teys dropped 21 and 14 of those points showing again the Sixers can cover the depth when any of their starters are down. The Sixers also shot 52 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc with Deleon and Teys also committing zero turnovers in the match.
The Kings were all about the paint with Bogut and the fast break points to Randle and Newley as they shot 50 points from inside and scored 24 points on fast breaks and 19 points from turnovers.
WHATS NEXT FOR THE SIXERS
The Sixers flew to Melbourne today for a Grand Final rematch going down in a thriller 75-72 in a match that again probably has Wright scratching his head how he can get one of those wins in Victoria (maybe the new SE Melbourne team might offer an opportunity next season) but the Sixers did keep their Achilles heal in Ware and Goulding to single figures showing a win in Melbourne isn’t too far away.
They now head to Cairns for Friday night to take on the new look Taipans where probably the two major threats for the Sixers are the big imposing presence of a healthy Nate Jawai and the newly arrived scoring machine of the North Melo Trimble who’s already accumulated 50 points in two matches.
But after a vintage performance from what we think was the past incarnation of Adris Deleon, the Sixers will be on the hunt to continue their imposing away record over this side from last season and erase the ghosts of Christmas Eve past once and for all…
ADELAIDE 36ERS 106 (DELEON 21, JOHNSON 20, SOBEY 18, TEYS 14, WILEY 11) DEFEATED SYDNEY KINGS 101 (NEWLEY 23, RANDLE 17, BOGUT 16, LISCH, KICKERT 15)
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 