Jerome Randle led the scoring with 22 points at 52 percent from the field when his team most needed but was ably supported by five other Sixers in double figures with 22 of those points coming from the pine - Photo by ESPN
THE WRAP Q BY Q
Early favourite for Rookie of the Year Kouat Noi put up 10 points in the first five minutes in an explosive start for the Taipans, former Sixer Majok Deng opening his account with an alley-oop jam. Sixers star Jerome Randle was showing the handles though dragging the Sixers back into the game dominating dangerous guard Scott Machado early. Spark plug Jack McVeigh entered the game pulling up for a transition triple but The Taipans shooters and big Nate Jawai however were able to generally do as they pleased on offence putting up 22-30 at quarter time.
The second quarter belonged to the Sixers as they turned up the defensive heat on the Snakes and began to suffocate their shooters early. The Taipans however got out by as much 30-38 halfway through the quarter before the Sixers flicked the switch. Taipans kryptonite DJ and a masterful display of ball control, finishing under pressure and big shots from Randle lifted the Sixers to 25 points in a five minute blast led also by a highly efficient Anthony Drmic. The Taipans had however the last say with “Space” Cam-eron Oliver had lift off for a alley-oop jam to end the half with the Sixers taking a slim lead 55-49 after a slow start.
A quiet first half from Machado was alleviated from the Taipans early in the half as he lit up for 8 points for the quarter and was steadily fighting back to influence the match. The block machine in Eric Griffin began to set the tone defensively and Randle continued to push the score out for the Sixers. Despite the Taipans keeping the Sixers in more of a half-court game, the Sixers dominated the offensive glass creating opportunities for themselves to hold the Taipans 84-69 going into the final quarter.
The Taipans bit back hard at the start of the fourth with Deng and the “Cannon of Canberra” Mirko Djeric putting the Snakes on an 8-0 run to open the quarter. But it was Randle’s handles and the steady hand of DJ once again that held off a fast finishing Snakes despite a flurry of threes from Oliver and Djeric closed the margin back to four points. A final turnover as Drmic picked the pocket off money man DJ Newbill off the inbound with 20 seconds to go sealed it for the Sixers from the line.
COACH SPEAK
Sixers Coach Joey Wright highlighted the impact of Randle and the equally important minutes once again of McVeigh, “I thought Jerome was big tonight and that’s why we brought him here, that’s what we want from him. He (McVeigh) followed me around me like a bad smell this summer and bothered me all off season every day to practice and keep getting better and it’s paying off for him.”
Taipans Coach Mike Kelly spoke about his import Cameron Oliver and the teams positives on offence and some constructive criticism around his defence through four quarters, “It was good offensively early but we got on the back foot defensively in the second quarter and they just attacked and starting good about themselves and we couldn’t stop them. Cam is a really good player and can score the ball and I like the way he goes about it and it took some big shots to get us back in the last and Cam was right there.”
DO THE STATS LIE?
The Sixers setup the game as mentioned earlier in the second quarter in a 25 point burst in five minutes on the back of keeping the Taipans off the three point line and just to twelve field goal attempts. Six Sixers hit double figures and in the second half the Sixers got to the charity stripe to keep ahead in the game shooting 92 percent for the match from 28 attempts.
The Taipans had a mixed bag of plus and minus statistics sharing the ball around for 24 assists but also produced 16 turnovers. Their bench was also productive with 21 points and also shot just under 50 percent from the perimeter which kept them in the game. Kouat Noi scored all of his 10 points in the first quarter but only saw three more minutes in the game after his hot streak at the start.
WHATS NEXT FOR THE SIXERS
Its the “rise” of the Phoenix next up for Adelaide today as they play a team that can expose the weaknesses in Adelaide’s defence at the small forward spot. After being handed a basketball lesson by the Wildcats on Friday night, Mitch Creek and the men in charcoal and green will be very keen to light up the Sixers in the Firepit in another of the many “friend vs foe” matches this NBL season promises and that makes us “hungry” to know where the Sixers rank in the order of the Phoenix…
ADELAIDE 36ERS 101 (RANDLE 22, D JOHNSON 19, DRMIC, GRIFFIN 13, MOORE 12, MCVEIGH 10) DEFEATED CAIRNS TAIPANS 97 (OLIVER 21, NEWBILL 18, MACHADO 14, DENG 13, NOI 10)
*This article is a duplicate of an article written for publishing for And The Foul.net and may appear before or after publishing
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 