Author: Tristan Prentice

 

The third quarter force of Nathan Sobey proved the hope in Mitch Creek's absence to guide the Sixers over the waves of the Breakers with Jedi like-play - Photo by Zimbio

DJ started rolling to a night at the charity stripe early before Shannon Shorter dished a sweet entree to Sobey for the cut through the Breakers Sunday afternoon roast. Sosa then picked off a steal deep in the back court and dropped the triple on the turn around before Deng returned the favour. Shorter then answered Wright’s calls from Friday dialing in for offensive rebounds and the and1 opportunity with many sensing the Sixers were up and about to get on a run. It proved to be as Deng emphatically rejected Sosa as the Sixers went on a 10-4 run to lead 29-23 at quarter time.

The second had the Breakers greeted by two block shots from Matt Hodgson as the Sixers went on a 10-3 run to open up the margin in the Fortress. The Breakers then made their comeback as the Sixers gave up two shots in a row while Anthony Drmic came up with two of his own to hold a ten point lead. Ramone Moore then got a little dancing going on the dribble then got down on the floor to force the jump-ball. The Sixers leading the way by 8 at the main break, 52-44.

The third quarter was the lights up duel of Sobey and Sosa with both jaw jacking and making physical passes at each other. Alex Pledger having a quiet night sat with four fouls and the Breakers looked a little smaller as DJ went to work on the block. The momentum shifted slightly when after a flop warning on the Sixers earlier in the night saw Drmic clearly trip on his own feet but was adjudged by the officials to be a flop resulting in the technical free throw. Sosa and Sobey then traded baskets in a one on one duel up and down the floor from all areas. In a huge blow for the Breakers, Finn Delaney always a dangerous cover exited the game before three quarter time with five fouls. The Sixers holding the ascendancy 80-69 at the end of three.

Josh Childress kicked things off for the Sixers in the fourth slicing through the defence of the Breakers before Drmic was pinged for another flopping technical, smiled and headed for the change-rooms for an early shower. Childress then scored his third basket of the quarter before Moore drained a long triple. Rob Loe also with a quiet night hit the pine with his fifth as the Sixers held a 13 point lead with five minutes to go. As top sides do, the Breakers found some inspiration in the huddle from Mika Vukona as they launched a late game comeback from Sosa. A couple of offensive fouls with some questionable defence saw them on a run of 8 points to close the game to a one possession game. A shot from Childress rimmed long to seal the match for the Sixers but DJ grabbed the offensive rebound then iced two free throws before Sosa’s last gasp triple to sen it to OT went long, the Sixers claiming the enormous home win, 95-92.

Sobey was the clear standout finishing with 22 points including four triples at 50 percent and 6 assists. Daniel Johnson also proved important with 17 points on 11 of 12 from the charity stripe and 7 rebounds including the game clinching offensive rebound. Josh Childress also brought his game to the arena with 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Sosa continued to prove he is one of the best point guards in the league with 26 points with four triples and 4 rebounds. Tom Abercrombie found his mark late in the game to finish with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Despite 11 points, Mika Vukona finished with only one solitary rebound.

Both teams meet again this Friday night in New Zealand in the first of an important stretch leading into the end of 2017. The Sixers have the Breakers then Melbourne United away the following week before a Christmas Eve clash against the Cairns Taipans at home followed by the second biggest weekend of sport in Adelaide’s summer. The Sixers will play the Breakers Friday then the Adelaide Strikers New Years Eve match will take place the following day in a sport fans dream double.

Going better than 500 will have the Sixers in a healthy position prior to the end of the year, as opposed to the fans the last two home matches. Like their game style the Sixers fans don’t mind it as long the Ws keep us close to the Empire of Perth and the First Order of New Zealand on the NBL ladder.

Adelaide 36ers 95 (Sobey 22, Johnson 17, Childress 15, Shorter 11) defeated New Zealand Breakers 92 (Sosa 26, Abercrombie 14, Vukona 11) at Titanium Security Arena

After a touch up on the glass in the "Jungle", the former King must reclaim his throne for the Sixers tonight - photo by The West

When: 4:30pm (ACDT), Sunday, 10th December

Where: Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide

Broadcast: NBL TV, Fox Sports, Sky Sports

 

Last time they met:

Round 18 (2016/17): Adelaide 36ers 87 (Johnson 19, Randle 16, Hodgson 14) defeated by New Zealand Breakers 88 (Penney 21, Dillard 20, Loe 15) at Titanium Security Arena

 

CROSS OVER DRIBBLE FLASHBACK:

ROUND 7, 2007/08: ADELAIDE 36ERS VS NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS    

We flashback to one of the matches where the season for the 36ers was a changing of the guard as they finished the time of being at the top of the ladder and the Breakers after some lean years were beginning to emerge as the basketball powerhouse of the 2010s in the NBL. The match featured players on opposite sides of their original clubs in Oscar Forman now a Breaker and little did we know then he’d be on his way to be a 400 plus gamer. The other Mike Chappell who we know at full fitness would have been a powerhouse in a case of the 36ers having missed many imports just in their prime.

The kiwi sharp shooter Phill Jones made life difficult early for the 36ers but there was some others that were making it harder for the Breakers. In an entertaining opening quarter, the 36ers led by three 26-23. Adelaide continued to utilise the original pick and pop man in import Adam Ballinger who constantly found space despite close monitoring by the “Bear” Tony Ronaldson. Ronaldson too was finding his nasty habit of doing anything on the scoring front in black, teal, blue and white since 1995. The 36ers led 49-39 and had a healthy margin heading into the third.

Again Jones and after missing many shot early from beyond the perimeter, Tall Black international Kirk Penney begun to find his range. Add the inconsistent but highly skilled Wayne Turner and Adelaide were being charged down but through the usual suspects of Brett Maher, Ballinger and their tenacious guard Brad Davidson the men in dark blue and red held the margin at ten, 69-59. The last quarter was dominated by Ballinger again and the Sixers as they ran away with it by 17 points.

Adelaide 36ers 87 (Ballinger 26, Maher 19, Davidson 14) defeated New Zealand Breakers 70 (Jones 14, Ronaldson 12, Turner 9) at the Distinctive Homes Dome

 

Key Match-Ups:

Shannon Shorter vs. Edgar Sosa

Shorter had his first taste of the “Jungle” on Friday night and now he would know what intensity he needs to play at week in, week out for the Sixers to go with the premier guards in the competition. Part two of the dual doesn’t come much tougher than the next opponent who is still vastly underrated.

Sosa is one of the new imports on the scene and while there are plenty of “MVP” established ones, he is quickly coming into people’s conversation. Sosa has taken the Breakers from bottom contender to out right favourite for the championship and the Dominican guard can take another step forward by getting the Sixers scalp on their home court. Here’s hoping Shorter can contain his influence in the game.

 

Josh Childress vs. Mika Vukona

With Creek likely sidelined with injury it is time for the former King to retake his throne and dominate the game tonight. Everyone knows what Childress is capable of and that will have Breakers coach Paul Henare worried about his match-ups for the swing-man.

After getting a pant-sing from Lucas “Sky” Walker and the Wildcats on the rebounds Friday night, coach Joey Wright will be reinforcing the absolute necessity of keeping the physical players off the glass including the kiwi veteran Vukona.

You really feel like if these two match each others aggression then this will be a contest worth watching down in the low post.

 

RAMONE MOORE VS. SHEA ILI

As a basketball lover you have to really enjoy the work Moore has done for the Sixers this season as the bench spark. He’s played the perfect role for the Sixers giving them what they need at any point of the match. Watch out for his pull-up jumper if his feet get set either on transition or finding the ball off cuts through the key-way. He also has an important defensive assignment.

Ili is no doubt the raging favourite for most improved player highlighted by his ability to play such productive minutes late in games. His last few minutes in Perth a few weeks ago were class and the Sixers will need to watch out for the momentum he creates while the two import guards sit.

 

The Last Play

Sadly the Sixers failed the first real test of the season falling to the Wildcats but they weren’t far off compared to other sides. The Sixers should be stung by the fact that the last time the Breakers came they got a one point win and Wright was ejected from the game in controversial circumstances. Another test despite being at home looms for Adelaide with the “travelling” Breakers flying on the road.

Henare knows what he needs to do to win this one but both teams having only met once are very different to the unsettled groups that met last month so Wright has aces up his sleeve as well. For me there is one player that makes the difference in this game of pretty even match-ups, Childress. If he dominates the small forward and power forward position against the Breakers, then Adelaide can protect their home floor with a crucial victory.

A tight one it will be but Adelaide simply have to win if they want to stay with the top two teams heading towards Christmas.

36ers by 4 points

Creek started the week dunking and playing some of the most physical basketball seen for Australia since Andrew Vlahov and finished the week doing the same against the Brisbane Bullets. Photo by The Wimmera Mail-Times

The Sixers donned in white with many old away jerseys spotted in the crowd from over thirty years of history  started the contest with a bang particularly through under-pressure home performer Daniel Johnson. DJ scored the first 5 points of the game making smart decisions on offence but the Bullets through Perrin Buford who alley-oop slammed off the inbound levelled the scores early before Matt Hodgson threw the sledgehammer down at the other end with some authority. The game ebbed and flowed early while Daniel Kickert and Anthony Drmic resumed hostilities in small bumps but Josh Childress clearly better locked into Adelaide’s plays started his influence early with 5 points in early minutes. Stephen Holt hit a triple, Majok Deng produced a long mid-range bank shot and then a crucial offence rebound to got to the stripe. The Bullets leading by one after an entertaining opening quarter, 24-25.

Creek got the lead back early in the second before Hodgson denied Mitch Young but former Sixer Adam Gibson back from injury then nailed his second triple of the match. Some quality defence from Creek and Hodgson led to a fast break two hander dunk for Nathan Sobey with the in his prime Charles Thomas lift the feet under the backboard finish. The Bullets through Travis Trice pushed the margin out to 8 points before a couple of euro steps resulted in points for Shannon Shorter and Sobey cutting it back to 4 points. Drmic nailed a triple, Buford finished strong twice and the Bullets pushed it back out again. Creek went skating on the ice finishing with the non-preferred but the Bullets led the match 45-49 at the break.

Kickert kicked off the third before Creek blocked Buford then nailed a triple at the other end. Sobey then gave the Sixers the lead before coming from the clouds to reject Young at the other end. Reuben Te Rangi halted the run before Gibson “took the chair” out from under Creek and then scored the two at the other end. Drmic then dropped another bomb and Childress split the Bullets in half for a deuce. Te Rangi continued to enjoy a purple patch quarter before Kickert then took a couple of Sixers into the block but a flop technical on Holt had the Sixers within 3 points at the end of the third, 61-64.

Childress started the last aggressively before Kickert hit “his” layup from deep twice. Sobey then shook Tom Jervis for a jaw dropping lay-up before Gibson dropped a long two and Buford hit a spin-around two to have the Bullets out to a game high nine points with 5:00 left. Drmic then came up good from deep again to get the Sixers back within 6 points before the Sixers switched to a 1-3-1 zone defence. It paid off as Creek finished with the two handed slam off the Childress steal. A 9-0 run to the Sixers forced timeout from the Bullets. Trice then dropped the dagger to push it out to 3 points again before Creek hit a runner to cut it to one. Childress then cut through the lane weaving his way through as the wily NBA veteran he is to the charity stripe. He dropped two to get them in front by one but Jervis found a mismatch and with 31 seconds left in the game the Bullets led by one point. Enter Creek who off a magnificently drawn up play sliced through the lane to give the lead to the Sixers. The Sixers forced Gibson into a runner, then the offensive put back was denied by Childress off the rim which jarred out to Te Rangi who rimmed the game winner, the Sixers home in dramatic style by one point, 84-83.

Creek led the way for both teams with 23 points at 78 percent and 4 rebounds and including his energy lifted the team across the line while Childress played his best game for the Sixers this season with 16 points at 66 percent and 5 rebounds.

The Bullets had multiple contributors with Trice and Kickert both registering 18 points and 3 assists while Buford nearly became another opposition small forward to get a double double at the Fortress with 15 points and 9 rebounds.

The Bullets next up have a tough stretch beginning with a New Zealand Breakers team desperate to restart their winning streak tomorrow afternoon at their home of the Armoury while the Sixers will take on the toughest assignment in the NBL, the Perth Wildcats at the Jungle next Friday night. If the Sixers can put all the pieces together and DJ can pretend the Jungle is his home arena again, perhaps the Sixers can start to make it tough for the other teams in the league and start to take a stranglehold on third position on the ladder.

One things for sure, last night we saw what a combination of Creek and Childress could do for the Sixers script this season and looking forward, it looks exciting and a real page turner.