Enter the Matrix: Keanu has turned out to be the "one" after leaving the Sixers - in discovering his "fit" its resulted in a Boomers appearance and a career defining season for the Taipans. That is a threat to his former side tonight - Photo credit to Keanu Pinder
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3-Minute Read
NBL ROUND 9
Adelaide 36ers vs Cairns Taipans
When: 7:00pm (ACDT), Friday 2 November
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre – The Ken Cole-seum
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, ESPN, www.nbl.com.au
SWOOP BACK IN HISTORY
STEVE’S MEN WALK OFF WINNERS?
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 Round 3 of the 2005/2006 season between these two teams. 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
or did they???
Key Matchups
Antonius Cleveland vs DJ Hogg
Cleveland continue to be a huge barometer for the Sixers. Since the FIBA break he’s averaged 16 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 second chance points. Thats an increase of 3 points and 2 rebounds per game in the Sixers 2-1 run.
At the other end the Taipans import has started to find his groove despite dropping his average 14.7 since the break. He did rattle off 12 points in the last 8:30 before fouling out to finish with a huge 20 point game Monday night against the Kings. The 26-year-old from Ohio looking like the type of player the Sixers could have problems with.
Daniel Johnson vs Keanu Pinder
Make no mistake and I say it every year, DJ loves to shake the snakes. In his career he still averages a healthy 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds against the Taipans since 2012. He’s always been a difficult matchup for the team from North Queensland and also has a career best 38 points back in 2020.
Speaking of hard to stop right now – not only did he call it out on twitter but he delivered Monday night against the Kings did the son of Tiny. It was one of Pinder’s most complete performances this season with 30 points and 13 rebounds – he is playing with unconscious confidence. He’s not over thinking it and everyone gets to sit back and watch him do his thing. Watch the below to see what must be watched out for particularly after Xavier Cooks fouled out.
Sunday Dech vs Tahjere McCall
Its not only Drmic that is seeing more minutes since CRII departure but Sunday as well. Dech also plays reasonably well against the Taipans with an average of 9.1 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists compared to his career average of 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Since 2019 its been 10 points per game so look for him to impact off the bench against a team he enjoys coming up on the fixture.
“He’s the man I built the team around” declared Adam Forde in a recent interview and McCall has the game and the tools to really cause the Sixers some headaches. In a slightly differing role on return from injury, he’ll be used potentially for impact tonight as its working for this humming first unit in Shannon Scott, Hogg, Buol Kuol, Sam Waardenburg and Pinder. The Sixers ability to guard the wing athletic three has been a challenge in recent seasons and although improved, McCall is one they can’t afford to find form against them.
THREE QUESTIONS TO SWOOP ON
Pinder looks the game-breaker in this one, how do you stop him?
It seems like a simple ploy but if you can sit him with foul trouble then you force the Taipans to dig into their reserve rotations with currently Majok Deng and Lat Mayen filling those roles. The challenge is he’s been quite disciplined in this area averaging 3.5 fouls per game.
If you are the Taipans when do you bring McCall back to the starting five?
The old saying is if it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it and Kuol has filled the position required while McCall has been injured. It could be even tonight or next game that the import returns to the starting group – but what Forde’s got going with the Taipans right now and his main guy is working so why change it?
Do the Sixers fans have to change their expectations on our star man Daniel Johnson?
He is 34 years old now and likely in this season and towards the next we could see DJ make a shift to first up off the bench – thats not a bad thing if the right person can fill the front court role he has held for so long. The reality is that Kai Sotto and Kyrin Galloway aren’t quite ready for that starting position and DJ is still good for a 20+ point game every so often and tonight looms against his favourite side as one of those potential nights out for the champion Sixer.
But 20+ night in night out might be a distant memory you feel…
So who wins?
At the start of the season I would’ve pencilled this one in but the Taipans first months of this season have been electric and they are a genuine threat to win away from home tonight. The Sixers however as we’ve talked about numerous times need to keep this roll going since the FIBA break – since then you can see the shift of mentality that this team trust each other more and I think with a big home crowd on a Friday night they’ll find a way to expose the youthful Taipans. That’s why I think it will be a double figure win to either side but fall the way of the home side this time around.
COD Prediction: 36ers by 11 points
Catch all the action tonight at the arena on Cluch Radio with Tristan “TP” Prentice and our special comments guest whether you’re at the game or watching from home
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 