Adelaide 36ers coach Joey Wright learns from past title success ahead of NBL grand final series

JOEY Wright is channelling previous grand final success as he bids to fire Adelaide 36ers to long-awaited NBL glory. The Sixers inspirational coach hopes lessons learned from Brisbane Bullets’ 2007 title win can help end Adelaide’s 16-year title drought.

Coach Joey Wright talks to Adelaide 36ers gun Nathan Sobey during the club’s last home-court training run before the NBL grand final. Picture: Sarah Reed

JOEY Wright is channelling previous grand final success as he bids to fire Adelaide 36ers to long-awaited championship glory.

The Sixers coach steered Brisbane Bullets to their third NBL title in 2007, six years before beginning his exhilarating overhaul of the SA club.

Wright recalled lessons learned in the build-up to his maiden championship decider, which rang true ahead of Adelaide’s grand final series with Melbourne United.

“I think it helps,” said Wright, who oversaw the Bullets’ 3-1 series triumph ironically over Melbourne Tigers 11 years ago.

“One of the biggest things we did that year at Brisbane was not get ahead of ourselves and not try to go into a grand final (thinking) ‘we have to do extra, we have to do more’.

“But our guys went into it and they were pretty nervous the first five or 10 minutes of that (opening) game.

“After we settled in, we called a time out, got the guys on pace and we went from there. But I don’t think we (36ers) have any fear.”

Adelaide had its final training hit out on its home court on Wednesday, before flying to Melbourne on the eve of Friday night’s series-opener at Hisense Arena.

Wright put his charges through an intense session with a heavy focus on defence, as his side prepared to shut down Melbourne dangermen Casey Prather, Casper Ware and Chris Goulding.

The three-time NBL coach of the year said limiting the impact of United’s big guns would be key to the Sixers ending their 16-year championship drought.

“They’ve got great players in most positions so we’re going to have to make sure we defend well,” the Illinois-born mentor said.

“If we can stop three or four of their guys, then it puts them on the back foot and they have to change what they do.”

US import Ramone Moore produced an inspirational display to help Adelaide 36ers down Perth Wildcats in the NBL semi-final. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Sixers point guard Ramone Moore echoed Wright’s sentiments ahead of the clash with the club he played for last season before a calf injury ended his stint.

The US import, named the league’s Best Sixth Man this campaign, had enjoyed exchanging some good-natured pre-match text messages with his ex-teammates.

“I just told them ‘see you next Friday’,” said Moore, who was inspirational off the bench in Adelaide’s dramatic semi-final triumph over Perth Wildcats.

“It’s kind of special, because I didn’t know I would be here (Adelaide) last year and now I’m playing against my former team in a grand final.

“In the back of my mind I’m thinking about that, but I don’t want to get too high or too low.

I’m pretty excited with what’s at stake and pretty happy to be in this situation.”