Our five observations as the Adelaide 36ers holds their nerve to emerge from the Illawarra ‘Sandpit’ with a win
IT was a shootout in the Sandpit, as the Adelaide 36ers for the second straight game held off a late fightback to claim their second win of the season.
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IT was a shootout in the Sandpit, as the Adelaide 36ers for the second straight game held off a late fightback to claim their second win of the season.
The 36ers were ahead all night in Illawarra but Aaron Brooks’ 31 points set up a nervy finish as the Hawks came home strongly.
Tim Coenraad had the opportunity to steal a Hawks victory, finding himself wide open with just 22 seconds to go but missed his three-point attempt and the Sixers were able to emerge with a 98-92 victory.
Here’s our key take-outs from the win.
GRIFFIN’S X-FACTOR
It took just 40 seconds of the match for Eric Griffin to further show why he could be Adelaide’s X-factor this season.
After a best-on performance in the Sixers’ first win of the season against Brisbane, Griffin continued this momentum in the opening exchanges.
First came a steal and easy bucket and then just seconds later he was showing his prowess at the other end of the court with a big block to deny Josh Boone.
He was also able to stay out of foul trouble in the first half, but racked up two quick ones early on in the third quarter, finishing with 8pts, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
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AIR BALL
LaMelo Ball thrilled when in full flight with the ball in is hands driving at the rim throughout the evening.
But he needs to desperately fix his three-point shooting woes. The potential top-five NBA pick came into the match at 2-19 from outside the arch and struggled for much of the night with his long range shooting.
He isn’t afraid to go from deep, but his radar was way off.
MILESTONE MAN
In his 250th game for the Sixers, Daniel Johnson used all of his experience to help Adelaide close out the win.
With Jerome Randle quiet by his lofty standards, finishing with 15 points, Johnson stepped up to lead the way for Adelaide offensively - finishing with 21 points.
And with the game up for grabs at the end, he sealed the victory making both of his free throws after getting a vital rebound.
WHITE’S RETURN
There was a lot of love for Sixers co-captain Kevin White when he first took to the court upon his return to his former home.
But this goodwill from the Illawarra fans was gone by the end of the third-quarter, with the veteran involved in the biggest moments of the game.
On by Joey Wright to quell the influence of Brooks, White drew unsportsmanlike conduct from the hot Hawk but his over zealous celebration resulted in him getting a technical foul himself.
When White went to the free throw line, the Sandpit erupted in boos of the former Hawks hero and the tide had turned back towards the Sixers.
BROTHERLY LOVE
The first meeting of the Froling brothers in the NBL became a mini-match in itself.
Sixer Harry and Hawk Sam went at it, in front of their famous father Shane, and showed just how highly talented they are.
Younger brother Sam showed he could hold his own with the Sixer, giving his elder sibling a black eye in their first clash as he aggressively attacked the basket.
But Harry had the last laugh, finishing with 15 points, two of them from the three-point line, while Sam finished with 12 points.
Originally published as Our five observations as the Adelaide 36ers holds their nerve to emerge from the Illawarra ‘Sandpit’ with a win