The Adelaide 36ers have lost their fourth game in a row after going down to the Perth Wildcats but there were some glimmers of hope
There is a big four emerging at the top of the NBL ladder and after four straight losses, Adelaide is not one of them. The key take-outs from Friday’s loss to Perth including Eric Griffin’s foul, Damian Martin’s knees, Obi Kyei’s growing confidence and the battle to contain Bryce Cotton.
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A BIG four is forming at the top of the NBL ladder and after four straight losses it is clear Adelaide is not one of them.
Not right now, anyway.
Last night’s four-point loss to reigning champion Perth followed losses to the other top-four teams Melbourne, South East Melbourne and Sydney in the past three weeks.
And there is no relief in sight with another bout against the Phoenix on the road on Monday night.
After another promising start in which it led by one point at quarter-time and three points at the half, Adelaide was over-run by the Wildcats even with their most damaging offensive player Bryce Cotton well held.
“Tonight I thought we came out and played a pretty good game statistically, we out-rebounded them and our assist to turnover ratio was pretty good, they made plays when it counted, they made big plays when it counted,” Adelaide coach Joey Wright said.
“I would love for these guys to make a few better decisions coming down the stretch but I can’t knock the way they went about it tonight.
“All the second chance and hustle stuff that we track on the bench they accomplished those, but they made some plays that we didn’t.”
The key takeouts from the 99-95 loss were:
Griffin must play big
Eric Griffin sank a three-pointer on his way to eight rapid points in the first quarter. But when he missed his second three-point attempt he was benched early in the second quarter with coach Joey Wright telling him to “get up”.
He returned with three minutes to half-time and played like a big man should. Griffin drove to the basket, missed the shot but got the tip-in off the glass, then on the next two plays the Sixers fed him inside and he went to the free throw line both times. The US import went to the line four times in the first half for 4/7 and 13 points and sat on four fouls early in the fourth quarter to finish with 18 for the night.
“I like offensively his inside and outside game and ability shoot on the perimeter and attack but he’s got to rebound better, what did he have three rebounds tonight?
“He’s the most athletic and one of the quickest guys on the court and he’s averaging about 3.5 to four rebounds, it’s just not good enough.”
Griffin’s fourth foul was an unsportsmanlike on Cotton as he made his way down the court and Wright wasn’t impressed.
“That was totally unnecessary at that time in the game,” Wright said.
“It didn’t change momentum but it’s a different ball game if it’s shot clock and they’re up one versus them being up three.”
Can’t keep Cotton down for long
Adelaide’s defence did a good job on restricting Cotton. Kevin White, Brendan Teys, Jerome Randle and Ramone Moore all spent time on the 2018 league MVP who was scoreless in the first quarter with the rims unkind to him with 0/4 attempts.
Cotton was still scoreless midway through the second quarter but Dario Hunt and Nick Kay were getting it done for the Wildcats. Hunt was devastating on both sides of his body in the paint with finger rolls, hooks and lay-ups using his size to get to the basket.
Cotton was just 1/8 in the first half but the home crowd held its breath as to what that would mean in the second. He lost Jerome Randle in traffic on a baseline cut to score the opening basket of the third quarter then hit his first three soon after to still finish with 18 points. Kay had 21 and Hunt 19 while Jesse Wagstaff and Clint Steindl were big off the bench.
“I thought we did a great job controlling him for periods but you look at Nick Kay he’s an unsung hero in that group, he had 21 and 8 and really didn’t see much of it.”
Kyei on a high
Obi Kyei played 13 minutes and he earnt every single second of them. In the final minute of the first quarter he grabbed a big defensive rebound against two Wildcats then grabbed the offensive board on the same play and kicked it to Kevin White for a three. In the final minute of the second quarter he got up to put Ramon Moore’s missed shot back in and with 1:15 to go in the third drained a three. He started the last quarter and was at it again, flying for a defensive rebound to force a jump ball possession.
“His energy brought us back, we were down seven points and he comes in grabbing o-boards and giving us extra looks.
“He’s a rookie and will learn how to finish those, he knocked down a big three and will continue to get better, he’s a guy you want to build around and keep around.”
Martin’s still got it
Damian Martin might be 35 but he is still picking people’s pockets like a teenager with fast hands and such a smart basketball brain knowing exactly when to wait for his moment to strike with a steal or a block.
He finished with three steals including one on Anthony Drmic under the basket when Drmic had taken the defensive rebound and he timed his jump perfectly to block Jerome Randle whose shot late in the game could have dragged the home team back in it.
“The one thing about Damo is he works at it, he’s tenacious,” Wright said.
“I’m always amazed at guys who feel like they need to give the guy they’re playing against a break.
“Damo, his knees are probably as good as mine and his ankles not much better, but he’s still out there just not giving guys a break.
“That’s not a skill, that’s just coming from within.”
Randle’s playmaking
Jerome Randle had an equal game-high 23 points along with Daniel Johnson but it was his playmaking which impressed the most. Randle finished with a game-high six assists, many with a looping pass back over his head to the open shooter when driving into the key.
His three-pointer with five minutes to go gave Adelaide a chance and his defence forced Cotton to travel at a crucial moment but Perth held on for a well-earned road victory.