NBL Play-In Eliminator: Jason Cadee, Nathan Sobey preview South East Melbourne Phoenix vs. Adelaide 36ers

One of the NBL’s great careers could come to an end on Sunday. And although he’s out to make sure that happens, even Nathan Sobey wants Jason Cadee and his impact on basketball in Australia to be celebrated.

There’s just a little poetry to be written about Sunday’s NBL play-in eliminator.

Part of the last Adelaide team to make it into the postseason — way back in 2017-18 — South East Melbourne star Nathan Sobey will be a key figure in masterminding the 36ers’ exit.

And that would mean a 424th and final NBL game for much-loved Sixers veteran Jason Cadee, who will hang up the sneakers once Adelaide’s season is done.

The pair spent four years together in Brisbane and are best friends. But that’s out the window, each singularly focused on one goal — ensuring their team makes it into a semi-final series against top-of-the-table Illawarra.

Cadee, 33, has become one of the league’s elders, leant on in times, good and bad, by anyone from veteran Boomer Sobey, to fiery Adelaide import Montrezl Harrell, to 18-year-old hoops prodigy Roman Siulepa. But the fact it’s season — or career — over for the loser of Sunday’s game is more a by-product of each individual mate’s ambition.

“We talked about (Cadee’s retirement) last week and what it was going to look like when he announced it,” Sobey said.

“No matter what happens (on Sunday) he deserves to be celebrated for such a great career, first and foremost, but it’s not just the basketball.

“He is a genuine person and helped so many people along his journey, both on and off the court.”

Nathan Sobey (left) takes on Jason Cadee during his time in Adelaide.

But that comes after the season is over. Right now, after they eliminated Sydney from the postseason on Thursday night, Cadee’s teammates won’t let him think too much about the end.

“A lot of my teammates keep saying, ‘you’re not taking that jersey off yet’,” Cadee said.

“That makes it special because I’ve got a lot of memories in basketball.

“I’ve been able to win everywhere else except the NBL so, if somehow we could get to that (it would be great) but it is one step at a time.”

A first step for the Sixers would be to find a way to combat the Phoenix under Coach of the Year finalist Josh King, given they’ve lost both games they’ve played since the American took the reins in the Heartland.

“The Phoenix have played very good basketball for basically the past four months, Sobey is the head of the snake, Matt Hurt stands right next to him, in terms of those two generating points and plays,” Cadee said.

“I don’t think you are ever going to stop people like that but, if we can make it a little bit harder and take the shots we are happy with then that will go a long way.”

Sobey says the 20-point win in Round 13 and 6-point result in Round 19 (after the Phoenix led by as many as 23) “don’t mean anything, now”.

“It’s a whole new game. They’re coming off a win. They’re up and about,” Sobey said.

“They’ve got some good players that we’ve got to knuckle down on and pay attention to the scout on what we’re trying to do throughout the course of the game to make it as tough as we can for them. And we’ll be locked into that scout and ready to go.

“Everyone wants to be playing in these games, so we’ve got to make the most of that.”

Montrezl Harrell and Matt Hurt will have a huge say on which team progresses.

WHY SOBEY’S THE HEAD OF THE PHOENIX SNAKE

Sobey as the Phoenix’s “head of the snake” is bang on from Cadee. American Hurt’s impact as a top-three MVP finalist has meant the Victorian’s elite return to his home state and improvement at age 34, have somehow flown under the radar.

But he is No. 1 at the Phoenix for +/- (+116) and is making better decisions at both ends since King took over — the 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals would both be career highs and the respectable 33 per cent clip from deep is his best in five seasons.

“He just brings that clarity and he did that from the jump, told me how it is, and ways that he knows that I can be effective and put me in those areas to be effective,” Sobey said of King’s influence.

“And then also just the accountability on both ends of the floor, being able to hold me to that, I think, has been huge.

“I’m just thinking about ‘how can I make the game easier for my teammates’ and the better they are, the better I am.”

Nathan Sobey has been vital for the Phoenix.

Perhaps a victim of a lack of offensive talent in Brisbane where he carried too big a load, Sobey’s learnt to play within himself a little more, make better decisions and trust his new teammates in the Heartland. And he’s benefiting, too, getting more open looks on catch-and-shoot threes, making the extra pass, while still using his supreme athleticism to get in the lane and finish at the cup or get to the free throw line.

Asked if he was playing the best basketball of his career, Sobey says “I don’t know, I just worry about how I can affect the game now and what that looks like for our group.”

“I think there’s ways that I’ve been good in that and I think there’s still a lot of improvement that I can keep getting out of myself to make the game a lot easier for my teammates,” he said.

Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell hold the keys for Adelaide.

SIXERS GROWING UP

Cadee and the combustible Sixers have been one of the most compelling teams to watch this season.

From pre-season coach axings, to training blow-ups, to crowd incidents, suspensions, blockbuster wins and brutal upset losses, the Sixers have been box office.

Cadee says the rollercoaster might finally have found a straight rail, after a heated locker room exchange between coach Mike Wells and players, including star guard Kendric Davis.

“We cleared up and simplified a lot of things and found who we were,” Cadee said.

“Since then people have been a lot more comfortable with what is expected of them.

“At times, we still show an immaturity in our basketball, but the majority of the past six weeks we’ve shown a maturity in how we play.”

They’ll need every bit of that maturity to combine with the explosive talent of NBA big man Harrell, dominant MVP finalist Davis, big man Isaac Humphries and lights-out shooting captain Dejan Vasiljevic — fresh off seven treys against the Kings — to keep their season alive on Sunday.

PLAY-IN GAME

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE (4TH) v ADELAIDE 36ERS (6TH)

Sunday, 2.30pm AEDT (2pm ACDT), John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Originally published as NBL Play-In Eliminator: Jason Cadee, Nathan Sobey preview South East Melbourne Phoenix vs. Adelaide 36ers