Adelaide 36ers

R18 Report: Tigers climb past fast-starting Sixers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:31:00 +1100

BOXSCORE

The Melbourne Tigers ended a six-game losing streak and recorded their first win of 2012, beating a struggling Adelaide 36ers 87-81 at The Cage on Friday night.

Cam Tragardh (20 points) and Liam Rush (18) led the scoring for a Melbourne team that took until the second half to play their best basketball.

The Tigers missed a half-court alley-oop three seconds into the game to highlight their recent struggles, Adelaide and their animated bench capitalising by jumping to a 10-0 lead.

Marty Clarke was pleased with the start but recognised his team’s desperation for wins.

“The way they came out, united as a team and playing hard, it was a credit to them. But you don’t get credit in the win-loss column, and that’s what we need right now. We need a win.

“It wasn’t a clean game, the ball being raked out of hands and I think it was because there was a lot of desire out there.”

Bearded import Chris Warren led the way for the 36ers with 18 first-half points on his way to a superb 31-point, 4-assist, 3-steal outing.

Fellow import Diamon Simpson (17 points, 9 rebounds), centre Daniel Johnson (13 and 11) and Stephen Weigh (12 points) provided the best support.

Scoring dwindled after the 36ers' quick start, Adelaide turning to a zone and the Tigers using their full-court press to get easy baskets.

Myron Allen (12 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) did his best to involve his teammates after picking up a couple early fouls, but the Tigers’ lack of movement against the zone trapped them on the perimeter and starved Tragardh of opportunities.

The Tigers upped their energy in the third with Adelaide switching back to man-to-man and Ron Dorsey (12 points) finding lanes to the basket.

The Tigers took their first lead with two minutes to go in the period, feeding efficiently off Matt Burston (8 points) in the middle pick-and-roll.

The 36ers shrugged off the awakened Cage crowd to level the scores at 61-61 at the final break thanks to a Weigh triple.

But it was Melbourne's crafty new point guard Allen, 12 fourth-quarter Tragardh points and a coast-to-coast Daniel Dillon basket that brought relief to the Tigers’ faithful.

Daniel Dillon, who stole the momentum late in the fourth with a huge run-down steal and assist, credited Tigers’ captain Tommy Greer for his leadership on defence. “Tommy did a great job of leading us on defence, and when he plays like that it ripples down to the rest of the guys in the backcourt, everyone getting in the lanes.”

Jubilant Tigers coach Trevor Gleeson heralded his team for finding old form.

“We haven’t played that way in six weeks, just the intensity and the intent and the teamwork. We haven’t had that effort in a long time.

“That’s the first time we’ve won the rebound count in two months, there’s some good signs there, but now it’s up to us to do it consistently.”

Melbourne Tigers 87 (Tragardh 20, Rush 18, Allen 12)
Adelaide 36ers 81 (Warren 31, Simpson 17, Johnson 11)

Crowd: 2126 at State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne

BIG DOUBLE WEEKEND FOR ADELAIDE

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:36:00 +1100

The Adelaide 36ers have a double road trip this weekend, taking on the Melbourne Tigers tonight at 'The Cage' and take on Townsville on Sunday evening at 'The Swamp'. Adelaide had an intense week of training and have prepared for a physical weekend against the two teams. Adelaide 36ers Chief Executive Officer, Leeanne Grantham said that it has been a good break for the team since their Australia Day eve game against Townsville. "The team has come back refreshed from a mini break and had a great week at training," "We are looking forward to playing Melbourne tonight and Townsville on Sunday afternoon," "We have one of the youngest starting five's in the league and they are constantly improving, which is wonderful to see." Both games on the weekend will be telecast on ONE HD at 10.30pm Adelaide time on Friday night and Sunday night and will give the fans an opportunity to see the team in action. Fans can also follow the game on live stats on www.nbl.com.au. The Adelaide 36ers next home game is at 4pm, Sunday February 12, at the Adelaide Arena. Tickets are available for the home game through www.proticket.com.au and start from $20 for adults.

R18 Preview: Melbourne Tigers v Adelaide 36ers

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:24:00 +1100

Tip-off: Friday, February 3, 7.30pm (local), State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne

TV: ONE, 10.30pm (check local guides)

Last time they met: Adelaide 95 (Weigh 24, Simpson 18, Warren 16) d Melbourne 89 (Mills 32, Tragardh 18, Dorsey 14), Round 7, 2011/12, Adelaide Arena

On the rebound?
For the Tigers, things weren’t meant to turn out the way they did last Friday in Wollongong.

After a tough 10-game stretch – with every game was against a top-five opponent and without reinforcement for the departed Patty Mills – the last-placed Hawks were meant to be the first stepping stone out of the mire.

Nobody told Wollongong though, and Melbourne sank deeper into a growing hole with a 22-point loss. Despite now being two games behind fourth place, there is still light at the end of the tunnel for the Tigers.

Four of their last seven games are against the bottom three and they play only three road games. But the road to the playoffs must start with a win over Adelaide on Friday night.

On the rebounds
After watching Wollongong’s efforts, 36ers young gun Mitch Creek knows the key to beating the Tigers.

“It’s a case of getting on the boards against an undersized team like Melbourne,” he said.

“We’ve got DJ (Daniel Johnson) and Diamon (Simpson) who average over eight rebounds each, and if Steve (Weigh) and myself and a couple of guards can all grab at least two or three we should come out on top in the rebounds.”

Creek said when the 36ers control the glass they are “a tough team to knock over”. In five wins Adelaide have pulled in six defensive rebounds above their average.

Melbourne have been out-rebounded by an average of eight a game this season and collect just 63 per cent of rebounds at their defensive end.

Minding Myron
Adelaide coach Marty Clarke has been using the 195cm Creek as a defensive foil for the toughest guards around the league, and he may well get the job on new Tigers import Myron Allen.

“He looks like a crafty type of player, a lefty, he can shoot it pretty comfortably,” Creek said.

“I think it’s a case of using my length to dictate his shot and put him in two minds. If he misses his first shot I can get in his ear a bit.”

Allen has impressed with 15 rebounds, seven assists and six rebounds in his first two games, showing the strength and speed needed to cope with the physical fullcourt pressure in the iiNet NBL.

Since his debut, however, the Tigers have scored just 146 points at 42 per cent from the field.

Melbourne had been among the league-leaders for much of the season at around 45 per cent, and will be hoping once Allen gets more familiar with their sets his teammates will get back into their rhythm.

The wrap
Despite their poor season the 36ers players present a strong front and view this game as a big chance to end their four-game losing streak.

Melbourne have lost six straight but have arguably the most athletic team in the competition, and earlier in the year captain Tommy Greer said they were looking to play a similar style to Perth.

But with centre Matthew Burston’s injuries and the lack of a replacement for Mills, the Tigers haven’t had the depth to utilise their physical tools in the open court.

Adelaide will want to make this a track meet; it will be interesting to see whether the Tigers take the Sixers on or look to slow them down.

Prediction: 36ers by 4

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE ADELAIDE 36ERS GALA AUCTION

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:06:00 +1100

The Adelaide 36ers biggest fundraiser, the Gala Auction, will be held on Saturday 18 February at AAMI Stadium’s Magarey Room. There are fabulous auction items available for our major and silent auctions and include a Holden Commodore Sports Wagon provided by Smith’s Holden, a trip to Perth to see the first 36ers v Wildcats game including flights, accommodation, tickets to the game and dinner with the team. Ladies have the opportunity to bid for a dinner with the single men of the Adelaide 36ers; Stephen Weigh and Wade Helliwell and there is a Superbox at AAMI stadium up for grabs for an AFL game with most Port Adelaide and Adelaide football matches available. Chief Executive Officer, Leeanne Grantham says that the auction is a great night out for the basketball community and fans of the game. “We have a great night planned with entertainment throughout the night including a special burlesque performance from the Adelaide 36ers dancers,” “Wayne Phillips will be the MC for the night and we have Lindi Jane showing her ventriloquist talents.” For the adrenaline junkies, there is a pack up for grabs that includes a skydive, shark dive and rally experience or for the wine connoisseurs, we have a wine experience to the Barossa, Adelaide Hills or McLaren Vale in a Stretch Hummer for a day. The Gala Auction includes a three course meal, soft drinks, beer, wine and sparkling wine and costs $130 per ticket, $110 for members. Fans can get there tickets for the Gala Auction by clicking here. For information about the Gala Auction, please phone the Adelaide 36ers on 8345 0900.

R17 Report: Crawford, Crocs jump sloppy Sixers

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:43:00 +1100

BOXSCORE

The Townsville Crocodiles registered their fourth straight win by defeating the Adelaide 36ers 79-69 in a dour affair at The Swamp on Wednesday.

The Crocs did only what was needed to hold on after jumping to a double-figure lead midway through the second quarter, where three consecutive triples from Olympic hopeful Peter Crawford (14 points, 4/7 three-pointers) broke the game open.

The 36ers failed to mount a genuine challenge, having one brief moment of hope early in the second quarter when emerging superstar Daniel Johnson (21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals) unleashed a nine-point scoring spree.

Adelaide was woeful early, making just 5-of-21 from the field, while Townsville struggled for cohesion themselves and relied on giant Luke Schenscher to stay in front 19-14 at the first break.

Johnson then cut lose for the 36ers as they claimed the lead, but Crawford’s brilliant run of triples blew the margin into double figures.

Adelaide turned the game into a grind in the third term and import Chris Warren found his range, but Townsville hit back as the Cedar brothers sinking from beyond the arc to keep them in front 60-53.

Cedar opened the final term with a long-range three to ensure the margin remained comfortable as the Crocs controlled the remainder of the encounter.

Johnson attempted one last ditch effort to salvage the match and slashed the margin to seven, but he was a lone ranger in an otherwise disappointing night for Adelaide, who committed 20 turnovers but handed out just five assists.

Townsville Crocodiles 79 (Gill 17, Crawford 14, M Cedar 13)
Adelaide 36ers 69 (Johnson 21, Warren 13, Herbert 11)

Crowd: 3622 at Townsville Entertainment Centre

36ERS TO ATTACK CROCS IN TONIGHT’S GAME

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +1100

The Adelaide 36ers will be in for a hard game at the Swamp against the Townsville Crocodiles tonight. Having been delayed at Brisbane airport yesterday, the team landed in Townsville two hours late and missed their training slot that evening.
The team will be having a shoot around today in preparation for tonight’s match.
Chief Executive Officer Leeanne Grantham says that the team need to play a strong aggressive game against the Crocodiles tonight.
“Townsville have won their past three games and they are in good form,”
“We don’t have a good record against the Crocs on their home court, so tonight the team can change that.”
The team has its own expectations and are determined to get the win tonight for their own pride and for their fans.
Adelaide will be playing Townsville three times in the next three weeks and tonight have the opportunity to get an advantage against the Crocs.
The 36ers will be playing the Crocodiles at the Adelaide Arena on Sunday 12 February at 4pm for the third and final match between the teams.
Tickets start from $20 for adults and are available from www.proticket.com.au
The Adelaide 36ers Gala Auction will be held on Saturday 18 February, 7pm at AAMI Stadium’s Magarey Room and tickets can be purchased from www.adelaide36ers.com
For any enquiries regarding purchasing tickets for the Gala Auction you can call the Adelaide 36ers on 8345 0900 or email admin@adelaide36ers.com

R17 Preview: Townsville Crocodiles v Adelaide 36ers

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:15:00 +1100

Tip-off: Wednesday, January 25, 7.30pm (local), Townsville Entertainment Centre

Last time they met: Townsville 99 (Schenscher 25, Crawford 13, Crosswell 12, Ellis 12) d Adelaide 97 (Ng 21, Howard 17, Holmes 13) OT, Round 11, 2010/11, Adelaide Arena

Holmes coming
These teams meet for the first time since December 23, 2010, and for the first time since long-time 36er Jacob Holmes made the move to north Queensland.

Holmes said as much as he is looking forward to the game he “can’t afford to play any differently” than normal given the playoff dogfight the Crocs are in.

The 36ers have struggled offensively since point guard Nathan Crosswell tore his Achilles tendon, their last three outings bringing just 68.3 points a game and 37 per cent shooting. Their assist to turnover ratio has been a horrible 0.48.

Stephen Weigh tried to pick up the slack against Cairns, making 8 of 14 field goals and finishing with a brilliant 21 points.Holmes will spend time on the 24-year-old and knows he must use his experience.

“Stevie Weigh is playing inside and out, he’s shooting threes and putting it on the floor,” he said.

“I am a little bigger than him so that’s something I can use in the post. But he’s had some big scoring nights this year so I have to make sure it’s an off night for him.”

New Balls?
The Sixers have also missed captain Adam Ballinger most of this season, taking away a valuable frontcourt perimeter option. But Holmes has been impressed with former teammate Daniel Johnson.

“He’s not Adam Ballinger, but he’s on his way.

“He’s playing great basketball and looking to score whenever he touches the ball.”

Johnson also appears to be feeling the absence of Crosswell, his output slipping to 11.7 points and 14 of 34 shooting in the past three games.

At the other end, Johnson is fourth in the league in defensive rebounding and fifth in blocks, but when Townsville go with a small line-up Holmes will be looking to drag the 212cm giant to the perimeter with his 46 per cent three-point shooting.

Many gears
Adelaide’s 24-point first quarter against Cairns showed how dangerous the 36ers are when allowed to play in the open court.

Holmes believes the Crocs will need to control the speed of the game better than they did against Wollongong.

“We pride ourselves on being able to play different styles of basketball,” he said.

“But we’ve still got to dictate the tempo and last week we had it dictated to us.

“From what I’ve seen they’re a team that can play a couple of different styles, but we’ll watch some tape of games they’ve lost and see how that’s happened.”

Pick and choose
Point guard Chris Warren may be having a down patch, but Holmes isn’t underestimating how dangerous he and back-up Everard Bartlett can be if allowed space.

“They run a lot of on-ball screens and a lot of up-the-floor screens to get their guys going at the rim,” he said.

“We’ve made a few good steps the past few weeks in defending the on-ball screen and I think we’re going to have to be great at that against Adelaide.

“At the same time, you don’t want to help too far because you have to get back to Diamon Simpson and DJ who are dangerous around the rim.”

The wrap
The Crocs can win their fourth in a row on Wednesday night and put a small deposit on a playoff berth.

The 36ers have an offensively potent line-up, but they haven’t functioned well post-Crosswell after being one of the highest scoring teams to that point.

Adelaide have struggled to play the game at the tempo they desire for four quarters. Townsville are the chameleons of the NBL and should have too much class at home.

Prediction: Crocs by 12

36ERS FALL SHORT TO TAIPANS

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:30:00 +1100

Adelaide this afternoon fell short to the Cairns Taipans losing 75-87 after the lead changed many times throughout the game.

The 36ers bright light was Stephen Weigh who played his best game of the season hitting 21 points and bringing in 4 rebounds.

Head coach Marty Clarke says that the team battled hard to bring the score level to 66 points a piece after being down by 10 points.

“We tried to run a group of guys that do not get fatigued, they are pro sports people and they have to fight through the barrier of fatigue or perceived fatigue,”

On Stephen Weigh’s game, Marty said that Stephen was fantastic tonight.

“It has been well documented his battles with a foot injury over the past few months, he kept his fitness up and kept up his touch with the ball,”

“He fed well, scored well and rebounded well and as game night captain, encouraged them throughout the match.”

The Adelaide 36ers head to Townsville on Tuesday morning for their match against the Crocodiles on Wednesday night.

The next home game for the Adelaide 36ers is on Sunday 12 February at 4pm.

Tickets are available for the game against the Townsville through ProTicket and start from $20 for adults.

For information on the Adelaide 36ers, please phone 8345 0900 or visit www.adelaide36ers.com

R16 Preview: Adelaide 36ers v Cairns Taipans

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:21:00 +1100

Tip-off: Sunday, January 22, 4pm (local), Adelaide Arena

TV: ONE 10.30pm (check local guides)

Last time they met: Cairns 72 (Warren 25, Wilson 16, Crosswhite 14) d Adelaide 67 (Simpson 16, Johnson 15, Warren 10), Round 14, 2011/12, Adelaide Arena

The Taipans can create a gap from the chasing pack this weekend, and after a trademark 72-67 win at Adelaide Arena a fortnight ago they will be full of confidence.

After a brief glimmer of hope surrounding Christmas the doom and gloom has resettled in Adelaide, more than 6100 witnessing their struggles against Cairns before their team was beaten 50-24 on the boards in New Zealand.

Guard Nathan Herbert has typified the 36ers inconsistency this season, but he is optimistic the team can put four quarters of their best basketball together this Sunday.

How’s the knee going as you come back from surgery?
HERBERT: It’s going good, it hasn’t given me any trouble from about the seven-month mark. The step up to the speed and physicality of the NBL is just taking me a bit longer than I’d hoped, but the body’s feeling good and I feel more confident each week.

What’s the focus been for this week’s game?
New Zealand belted us on the boards pretty bad and a lot of that just comes down to going and getting the ball. We’ve been working on that a lot this week.

What do you take from last time you played Cairns?
We need to defend the three-point line, guys like Drew Warren, we didn’t do a great job of that at the end of the game. We have to be wary of Loughton and Crosswhite on the boards; in games we’ve won we’ve taken care of the rebounds.

Why is Cairns’ defence so difficult to score against?
They bog the game down. They have a lot of low-scoring games but that’s a lot to do with the way they play offence too, they use the full shot clock and don’t let teams get up and down the floor.

So do they force you into a lot of "out of rhythm" shots?
I think so. They play the way they want to, and to their credit they did that very well against us last time. We’ve got to play on our own terms and get the ball up the court.

You mentioned Drew Warren, what’s it like guarding him?
He moves well off the ball, he’s got a quick release and he’s got good size for a shooter. That makes it easier for him to get his shot off and once he gets in a rhythm he is tough to guard. It’s not going to be down to one person, we need the whole team to help with that.

Does that mean switching on screens?
If you get caught on the screens I suppose, if not we can lock and trail. I guess it depends on what is happening in the game but we have some bigs like Daniel Johnson and Diamon Simpson who can guard people out on the perimeter, so can Steve Weigh and Mitch Creek when they’re at the four-spot.

What about the offence, it was on fire but the points have dried up recently?
The other night we had five of our shooters who didn’t make a shot. If you have more than one or two that makes it very hard to win. But that’s basketball and we have to find other ways to score. We have DJ and Diamon inside so we have a good mix and on our night it is a tough team to guard.

The wrap
The 36ers have shown they can compete with anyone, but have struggled to close out close games, meaning they need to do what it takes to make this a fast-paced affair.

They gave up a modest 14 turnovers against Cairns in Round 14 yet scored just 67 points and shot only 33 per cent from the field.

In Adelaide's favour is Cairns’ home date with Wollongong on Friday night, and if that fatigue takes a slight edge off the Taipans’ transition defence the 36ers will be poised to take their chance.

Prediction: 36ers by 8

36ERS PLAY FOR PRIDE THIS SUNDAY

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:38:00 +1100

The Adelaide 36ers re-match this Sunday against the Cairns Taipans is a matter of pride for the team. Losing to Cairns in a thriller a fortnight ago, the Adelaide 36ers want to serve some sweet revenge and show the home crowd a good game.
Adelaide 36er Mitch Creek says that the team will be coming out for the win on Sunday.
“Cairns got our number last time and we fell off in the fourth quarter, we couldn’t control Warren and they made some lucky shots,”
“The team is going to be working hard, especially on the boards and boxing out, as statistics show that if we win the boards, we usually win the game, so that is something we will be focusing on.”
Game night captain Stephen Weigh says that the team needs to be prepared for a physical clash on Sunday.
“We have incorporated a few more physical drills into training to pick up our physicality and will bring it to the game,”
“The team will be cautious of Jamar Wilson and Alex Loughton and work on them to limit their contribution.”
Mitch Creek says that it will be good to play former Adelaide 36er and mate Jeff Dowdell.
“If Jeff is going to do any damage, he’s got to jump off the floor first, he’s not the most athletic of players.” he said tongue in cheek.
There will be a team signing directly after the game on Sunday for fans to bring in their memorabilia or get posters signed.
Children of all ages have the opportunity to get their faces painted in team colours between 3pm – 5pm at the Fan Zone area, located in the south east corner of the stadium.
Adelaide 36ers will be playing this Sunday 22 January at 4pm. Tickets are available for the clash through www.proticket.com.au and start from $20 for adults.