Coach’s passion plea: ‘That’s just ridiculous’

Adelaide 36ers coach Trevor Gleeson didn’t wait to be asked about his fourth-quarter technical foul in Friday night’s clash with the New Zealand Breakers.

In fact, before the press conference had even started, he told the room of journalists that if they didn’t raise it, he would.

“I’m going to bring it up ... I don’t know if you want to ask a question, but I’m certainly going to bring it up,” Gleeson said.

True to his word, he didn’t hold back when the question came, insisting he had been penalised for nothing more than his hand gestures.

“I got the technical foul for using my arms. Not anything,” Gleeson said. “I didn’t go mad at the official or be disrespectful.

“If you’re going to take the passion away from the game, I’m going to get a technical foul every week. That’s just ridiculous.”

Gleeson pointed to what he sees as inconsistency in how the rule is applied.

“And then you got coaches, assistant coaches walking on the court, there’s no technical foul. But I put my hands up and I get a technical foul,” he said.

It came on a night when Bryce Cotton scored 13 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to help the 36ers hold off a Breakers fightback and win 108-101 at Spark Arena.

The win lifted Adelaide to 5-5, but Gleeson’s post-game comments somewhat overshadowed the result.

Asked if he felt referees had singled him out since his return to the League, Gleeson didn’t need much prompting.

“That’s a really good question and of course they’re going to deny it, but it feels like that for me,” he said. “It really does.”

Gleeson said he had been given another technical a couple of weeks ago by an official he estimated was 50 feet away, “unless he’s got bionic ears”.

“I’ve got to get some clarity ... I’m not being disrespectful. I’m not swearing. I’m not mean, demeaning,” he said.