Sixers savage Tigers

Updated October 07, 2012 18:26:35

The new-look Adelaide 36ers kicked off their NBL season with a confidence-boosting 84-61 victory over the Melbourne Tigers in a fiery contest at Adelaide Arena on Sunday.

Tempers reached boiling point late in the third quarter when a solid challenge on Mitch Creek left him on his backside and sparked a 10-man tussle.

The referees struggled to separate the angry mass and legs and then infuriated the crowd by ejecting Anthony Petrie, along with Melbourne's Chris Goulding, for their part in the scrap.

Adelaide's new-found depth was on display with the side's bench players offering scoring options which have been sorely lacking in previous seasons.

Daniel Johnson was the 36ers' best with 21 points and nine rebounds while Stephen Weigh added 21 points at an impressive 67 per cent field goal shooting.

Petrie was in good touch with 13 points before his game ended prematurely.

For the Tigers, Seth Scott collected 17 points, while Kevin Braswell and Lucas Walker chimed in with 11 each.

Melbourne got off to a bright start with Scott nailing his shots, and the visitors' defence was making life difficult in the Sixers' key.

Adelaide rallied late to steal the lead but a Walker dunk with seconds left on the clock saw Melbourne leading by a point.

Both teams showcased their outside game earlier in the second with the 36ers edging in front thanks a hat-trick of three-pointers.

Walker proved the go-to man for the Tigers again, his late shot from outside the arc pegging the margin back to 44-41 at half-time.

Adam Gibson increased his influence on the game in the third quarter and the home side took control thanks to a shared scoring load and a spectacular dunk by Creek.

Despite the disruption of Petrie's ejection, the Sixers went into the final change leading by nine points and charged home with a 19-5 fourth quarter.

It was a disappointing conclusion for Melbourne, which fought hard for three quarters but dropped away from its game plan when a response was needed.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted October 07, 2012 17:24:31

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Sixers end five-game losing run

Updated February 12, 2012 21:41:07

The 36ers ended a five-game losing streak with a thrilling 79-74 win over Townsville Crocodiles at Adelaide Arena.

The hosts led for most of the match but had to withstand a spirited Townsville fight-back.

The Crocs' Jacob Holmes levelled the scores in the final minute with two free throws, but out of the ensuing time-out, Adelaide executed perfectly for a Diamon Simpson dunk and then held its nerve from the charity stripe.

Adelaide centre Daniel Johnson (20 points, seven rebounds), guard Darren Ng and Simpson (both 19 points) were outstanding, while Crocs guard Eddie Gill top-scored for the visitors with 20 points.

Tension was high in the final period with both sides producing a series of turnovers and struggling to find the baskets.

The 36ers still led by 10 points with over six minutes remaining before Croc Elvin Mims inspired a late surge.

In the final 75 seconds Peter Crawford connected from deep and Holmes tied the game, but Adelaide held on to break its unwanted streak.

Townsville coach Paul Woolpert was involved in a confrontation with the referees after Simpson's dunk with 32 seconds to play.

He believed the match officials made the wrong call at the time, but says the decision did not lose his side the game.

However, there will be a complaint to the league.

"In all honesty we did not deserve to win that game. We got out-played, out-hustled, out-worked and it's inexcusable for a team that is fighting for its play-off life," he said.

Adelaide coach Marty Clarke says he had always expected a Crocs fight-back.

"They are a top four team and it's a league where games are usually close," he said.

"They got back to even the scores and for us to then pull away was a huge step forward for us."

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted February 12, 2012 21:13:15

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Sixers trump Tigers

Updated February 25, 2012 22:23:00

Adelaide 36ers defeated the Tigers 92-83 in their NBL clash at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne.

Import point guard Chris Warren was sublime for the 36ers with 26 points at 90 per cent shooting plus eight assists.

Daniel Johnson (18 points), Darren Ng (15 points), Diamon Simpson (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Everard Bartlett (11 points) all scored in double figures in a stand-out team performance.

Adelaide shot the ball at 53 per cent from the field, 58 per cent from the three-point line and made 24-of-28 free throws.

For the Tigers, league-leading scorer Cam Tragardh scored 19 points, while Ron Dorsey (16 points, five rebounds), Tommy Greer (14 points) and Daniel Dillon (10 points, five assists) all reached double figures.

The 36ers led by just one at half-time but turned the defensive screws in the third term, holding the Tigers to just 14 points to set up a match-winning lead.

Whenever the Tigers challenged in the final term, Warren had the answers to move his team one game clear of last place.

AAP

Tags: basketball, nbl, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted February 25, 2012 22:23:00

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Sixers win tough over Hawks

Updated March 03, 2012 23:04:10

The 36ers continued their late-season resurgence with a tough 77-73 win over Wollongong at Adelaide Arena on Saturday.

In a hard-fought game that rarely reached great heights, the 36ers finally got on top late in the third period before a futile last-gasp fightback by the Hawks.

Hawks guard Ayinde Ubaka was outstanding with 23 points, as was Larry Davidson (17 points, seven rebounds).

Adelaide centre Daniel Johnson was solid with 16 points, Stephen Weigh chipped in with 12 and point guard Chris Warren had 11 points and five assists.

Both sides struggled to find their offensive rhythm early with solid defence the order of the day.

Regardless, the lead changed 12 times with pacey 36ers guard Warren a standout for the home side, as was team-mate Daren Ng with a superb three-pointer.

Davidson and Ubaka also looked switched on for the contest, producing some classy finishing to help the visitors to a 19-18 lead at the first break.

Defence dominated the second period, and despite a brilliant three-pointer late in the term from Hawks guard Tyson Demos the 36ers did enough to take a 32-30 advantage into half-time.

Davidson burst out of the blocks early in the third term with a quick-fire six points. Johnson looked more threatening for the 36ers and when Warren thrilled the crowd with a brace of triples the game began to open up.

Weigh and Mitch Creek sank further three-pointers, and when Everard Bartlett repeated the feat on the buzzer the home side led 53-45 at the last change.

Thanks to guard Nathan Herbert's finishing, the 36ers maintained a 10-point lead at the halfway stage of the final term. However, a Ubaka three followed by a Forman basket kept the Hawks in it.

Weigh and Johnson steadied the 36ers' nerves, however, and they held on for a morale-boosting win.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, wollongong-2500, nsw

First posted March 03, 2012 23:04:10

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Sixers lose key duo

Updated December 13, 2011 09:31:21

The struggling Adelaide 36ers have lost both captain Adam Ballinger and vice-captain Nathan Crosswell to season-ending injuries.

Forward Ballinger has ruptured a tendon in his left ankle and guard Croswell has a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 36ers have won just three out of 11 games and share the NBL's worst record with Wollongong, who they host on Friday.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000

First posted December 12, 2011 18:02:58

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Hawks hold off Sixers

Updated October 16, 2011 21:49:27

Wollongong triumphed 97-89 at home in a neck-and-neck NBL clash with Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.

Sixers guard Chris Warren nailed four three-pointers on his way to a game-high 25 points while team-mate Mitchell Creek went 7-of-9, 2-of-2 from long range, in an 18-point performance.

But that was not enough to curtail the Hawks' shooters.

Oscar Forman, Rhys Martin and Mat Campbell had 16 apiece for the home side, with Forman adding 11 rebounds and Martin nine assists.

Only one point separated the teams after the first quarter with Wollongong trailing, but the hosts hit back to take a six-point advantage into half-time.

The 36ers prevailed in the championship quarter and enjoyed a four-point buffer coming into the final period but Wollongong was just too strong.

Blaze bettered

In Sunday's late clash, the Blaze let Cairns Taipans off the hook and fell to a 91-82 loss on the Gold Coast.

The home side led by six points with under five minutes to play before the Taipans rattled off a 17-2 run to snatch ascendancy.

Cairns guard Andrew Warren led all scorers with 28, including five-of-seven from three-point land, while team-mates Dusty Rychart (14), Brad Hill (13) and Jamar Wilson (13) also contributed strongly.

Gold Coast used a 30-point second term to take a three-point lead into half-time but slipped to train by a point with a period to go.

The Taipans turned on the offensive heat though, their massive run sparked by a Rychart two-pointer followed by a pair of Warren three-pointers that sandwiched another Rychart two-ball.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, wollongong-2500, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 16, 2011 19:19:37

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