Match Report: 36ers hold off Hawks

22/SEP/2007 – The Adelaide 36ers last night opened their season with a promising 108-101 win over the Wollongong Hawks.

The final score, after a late burst from the Hawks when the game was almost over, hid an earlier margin that showed Adelaide clearly the superior team on the night.

Coach Phil Smyth rotated ten players through for court time demonstrating a team fairly even with talent. New recruits Brad Davidson (22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals) and Adam Ballinger (22 points, 13 rebounds) were impressive, Davidson hitting four threes for the night to lead his team.

Brett Maher looked comfortable, using a training bike on the sidelines when brought off court, playing 38 minutes for 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The first half was no walk in the park for Adelaide, the Hawks matching the home side courtesy of long bombs from Mat Campbell (16 points) and Cameron Rigby (14).

At the long break, only a buzzer beating three from Matt Sutton gave the 36ers anything resembling a buffer, Adelaide retiring to their change rooms with a 59-54 advantage.

The third period saw Adelaide come alive. Maher and Lanard Copeland (15 points off the bench) both helped Adelaide to push out the margin, combining for 18 points between them.

Kavossy Franklin (19 points, seven rebounds, six assists) toiled hard for Wollongong but did not have quite enough support. Bench guard Lindsay Tait added 14 points, a few coming in the final quarter as the Hawks mounted a late charge, but their run came too late and Adelaide were able to scrappily defend their lead.

New import Mike Chappell beat a back injury to hit the court for the game, scoring eight points in 23 minutes. Neil Mottram also saw time, throwing down a dunk and collecting a rebound and a steal in his eight minutes.

Adelaide 36ers 108 (Ballinger 22, Davidson 22, Maher 21)
Wollongong Hawks 101 (Franklin 19, Campbell 16, Tait 14, Rigby 14)