36ers aim for Hawks clean sweep

Adelaide 36ers will be looking for a clean sweep when NBL25 league leaders Illawarra Hawks visit the Entertainment Centre on Monday night.

The 36ers can make it three wins from three matches against the Hawks this season after a 102-100 win in Wollongong on October 5 and a 93-79 success in Adelaide on November 10.

Illawarra have shown throughout NBL25 they are arguably the championship favourites and sit a top the league with a 15-7 win-loss record.

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THE KEY
Trey Kell has put himself into NBL MVP conversations this season after being head coach Justin Tatum’s main recruiting target for NBL25.

Kell has averaged 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists across his 20 matches this season.

The 193cm point guard looms as a match up problem for the 36ers, with Kell having the ability to get to the basket, hit the three-point shot plus get to the free throw line.

Look for Lat Mayen to spend some time on Kell, or Adelaide could also go head-to-head with Kendric Davis.

THE SECRET
Since Tatum moved him to the bench, import power forward Darius Days has made a huge impact.

Days scored 22 points to go with six rebounds in the Hawks’ 108-100 win against New Zealand on Saturday in Wollongong.

The 25-year-old seems to like his new role not starting and look for him to try and make an impact.

Days will again go head-to-head with Montrezl Harrell and expect a big clash, especially after the last encounter on November 10.

DEPTH CHART
Kell / Hickey
Harvey / Lee
Swaka Lo Buluk / Blanchfield / Grida
Peatling / Days
Froling / Olbrich

FINAL WORD
Adelaide must rebound on home court after Friday night’s overtime heartbreak in Hobart.

How the 36ers respond will go a long way into the playoff chances for the club in NBL25.

As Wells has said there “is not much margin for error” now for his side when it comes to a playoff push.

Back in front of the loyal home fan base and celebrating club legend Daniel Johnson getting his jersey retired, you would expect Adelaide to come out firing on all cylinders.