Bruton: 'We will keep fighting'

Adelaide 36ers head coach CJ Bruton said his side will not give up the fight going into the final three matches of the NBL23 regular season.

The 36ers will need to win their remaining three matches to have the chance of making the NBL23 playoffs after Saturday night’s 94-87 loss to Melbourne United in front of a record crowd of 9505 fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Bruton said he expects to see a response from his group for the first challenge, a trip to Far North Queensland to face Cairns Taipans on January 30.

“Our guys are battling and you won’t see them quit and roll over or lay down,” Bruton said.

“When you play elite sport that’s what you are suppose to do, go and fight.

“It’s disappointing to lose in front of our fans like that, we played some good patches again.”

United turned up the heat from the opening tip and again after the main break, connecting on nine three-pointers in the third quarter, led by Chris Goulding, who had a game-high 28 points.

“When you see a couple of balls go through the hoop and we haven’t ticked the scoreboard over the same way, there’s a sense of a deflated group, but to be able to fight back at lead at half time,” Bruton said.

“Goulding is a tough check and he is going to get his shots.

“But nine of 12 in the third quarter from three with (Rayjon) Tucker coming to the party and X (Rathan-Mayes) chipping in there made it tough for us.”

Bruton said the focus for his team now has already moved to the Taipans.

“It’s understanding how we go about the process of continuing to win the first four minutes of game to winning a game right now,” Bruton said.

“We got a break right now and we got to make sure everyone looks after their bodies and prepares themselves for the next game on the road.

“Winning the next game so that we are in the position to go into a positive, not in a negative and show we made some strides.”