Cadee’s joy after 400th game success

Adelaide 36ers point guard Jason Cadee has reflected on what was an emotional week leading up to his 400^th NBL match last Sunday.

The 36ers surged in the third quarter to fight back from an eight-point half-time deficit to defeat reigning champions Tasmania JackJumpers 77-73 in front of another sold out Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Cadee said the win was the icing on the cake for what was a huge week for him, and his family.

“I’m glad we won. I’m glad the week is over but I’m truly grateful,” Cadee said in the post-match press conference with so Louis by his side.

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“It’s always an emotional week when you hear from so many players and people that have been around me.

“The fanfare on social media is a thing now for sure but for me it’s the people who text me or tried to call and reached out.

“The people who have coached me from when I was 10 years old right up to now with Mike being my coach.”

Head coach Mike Wells said Cadee’s impact both on and off the court has been valuable for him since he arrived in the country.

“It was great to be part of the 400^th game, even though I’ve only been a part of like seven of them,” Wells said.

“But to get to know him and his family, I hope he wears an Adelaide 36ers jersey for as long as he wants and whatever is next after that I know he is going to be fantastic at it.”

Cadee said he is always learning and even now in his 15^th NBL season, the amount of new ideas and concepts he has got to know with Wells as coach is ever evolving.

“The amount I’m learning now being alongside him (Wells), it’s fun for me, to being able to learn from people, able to absorb and apply it to my thinking of basketball,” Cadee said.

“I’m really just embracing just playing and being I a certain role no matter what the minutes are, I don’t really care, as long as the group is doing a good job and we keep getting better day by day.

“I can try and teach and try and help but I’m more than happy to sit there and wave a towel and watch good basketball too.”

The 186cm point guard is now relieved the 400-game fanfare is now past, but understands how big the milestone was, not only for him, but the wider basketball community.

“The amount of people that reached out, I’m extremely grateful and to be able to share it with my family this week has been awesome,” Cadee said.

“My teammates did an excellent job of pumping it up even though I was trying to (play it down).

“But to share it with everyone and to have all of the in town means a lot to me and to get a win, it’s a nice feeling to win your 400^th.”