Dech says NYE loss to fuel run home

Adelaide 36ers shooting guard Sunday Dech said the team has moved on from the New Year’s Eve loss to the Taipans in Cairns.

Dech said the group have rewatched the final quarter against Cairns which has fuelled the roster for the nine-game run home.

“If we can rewind the clock and redo we would, but we can’t, we got to look at Illawarra and learn from those mistakes that we made,” Dech said on Tuesday.

“I think this is going to make us a better team, we have had a couple of close games late but having that one go the wrong direction has propelled us to more about what we did in the fourth rather than just chalking up a win.”

Dech said head coach CJ Bruton was brutal in the aftermath of the Cairns loss.

“He was frustrated but he put his hand up and said we all could have done a better job collectively,” Dech said.

“It’s what we needed, we needed someone to give us a rocket and get us back on track.

“Since then we have all watched the film and we know what we need to get better at and try to work on that everyday.

“We hope it doesn’t get to those late stages again, but the next time it does, we will be prepared.”

Dech said the group has a renewed focus and want to start 2023 in the right frame of mind, starting on Friday night at home against Illawarra Hawks.

“For us, every game is a must win right now, we have got a one game at a time mentality,” Dech said.

“We were on a roll and we want to get back to that winning feeling and get rolling again.

“We got nine games left, and we want to win them all.”