Depth of talent big key to success

Having depth on his NBL23 roster is a balancing act for Adelaide 36ers head coach CJ Bruton, but it’s a headache he likes to have.

With such a talented roster, the 36ers will be a tough scout this season, with a number of players turning into potential matchwinners on any given night.

But for Bruton, the key word is process, something his side is still working on going into tonight’s NBL Blitz battle against Tasmania JackJumpers.

“I think it’s all about getting them to all buy in, everyone is excited to be here and play on this roster,” Bruton said.

“Someone has to sacrifice, and we have some guys who are willing to sacrifice and play the team game and play the long game.

“Everybody wants to be on the winning side of the ball and we need to keep encouraging that and playing the right way.

“As the results come everyone we feel they can contribute and on any day it could be anyone’s turn to take over a game. Those guys will have that opportunity as we go forward.

“It’s all about understanding the process.

“When a guy gets hot in a game I expect the guys to play through that person, so it’s finding that balance and keeping teams guessing on what we can do.”

Bruton said captain Mitch McCarron is playing with the confidence he likes to see in his starting point guard.

“Having the weapons that we have around him allows for him to be creative and to live up to his skillset and do what he does best,” Bruton said.

“His vision and how he can create for others and get around the basket too just brings his energy levels to a place we need them to be.”

Coming into the JackJumpers clash, Bruton said he expects to see more court time from Robert Franks, who was limited to just 12 minutes on Friday night after battling a pre-season ankle concern.

“We got to manage guys and we have some guys coming off injuries, some guys who are still finding their groove and we need to find that balance,” Bruton said.

“We are getting ready for the season, so we are taking our time to get that sorted.”

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