Flowers final quarter heroics sparks 36ers

An outstanding final quarter frenzy has propelled Adelaide 36ers to the club's first victory of the NBL24 season, roaring past Illawarra Hawks 89-80 at the Entertainment Centre on Saturday.

NBL Next Star Trentyn Flowers blossomed in front of the world, scoring 23 points, including 18 points in a frantic final 10 minutes, to lead the 36ers home to a nine-point success.

Flowers could not miss in the final stanza, going a perfect five-from-five from the three-point line as Adelaide stormed home with a game-changing 22-4 run.

Trey Kell continued his great shooting form, scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points in the opening half to keep Adelaide in the game after the Hawks started strongly.

Starting frontcourt duo Jacob Wiley and Isaac Humphries again impressed, Wiley with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Humphries also netted 13 points to go with eight rebounds and two blocks.

READ MORE

• 'Target 6000' record smashed for NBL24 season
• 'We are showing real fight: Bruton
• Comwire re-signs for NBL24 campaign

After Humphries opened the scoring, the Hawks exploded, Sam Froling (21 points, five rebounds) found an easy bucket from an offensive rebound, Greg Clark (14 points, 10 rebounds) hit a three and then Dan Grida flew through the air for a put back slam and Illawarra had a 7-2 lead.

The 36ers took nearly five minutes to find the basket again through a Wiley three-point play as Illawarra took a double-digit advantage.

Flowers was injected into the game early for an instant impact at both ends of the floor and Kell found his rhythm, scoring 13 first quarter points but the Hawks took a 25-23 lead into the opening break.

Kell and Humphries continued to carry the offense for Adelaide, the pair scoring 24 of the first 29 points for the 36ers, but the Hawks kept their slender lead.

The 211cm centre scored his 11^th point of the night as Adelaide tied the game at 29-29, and when Jason Cadee found Wiley on an alley-oop, Adelaide regained the lead 31-30.

Cadee threw another alley-oop pass, this time to Tohi Smith-Milner, Kell continued to tally up the points, but the Hawks bounced back late in the second quarter to take a 40-39 lead into the main interval.

Humphries continued his massive game and Kell kept on scoring, throwing down a dunk and when Wiley hit a jumper Adelaide had a 47-42 lead.

But Illawarra increased their defensive pressure, forcing Adelaide into two shot clock violations and went on a 7-0 run to take back the lead.

Adelaide responded straight away, Flowers connected on a three-pointer for a 52-49 lead, but the Hawks then took all the momentum, hitting back-to-back threes as Illawarra went into the final 10 mintues with a 60-54 advantage.

Enter Flowers, who scored the opening five points of the quarter, before Kell gave Adelaide back the lead from the free throw line for 63-62, then the Next Star swished another three -pointer for 66-62.

After Froling hit a pair of free throws for 68-64, Flowers again sparked Adelaide to life with another personal five-point run and when captain Mitch McCarron hit from downtown, the 36ers had a 76-64 lead.

The Hawks wouldn’t go away and tried to mount one final run, but Flowers’ fifth triple of the night ended Illawarra’s fight and brought the crowd to their feet.

ADELAIDE 36ERS 89 (Kell 25, Flowers 23, Humphries 13, Wiley 13) def ILLAWARRA HAWKS 80 (Froling 21, Clark 14, Harvey 14) at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

BOX SCORE