Gleeson: "That's how we want to play"

Head Coach Trevor Gleeson says the Adelaide 36ers finally played the way they want to in Saturday evening’s win over Illawarra.

The Sixers coughed up the first five points of the match before displaying some high-tempo defence and classy offence to finish 106-78 winners at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Zylan Cheatham recorded his first NBL triple double and the first of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as well as two steals, while Nick Rakocevic had yet another double-double and there were strong scoreboard contributions from Bryce Cotton and John Jenkins.

After the match, Gleeson was pleased with the way his side responded to a poor showing last time out against Brisbane.

“We were probably disappointed in ourselves last week, so it was good that we had a week to prepare,” he said, “and that was how we want to play.

“That's how we want to play Adelaide 36ers basketball - defensively, get after teams, offensively, keep on sharing the ball, find the open man, and we executed a great (game) today.”

Gleeson called for more urgency and a better start during the week and he got that in the first quarter. The defensive hustle was evident with Matt Kenyon and Zylan Cheatham hurrying their opponents and forcing turnovers before each hitting important triples.

With Bryce Cotton being fouled repeatedly and the Hawks putting the clamps on him, he nearly went scoreless in the first period, missing his first four field goal attempts and only notching two points from free throws.

Still the Sixers led by a point at the quarter time break.

The second period was characterised by defensive energy and belonged to John Jenkins on the offensive end.

Sixers fans have been waiting for him to get hot from long range for much of the season and it seemed to click that quarter with the experienced American knocking down four triples to race to 15 points at the main break and help his side to a 12-point advantage.

It was 25 by three quarter time and the Sixers had one man in particular to thank. After being held to just four points to half time, captain Bryce Cotton exploded for 17 points for the period before hitting the bench for a rest late.

The points kept rolling in, allowing Cheatham an early minute, but not before he registered his triple double, and then despite the scoreline blowing out, the Hawks became entangled in a sideline tussle after Rakocevic tangled with Makur Maker and Will “Davo” Hickey stepped in and pushed the big American/Serbian.

Maker was ejected from the game after picking up both flagrant and technical fouls and it buoyed the home crowd.

Yet the loudest cheer was saved for teenager RJ Brown, who just celebrated his 16th birthday and was given his first minutes since signing as a development player in recent weeks.

He brought the house down with a three pointer on the buzzer to cap a big night in Adelaide.

Most pleasing for Gleeson was the way his players stepped up while Cotton was kept quiet early.

“That's part of building a championship team,” Gleeson explained.

“You've got to have layers on your offence. You know, obviously Bryce's MVP, six-time MVP for a reason, but you know, teams are going to trap and get out of their hands.

“It's the other four guys on the floor -  what do they do? you know?

“And I thought earlier we're standing and watching and that's not what we want to do and that's not how you create a championship team.

“You've got to be cutting, you've got to be screening, you've got to be taking advantage of defenders not guarding you. And I thought we did a much better job of that.”

The Sixers are back home again on Thursday night against Melbourne United.

That game tips off at 7:00pm with the last remaining tickets available at Ticketek.

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