Gleeson's pride in heart, fight and bench players in Melbourne win

Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Trevor Gleeson has described his pride in his team’s gutsy season-opening win against Melbourne United.

Already missing Isaac Humphries, Bul Kuol and John Jenkins through injury, a third quarter ankle injury robbed the Sixers of Flynn Cameron and then Nick Rakocevic fouled out with more than four minutes to play, but Gleeson’s outfit was able to hold on to win 97-95 on the road in his first game at the helm.

Bryce Cotton was the star for the Sixers with 29 points, seven assists, three rebounds and a steal, while Zylan Cheatham chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds, playing much of the final quarter with four fouls.

The new Sixers coach was proud of the way the non-starters got involved and played their role in the victory.

“It was just our heart”, Gleeson said of what he was most pleased with after the game.

“Down a couple of guys and obviously Flynn rolling his ankle so it kinda put us on the back foot but the guys just played, the bench guys were magnificent.

“They had a good Blitz period – our bench guys – (Isaac) Whitey, Jacob (Rigoni), Keanu (Rasmussen) and then Deonte (Williams) and Ben (Griscti) but I thought those guys really stepped up when we needed it.”

Fresh off winning a sixth NBL MVP last season, Cotton continued on his merry way in the early stages, nailing three first quarter triples, only to see one chalked off and cut to two as his side held a two point quarter-time advantage.

He had 16 points by half time as what appeared a soft foul called against Jacob Rigoni allowed the home side to close to within a point at the main break.

Rigoni, playing as an injury replacement in the absence of new recruit Bul Kuol, had been in the thick of the action in the first half, hitting eight points at 100 per-cent from the field, pulling down a rebound, and getting under the skin of NBA veteran Joe Ingles in his first game for United.

The Sixers tightened up defensively and raced out to an eight point lead in the third period, threatening to break the game apart on the back of 11 third-quarter points to Zylan Cheatham. But United turned to their NBA experienced recruits in Ingles and in particular Cole Anthony who turned it on to keep his side within five points at the final change.

Already undermanned in the absence of Kuol, Isaac Humphries (knee) and John Jenkins (back), when Flynn Cameron rolled his ankle early in the third period and then Nick Rakocevic fouled out with 4:20 to play and his side two points up, the Sixers were up against it.

Somehow, Gleeson’s side had a five point lead with a little over two minutes remaining and still held a two point advantage with 1:28 to go.

Rigoni missed a chance to ice the game with 27 seconds to go and then with a vocal John Cain Arena crowd behind it, United had three looks to force overtime of pinch the win, but couldn’t get the shot to drop, allowing Adelaide a gutsy win on the road.

“I love our passion,” Gleeson said.

“I love how hard (we play). Obviously they were a tight unit last year when I was watching from afar.

“Then we bring Jacob (Rigoni) in as a replacement player and have a couple of guys down and that's when you find out about the spirit of the team.

“When you have some guys out, do you whinge? Do you complain and say, poor me?

“Our guys didn't. They just went out and played, so I'm very proud of them.”

It marked the second straight season the 36ers had started the season with a win, having lost in each of the previous nine opening rounds.

The Sixers will next travel to Perth to face the Wildcats on Thursday night before returning home for their first game of the season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday 27th September against Cairns.