Match Preview: Sixers head north with high hopes

The Adelaide 36ers head to Cairns on Thursday night hoping to end a strange poor run of form at the local Convention Centre.

The Sixers have lost each of their last four visits to the venue following a home win, though did taste victory on their last outing there, back in January.

That win came two days after a loss in Perth.

The trip north comes after Mike Well’s side broke another hoodoo of sorts on Sunday evening, ending a run of four straight losses to the Brisbane Bullets to open their campaign with a win for the first time in a decade.

The 36ers have had a good sample size of how Cairns wants to play with the Taipans already three games into the season, splitting them 2-1 including back-to-back wins over Brisbane and Sydney.

The Taipans shocked the Kings in Sydney on Sunday with star recruit Jack McVeigh doing most of the damage with 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Import Andrew Andrews made his NBL debut, but the Taipans remain without the injured Sam Waardenburg.

36ers Assistant Coach Kerry Williams knows the Cairns outfit better than most, having played for the Taipans between 2008 and 2013, before working in the front office, and then coaching at the club for the last four seasons.

He says the 36ers need to be wary of the Taipans on their home court.

“They’ve recruited well,” he said.

“Fordey’s (Head Coach Adam Forde has) had a bit more money to spend on his roster, but he's always had an eye for talent.

“The way they play is fast with length and size and then shoot the ball.”

McVeigh has proven to be a brilliant signing so far with the former 36er averaging 20.3 points, seven rebounds and 5.3 assists per game following his return from a stint in the US.

“McVeigh is obviously an elite player,” Williams said.

“He’s represented Australia, he won a title with Tassie and went to the NBA and now he's in Cairns, so you know he's been good for the first three games.

“We're trying to contain him and make it tough for him is probably going to be the number one thing for us and then make sure that we are defend the three-point line because I think they shoot the most threes per game out of any team.”

The game gets underway at 7:00pm ACST / 7:30pm AEST.

CAIRNS TAIPANS vs ADELAIDE 36ERS
Cairns Convention Centre, Thursday 2 October, 7:00pm ACDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+

OVERALL
Played 88, Adelaide 48, Cairns 40

At Cairns Convention Centre
Played 41, Adelaide 18, Cairns 23

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Jan 19, 2025 – 36ers 99 def Taipans 75 at Cairns Convention Centre
Oct 25, 2024 – 36ers 99 def Taipans 93 at AEC
Sept 28, 2024 – Taipans 101 def 36ers 97 at Cairns Convention Centre
Jan 27, 2024 – 36ers 88 def Taipans 71 at AEC
Jan 13, 2024 – Taipans 111 def 36ers 101 at Cairns Convention Centre

KEY STATS
- Adelaide has won the first quarter in each of its last five away games against Cairns.
- Adelaide has lost each of its last four games at Cairns Convention Centre following a home win
- Adelaide ranks 1st in the league for field goal percentage this season (52.5%)
- Adelaide ranks 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (32.0)
- Adelaide ranks 2nd in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (15.0)
- Zylan Cheatham recorded a career-high five assists in his last appearance.
- Bryce Cotton is the only player in the league to have made 6+ threes in a game this season.
- Bryce Cotton has recorded 3+ assists in 15 consecutive appearances - longest active streak of any player in the league.
- Dejan Vasiljevic recorded an equal-career-high 10 three-pointers in his last outing against Cairns.
- Zylan Cheatham recorded 14 rebounds against Brisbane on Sunday - most in a 36ers debut since Matthew Burston (15 in 2009)
- Bryce Cotton scored 39 points in his first game for the 36ers - the most on debut in franchise history.