Match Preview: Sixers to host Snakes in home opener

The Adelaide 36ers will play their first home game of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season on Sunday when they host Cairns at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

It’s been a tough start to the campaign with trips to Melbourne and Perth in the space of six days and a short turnaround to take on the Taipans.

That travel has been compounded by the absences of key players including John Jenkins III, Flynn Cameron, Isaac Humphries and Bul Kuol, though Jenkins made a welcome return to the court in Thursday evening’s narrow loss to the Wildcats.

The 36ers have a strong recent record against Cairns.

The Sixers have been victorious on each of the last six meetings between the sides, most recently by 20 points on Christmas Eve at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

On that occasion Nick Rakocevic hit his first double double in Sixers colours with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Bryce Cotton had 22 points with six rebounds and 11 assists.

The Taipans are a vastly different side now after some strong off-season recruiting.

In particular, they have been bolstered by the arrivals of Jonah Bolden, Shaun Bruce, Malique Lewis, Jaylin Galloway and former Sixers Keanu Pinder and Sunday Dech.

While the sides haven’t played an NBL game against each other in this calendar year, they did match up for a hit-out at the pre-season Blitz tournament in Bendigo.

That was a little over three weeks ago and the Sixers enjoyed a comfortable 112-86 win with all nine players who hit the court hitting the scoreboard and six of them reaching double figures.

Sixers coach Trevor Gleeson watched that game from the stands, allowing assistant coach Marko Marinovic to take charge.

The Sixers are coming into Sunday’s game off a tough loss to the Wildcats in Perth on Thursday while the Taipans had a controversial 93-87 win over Tasmania in Cairns.

Jaylon Brown, Kyrin Galloway and Jack McVeigh did most of the scoring while Malique Lewis had a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

It will mean the visitors come to Adelaide full of confidence, while after clocking up the frequent flyer points with trips both east and west over the last week, the Sixers will be happy to be home.

It will be the first time Head Coach Trevor Gleeson experiences home court advantage since taking charge of the side, and he says he is looking forward to getting to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

“I had a lot of wins there… with the opposition,” he said, “so hopefully we can get a lot of wins as the 36ers coach.

“They'll run me out of town if they don't.

“It's been tough start, you know, we've got a tough start of the season - seven out of (the first) 10 are on the road.”

He said his side would recover quickly and switch focus after the trip to Perth, and he was looking forward to a passionate home crowd getting behind his team.

“I’d seen them in the finals last year and seen the passion out there, the crowd, it was electric,” Gleeson said.

“It was like in the jungle back in the day. It was really intimidating and probably in Adelaide, the fans were a little bit closed in and closer to the action than over (in Perth) so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Gleeson will be monitoring the fitness of centre Isaac Humphries and guard Flynn Cameron who each missed the trip to Perth.

Sunday’s game gets underway at 3:30pm ACDT.

Limited tickets remain available at Ticketek, and if you can’t be there live, you can watch the game on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+.

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ADELAIDE 36ERS vs CAIRNS TAIPANS

Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Sunday, 27 December, 3:30pm ACST

Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+  

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OVERALL

Played 92, Adelaide 52, Cairns 40

At Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Played 11, Adelaide 9, Cairns 2

LAST FIVE MATCHES

*Sept 5, 2026 – 36ers 112 def Taipans 86 at Red Energy Arena, Bendigo

Dec 24, 2025 – 36ers 93 def Taipans 73 at AEC

Nov 16, 2025 – 36ers 105 def Taipans 101 at AEC

Oct 18, 2025 – 36ers 91 def Taipans 86 at Cairns Convention Centre

Oct 2, 2025 – 36ers 110 def Taipans 79 at Cairns Convention Centre

Jan 19, 2025 – 36ers 99 def Taipans 75 at Cairns Convention Centre

*denotes NBL Blitz pre-season game

KEY STATS

• Adelaide has won each of its last six games against Cairns.

• Adelaide has lost five of its last six home openers.

• Two of the last three games between Adelaide and Cairns at Adelaide Entertainment Centre have gone to overtime.

• Bryce Cotton has averaged 37.3 points in his last seven games against Cairns.

• Nick Rakocevic recorded an equal-career-high 13 rebounds in his last outing against Cairns.

• Adelaide has recorded 8+ three-pointers in each of its last 11 games (including ICF) - team's longest streak since 2004/05.

• Cairns has scored 80+ points in each of its last nine games - team's longest streak since 2023/24.

• Shaun Bruce - 100th game for Cairns

• Keanu Pinder - 50th game for Cairns

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