Players are ready to step up

Adelaide 36ers head coach Mike Wells will be looking for a ‘group effort’ when his side battles reigning NBL champions Tasmania JackJumpers at the Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.

The 36ers will be missing suspended import duo Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell and Wells said it’s time for his role players to step up.

“We will need to rely on a group effort more and we need to focus on those things and what Tasmania will do,” Wells said this week.

“We have a lot of points out of the line-up, but we have guys that can function and score and we will need to do it collectively.”

“There is a lot of different things on the board when we manufacture our offense, we could manufacture different line-ups.”

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Expect Jason Cadee to enter the starting line-up in replace of Davis, while import power forward Jarell Martin will be unleashed into the starting line-up for the first time in place of Harrell.

“Your role players are always wanting a bigger role, they want to be able to do more things, that’s the natural competitive instincts,” Wells said.

“Here is the chance for those guys who do a lot of work, they do a lot of stuff at practice.”

Nick Marshall and Lat Mayen will also get bigger responsibilities against the JackJumpers, who are back to full health after the return of point guard Sean Macdonald.

Wells said the JackJumpers have a number of key matchwinners, including Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford and Will Magnay, and his side need to play as team to be successful.

“We need to play together against a really good opponent in Tasmania,” Wells said.

“Tasmania has played well their past couple of games, they are getting healthy.

“We know exactly who they are and our group is focused on the things they can do.”

ADELAIDE 36ERS vs TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Saturday 7.30pm ACDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports

OVERALL
Played 10, Adelaide 3, Tasmania 7

LIKELY STARTERS
36ers: Jason Cadee, DJ Vasiljevic, Sunday Dech, Jarell Martin, Isaac Humphries.
JackJumpers: Jordon Crawford, Milton Doyle, Clint Steindl, Reuben Te Rangi, Will Magnay

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Oct 20, 2024 –36ers 77 def JackJumpers 73 at AEC
Feb 4, 2024 – JackJumpers 109 def 36ers 86 at MyState Bank Arena
Dec 2, 2023 – JackJumpers 94 def 36ers 59 at MyState Bank Arena
Nov 11, 2023 -  JackJumpers 82 def 36ers 72 at AEC
Jan 12, 2023 – JackJumpers 98 def 36ers 82 at MyState Bank Arena

STATS THAT MATTER
- Adelaide has won its past 10 games at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
- The 36ers have won its past 11 games when allowing fewer than 90 points.
- Adelaide has won its past three games at home after trailing at half-time.
- The 36ers rank 1st in the league for free throws made per game this season (18.5).
- Only 18.5% of Adelaide's scoring this season has come from the bench - lowest in the league
- Adelaide scored 16 unanswered points against Tasmania on October 20 - biggest scoring run of the season.
- The 36ers rank 2nd for points in the paint per game (40.9) this season.
- Adelaide rank 2nd in the league for turnovers per game this season (10.9).