Round 2 NBL22 Preview v NZ Breakers

The Adelaide 36ers have opened their account for #NBL22 as they now look to build on that momentum back at home on Sunday afternoon against the New Zealand Breakers.

On the back of a standout NBL Blitz performance where the Sixers went undefeated, it was a rough opening to the 2021/22 season in the first round with a road loss to the Perth Wildcats and then disappointing home defeat at the hands of the Illawarra Hawks.

The 36ers then had a short turnaround to opening up Round 2 in Hobart against the Tasmania JackJumpers on Thursday night, and they broke through with a narrow 83-80 victory.

Now the Sixers have returned home to prepare to play the Breakers on Sunday afternoon at Adelaide Entertainment Centre looking for consecutive wins and to end Round 2 of this season with a 2-2 record.

The Breakers enter the game having lost their opening two matches both in Melbourne against the South East Melbourne Phoenix to open the season, but it's a team that even with their backs to the wall can't afford to be taken lightly by the 36ers.

There was plenty to like during Thursday night's win for the 36ers even with the continued absence of key pair Sunday Dech and Kai Sotto.

Manny Malou returned from injury to make his NBL debut and stepped up nicely knocking down a couple of three-pointers while Mojave King went 3/4 from deep too for 10 points.

Daniel Johnson scored another 14 points with captain Mitch McCarron adding nine points and six rebounds, and Cam Bairstow nine pints and five rebounds, but it was the two Adelaide imports who had the biggest say on the final result.

Todd Withers suffered an early scare when he went down with cramp, but he was able to return and did a tremendous defensive lockdown job on dangerous JackJumpers guard Josh Adams.

He did end up fouling out and his absence was felt with Adams catching fire, but in his 29 minutes of court time, Withers delivered seven points, 11 rebounds, two assists and a block for the 36ers.

Then there was Dusty Hannahs. The sharpshooter found the going tough in the opening round combining for just 15 points on 7/25 shooting from the field and 0/6 from three-point range across the two games.

However, he came with a more aggressive mindset on Thursday night to score 10 first half points with six of those coming at the foul line. 

He then didn’t see the ball a lot in the second half, until the two biggest plays of the game where he beat the shot clock twice firstly with a desperation three and then a neat floater in the paint to win the game for Adelaide.

Hannahs is now looking forward to another chance on Sunday against the Breakers to perform well in front of the home fans.

"We want to give our fans a better showing than last time," Hannahs said.

"I thought we came back from a tough game in Perth and kind of laid an egg so we just have to come out and bring energy, and try to give them a better product to watch."

Adelaide coach CJ Bruton now has his first win as a head coach out of the way as he prepares to go up against a Breakers team who he finished his glittering NBL playing career having won three of his six career championships there.

However, focusing on this current team and even if the Breakers are missing some key players including import duo Jeremiah Martin and Peyton Siva, he knows they are dangerous.

"We know that they've got a lot of talent," Bruton said. 

"Shamir has done an amazing job with them over the last couple of years and with the youth and talent that he's got there, he's going to continue to want bigger and better things from his group. I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead."

Having coughed up 53 turnovers across the first three games of the season means that's something Bruton will have the 36ers trying to tidy up for Sunday's game too.

"We'll do a lot more practice on our passing and catching. We might play catch, pick and book, keeps things off. But seriously, it's about getting open and delivering passes," Bruton said. 

"The mindset of staying strong big and I keep reminding the guys about being a professional, and even if you are doing two-on-zero, three-on-zero or five-on-zero, you still have to deliver passes and go through that process like you are playing in an actual game. 

"When you just jog through it and don't give it the maximum that's required, ultimately that becomes a downfall when you are put under pressure in game time."

HUNGRY JACK'S 2021/22 NBL SEASON – ROUND 2

ADELAIDE 36ERS v NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Sunday 2.30pm ACDT

Broadcast – ESPN; 10 Peach; Kayo; Sky Sport NZ