Round 2 Preview v Tasmania JackJumpers

The Adelaide 36ers won five games at the NBL Blitz in Tasmania and they return to that happy hunting ground this Thursday night to open Round 2 of #NBL22 against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

The opening round might not have quite gone to plan for the 36ers with a loss to start the new season in Perth to the Wildcats last Friday and then falling at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday to the Illawarra Hawks.

However, it's another short turnaround with the Sixers now back in Hobart to prepare to face the JackJumpers on Thursday night at the MyState Bank Arena for the first ever time in an official NBL match.

It has back to familiar territory for the 36ers though. They spent three weeks in Tasmania during the NBL Blitz before then flying to Perth for the NBL season opener, and in that time they won all five pre-season matches including a victory against the JackJumpers.

Now the two teams open up Round 2 on Thursday night with the Sixers determined to bounce back from those two opening round losses while the JackJumpers began their life in the NBL with an overtime home victory last Friday night against the Brisbane Bullets.

There is some positive news on the injury front coming into the game for the 36ers with Manny Malou cleared to return and make his NBL debut while Hyrum Harris is available and having just met his new team on Sunday morning, could hit the floor on Thursday evening.

Unfortunately Kai Sotto (knee soreness) and Sunday Dech (quad) remain sidelined but the 36ers will be confident about turning things around after last weekend's two opening losses.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton didn’t quite get the results he was after in his first two NBL games in charge, but retained a positive mindset coming out of those defeats to Perth and Illawarra.

"It wasn’t the start that anybody wants to have but this week we have just focused on how we've been going about our business, and trying to fix it up," Bruton said on this week's Sixers Fix with Scott Ninnis.

"I know there were a lot of tired bodies once we touched down into Perth and we worked with our crew to try and find the best way to get ourselves up for what was the start of the season. 

"I think we competed and battled, but we turned the ball over quite a bit and you could tell the fatigue had kicked in. There was still a lot of things to like looking ahead to the rest of the season as well."

The unfortunate reality is that dating back to last season the 36ers are currently on a nine-game losing streak and are now trying to avoid an 0-3 start for the first time in 17 years with a win in Tasmania on Thursday night.

For coach Bruton, returning to MyState Bank Arena, the old Derwent Entertainment Centre, brings back some memories with him being the only current NBL head coach who actually played in the building. He did so as a Perth Wildcats rookie back in 1994 against the Hobart Devils.

Bruton is now looking forward to getting back to Tasmania with the team to take on the JackJumpers on Thursday night.

"I'm super excited for this game," Bruton added on Sixers Fix.

"The boys I think have been well rested after we got to spend a couple of days at home, and we had a good practice on Tuesday before flying down to Tassie. Now we all can't wait to get back out on the floor and make it happen."

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

ADELAIDE 36ERS v TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
MyState Bank Arena, Thursday 7.00pm ACDT

Broadcast – ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sport NZ

#WeAreSixers