Sixers keep rolling with comeback win over JackJumpers

The Adelaide 36ers continue to be the standout team at the NBL Blitz making it three wins from three outings but on Sunday they had to do it the hard way coming from 21 points down to overcome the Tasmania JackJumpers 82-80.

It was the third outing for the Sixers under new coach CJ Bruton at the Blitz in Tasmania and this time at Ulverstone Sports and Leisure Centre, they found themselves in a big hole early.

The JackJumpers raced to a 33-12 lead by quarter-time and still led by 17 at the main break, but the 36ers came out a different unit after half-time and dominated the rest of the way outscoring Tasmania 49-30 in the second half.

While Dusty Hannahs, Daniel Johnson and Isaac Humphries were especially instrumental in getting Adelaide back into the game, it was Next Star Mojave King who slammed the door on the contest with two triples and a nice move and finish to the basket down the stretch.

With captain Mitch McCarron running things expertly, the Sixers pulled off the stunning fightback to win by two points and stay undefeated after three appearances at the NBL Blitz.

Hannahs played an impressively composed and efficient game for the 36ers to top-score with 19 points to go with four assists on the back of shooting 5/7 from the floor, 2/4 from deep and 7/9 from the three-point arc.

Johnson is warming up for the season nicely too with another 17 points on 6/9 shooting while King finished with 13 points and four assists including going 3/5 from three-point territory.

Isaac Humphries showed encouraging signs too with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists while Sunday Dech added seven points, Todd Withers three in his first appearance, Nick Marshall three, Cam Bairstow four and Zac Gattorna two.

But captain McCarron showed just how big of a factor he can be even without scoring a lot. He might have had just three points on three shots, but was as important as anyone on the court with 12 assists and four rebounds.

Despite the Sixers having won their opening two matches at the Blitz in Tasmania, it was the worst possible start on Sunday. After Adelaide led 4-2 early, the JackJumpers scored the game's next 12 points to all of a sudden lead 14-4.

Adelaide captain Mitch McCarron opened the second quarter with a three-pointer and the 36ers were trying throughout the period to work their way back into the game, with Tasmania still leading 50-33 by the half-time break.

The comeback then got into full swing for the Sixers after half-time beginning with a 9-0 run topped off by a four-point play from impressive new import Dusty Hannahs.

Daniel Johnson knocked down a three ball himself soon after to bring the 36ers back within seven of the JackJumpers before a couple of free throws from Hannahs made it a five-point ball game.

Nick Marshall got in on the act too heading towards three quarter-time with his triple making it a four-point deficit and it was Tasmania leading 61-55 after three.

Johnson scored first to start the fourth quarter to bring Adelaide within four and the Sixers kept the momentum going with Isaac Humphries cutting that deficit in half. Three free-throws from Johnson then cut the deficit to one.

It was still one when Hannahs hit a three in response to one from the JackJumpers before a Johnson turnaround jumper made scores all level with just over five minutes remaining.

The lead went Adelaide's way soon after with a triple from Next Star Mojave King before Sunday Dech maintained the three-point edge with four minutes on the clock.

Another three ball from King soon after had the lead out to four and when he scored again with a strong move to the basket and finish, a minute was left and the 36ers led 81-78.

Ultimately a free-throw from Todd Withers in his first appearance steadied Adelaide to a two-point edge and they got a stop on Tasmania's last possession to win by two and stay undefeated at the NBL Blitz.

Adelaide will be back in action at the NBL Blitz on Friday night against old foes the Perth Wildcats before finishing up on Sunday against the Brisbane Bullets.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL BLITZ

ADELAIDE 36ERS 82 (Hannahs 19, Johnson 17, King 13)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 80 (Steindl 17, Magette 14, McVeigh 11, Magnay 11) 

BOX SCORE