Tough trip to Cairns for 36ers

Down three key players and a little down on confidence up against a desperate opponent buoyed by their return home proved a recipe the Adelaide 36ers weren’t hoping for against the Cairns Taipans on Sunday.

A trip to Cairns is never an easy one especially on this occasion for the 36ers to take on a Taipans team desperate to make the most of their first home game in seven weeks at the Cairns Pop-Up Arena, and determined to avoid a sixth successive loss.

When you add into that the fact that the 36ers were missing starting centre Isaac Humphries, his replacement Keanu Pinder and then Next Star point guard Josh Giddey, and it was always going to be a big ask for the Sixers on Sunday.

But still they started well and on the back of three balls from Tony Crocker, Jack McVeigh, Sunday Dech and Daniel Johnson they led 18-14 late in the opening quarter.

However, Cairns went on a 13-0 run from that point either side of quarter-time and were in control of the contest most of the rest of the way. The lead got out to 16 late in the third term before a Johnson-inspired Adelaide fightback.

Still Adelaide couldn’t quite get closer than eight points and led by imports Scott Machado and Cam Oliver, the Taipans wouldn’t be denied and went on to record the 79-65 win to consign the 36ers to a fifth consecutive defeat.

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You couldn’t fault the effort of Daniel Johnson once again for the 36ers as he produced 21 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals despite a regular double-team from Cairns.

Jack McVeigh enjoyed his starting role for 15 points as well on 6/9 shooting while Sunday Dech battled away for 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Tony Crocker scored eight points, Brandon Paul six and Daniel Dillon four to go with three assists as he also started in the absence of Giddey.

Adelaide coach Conner Henry wasn’t looking for excuses for anything post-match, but there are explanations for some things given the circumstances.

"I think just overall it's really difficult for us at this moment. Like a lot of teams, we're battered, bruised and the cavalry's not coming to save us," Henry said. 

"We're fighting and we don't quit, and there's certain areas we've got to get better at. I would say that fatigue and a lack of size and rebounding ability are a couple of things that are hurting us among other things."

Making the start, Daniel Dillon opened the game's scoring and then Jack McVeigh knocked down a jumper having started as well for the Sixers. 

Then when Tony Crocker, Jack McVeigh, Sunday Dech and Daniel Johnson were all able to knock down threes, the 36ers led 18-14 with four minutes left in the first quarter.

But they wouldn’t score again leading into quarter-time and finished off the period with five turnovers despite going 4/8 from three-point range with Cairns leading by six.

Johnson and McVeigh scored early in the second quarter to try and keep Adelaide in touch, but a 13-0 Cairns run saw the home team's lead grow to as much as 13 before a steadying Dech triple for the Sixers.

Johnson hit a couple of tough baskets late in the half and Brandon Paul made a pair of free-throws, but Adelaide was down 12 at the break with Jarrod Kenny hitting a half court prayer on the buzzer for the Snakes.

The game was slipping out of reach of the 36ers midway through the third quarter with the Taipans up 16, but Johnson was instrumental in stemming the tide. He scored eight points in a 10-2 run for the Sixers to close the quarter and cut the Snakes lead to eight heading into the fourth.

The job for Adelaide was made tougher when Cairns scored the first six points of the last term, but another three ball from Dech kept the Sixers within touch. 

They were then just eight points down with scores to Dech and McVeigh, but that would be as close as they got in the finish with Cairns too much down the stretch to end up winning by 14.

The Sixers will now be relieved to return to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday night to play the Illawarra Hawks. It will be a first home game for the 36ers since playing the Brisbane Bullets back on February 15.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 11

ADELAIDE 36ERS 65 (Johnson 21, McVeigh 15, Dech 11) 

CAIRNS TAIPANS 79 (Oliver 19, Machado 17, Djeric 13)

BOX SCORE