'We weren't able to keep up the scoreboard pressure': Bruton

Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton said his team wasn't able to keep the scoreboard pressure up as the Perth Wildcats ran away with a 112-97 win at RAC Arena on Saturday night.

The Wildcats took control with a 32-17 opening quarter and never looked back as Brady Manek hit a barrage of threes to take control of the game.

"I thought we came out and went toe to toe at the start of the game," Bruton said.

"In the first five minutes, Kai (Sotto) was really good for us.

"That second five minutes was a 20-4 run...Manek came in and buried three or four shots in that patch.

"We weren't able to keep the scoreboard pressure at the other end of the floor,"

"We couldn't close him out, he's a guy who can catch and shoot the ball well in our league, he's done that to us a couple of times now, not only that patch but also the back end of the third quarter.

"They were able to go on another 18-8 run against us in that third quarter."

The 36ers have lost four of their last five to fall to eighth on the NBL23 ladder, and Bruton said the equation to make the play-in series is simple.

"We've been at home, we've been on the road, we lost to New Zealand, Cairns, the JackJumpers game got away from us," he said.

"We were in this game then we were playing catch up.

"We need to win every game, that's the motto.

"We're about to go on the road again, how we finished the game, we need to play with that sort of pressure and effort levels.

"While it wasn't their starters on the floor at the end, it doesn't matter, it's playing and competing at an elite level, playing desperate basketball and playing like you're in a war."