Wells: ‘I couldn’t be prouder of the group’

For a second week in-a-row, Adelaide 36ers head coach Mike Wells has lauded how his team responded after half-time in Friday night’s overtime success against Cairn Taipans.

Adelaide went into the main break down 59-43 after the Taipans caught fire from outside, but Wells said how his team bounced back showed real character.

“I’m exhausted, but I know what this group is capable of now,” Wells said post-match after Adelaide's 99-93 overtime win.

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Wells said most of his speech in the locker room at the main break was aimed at point guard Kendric Davis, who then went on to score 21 of his 29 points in the second half to go with eight assists, and some big time plays down the stretch.

“This guy (Davis) probably got most of my half-time speech, but I love him to death and I’m glad he understood me going at him,” Wells said.

“I think we can push the envelope with this group and form an identity.

“We are trying to take the 36ers to where we haven’t been for a while.”

Wells highlighted his group really changed after the main break, holding Cairns to zero second chance points after giving up 20 in the opening 20 minutes, and limiting the Taipans to just three offensive rebounds in the second half.

“What we did defensively from first half to second half was night and day and I couldn’t be prouder of the group,” Wells said.

“There is a pride within this group, they want to win and once we started to compete in the second half, you saw a whole different game.”

Wells said how his side adjusted to different rotations, schemes and plays from the first half to second half shows what his side can potentially accomplish moving forward.

“This group responds, they respond in practice, they let me coach them,” Wells said.

“The way they came out tonight in that second half, it’s two different teams.”

The 36ers now have an eight-day break before travelling to New Zealand for next Saturday’s clash against the Breakers at Spark Arena from 5pm ACST.