Wells says 36ers must ‘stay in the fight’

Adelaide 36ers head coach Mike Wells says his side must improve its resolve after back-to-back home defeats this week.

After losing 111-90 to Brisbane Bullets on Christmas Eve, the 36ers went down to Perth Wildcats 116-92 at home on Saturday night.

Wells said his side has shown inconsistency throughout the season and needs to turn it around quickly with a battle in Sydney against the Kings on Monday night.

“Our energy and our consistency of being able to compete at the level you need to compete in this league to win has gone in and out,” Wells said.

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“We are there sometimes, we are not there sometimes and that has probably been the biggest change in this group.

“We had some really good wins earlier in the year, there was a collective resolve there.

“As we have gone through different things and people have been out for various reasons and now adding some people back in, our competitiveness and willingness to stay in the fight hasn’t been what it needs to be.”

Wells said the effort from Keanu Rasmussen on Wildcats star Bryce Cotton was a positive from the defeat.

“I thought for a young player competing against, well it’s hard to say if there’s anyone better in the league and the roll he has been on,” Wells said.

“I give Keanu a ton of credit there, he didn’t take any fouls home with him, he did everything he could to try and disrupt him.”

Wells also praised Lat Mayen, with the power forward now finding a new position on the perimeter and playing with great effect.

“Lat Mayen competed out there, he has grown and settled in with minutes and a role,” Wells said.

“We have him playing on the perimeter a little bit more now, he started more as a four (power forward), he had some minutes on Bryce when we used his length to be disruptive.

“I think there has been real growth in his game also.”

Wells said it was nice to see DJ Vasiljevic return to the court, the captain leading from the front with a team-high 23 points.

“To put DJ back out there, and it was the first time for six or seven weeks, since the game in Melbourne,” Wells said.

“It was good to see him back out there, but that’s another change in how we play, then there is the next part of the adjustment, it’s adding in another great player.”

Adelaide will be in action on Monday night against Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena from7pm ACDT.