Isaac
Years ago
Funny Sixers scrape home against Wildcats
The Adelaide 36ERS snuck home at the Distinctive Homes Dome this afternoon with a 95-93 scoreline, after four very even quarters against long-time rival Perth.
It was captain Brett Maher who got it done when it mattered, scoring 9 points in the final term to finish the game with 23 points and 7 assists. Typical support came from Dusty Rychart who had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists.
Willie Farley (16 points, 5 rebounds), Oscar Forman (15 points, 6 rebounds) and Jacob Holmes (13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists) rounded out the home scorers with double figures. In the absence of sidelined centre Paul Rees, David Cooper filled almost 39 minutes with 6 points, a game high of 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
The Wildcats were playing without injured big man Matt Burston and the signs early were ominous. Rashad Tucker failed to score in the opening quarter and took much of the second to open his account. Only two three-point baskets from Tony Ronaldson and 7 points from Matt Shanahan kept Perth in the hunt.
All six scoring Sixers got on the scoreboard in the first period with Rychart doing most of the early damage, and Holmes picking up an early three-point play in his attempts to regain form. Tucker travelled on consecutive plays to have the home crowd jeering his efforts. Best play of the term was Farley's behind the back pass to an open Maher and a predictable three point shot made. At the first break, the Sixers had the lead, 27-22.
In the second period, fortunes reversed after the first few minutes. Forman added another three and then had a layup on a back door cut after an excellent passage of play courtesy of Maher and Rychart. This was soon followed by a Farley dunk on the break for the photographer. With Adelaide up by 12 points, it looked like the game's result could be obvious. Perth, however, rallied with support from much of the team.
The Perth highlight for the term was undoubtedly Tucker's alley-oop pass to Rosell Ellis to bring the Wildcats to within three points. But Farley answered with consecutive threes and then another jump shot to give him 10 points in the quarter and an opportunity to lead all scorers with 12 at half-time.
At the main break, the Sixers held the narrowest of leads, 49-48, despite shooting 44% from the field to their opponents 49%. The near-even scores were also reflected on the boards with an equal count of 26 apiece. The Sixers continued their excellent tradition of minimising home turnovers, holding the edge after 24 minutes, 7-10. Main scorers at half-time: Farley 12, Rychart 10, Forman 10. For the Wildcats: Ronaldson 11.
After half-time, Maher caught fire, hitting three quick shots to move to 14 personal points. Rychart got an offensive board and put-back to extend his own tally, before a Maher behind the back pass on the break found Holmes who made a pressured two-handed dunk. Holmes had the next bucket also to move his scoreline to 9.
Tucker was the response for the 'Cats, getting loose on the break and throwing down a smooth one hander to have 16 for himself, and even the teams at 64-64. It wasn't a pretty closing to the quarter for the home team who looked sluggish without Farley on the court. Adrian Majstrovich picked up 8 points in the quarter and he, along with Tucker (10 in the period) was an instigator in keeping things close. At the three-quarter break, the Sixers maintained their one point lead, 73-72. Five players for Adelaide were in double-figures: Rychart 16, Forman 15, Maher 14, Farley 12, Holmes 11.
The final quarter was one typical in a game where neither team has the edge or luck to snatch a comfortable lead. Adelaide barely outscored Perth 22-21 for the term, but it was enough to hold the lead. Maher's 9 points were important, but Cooper's defensive rebounding was crucial.
With five minutes to play in the game, the Sixers gave up 5 quick points and, with the score at 88-87, the crowd was restless. Two timeouts for the Wildcats and a warning to Perth benchman Dallas Jeffrees for unsportsmanly calling out twice to distract Cooper during free throws only prolonged the nail-biting finish.
Two more shots from Maher gave the Sixers a 93-91 lead in the dying seconds. Before the second shot, desperate and smothering defense in the key at the other end from Adelaide stopped Perth from drawing level. A charging foul called as Tucker drove into the key on Farley meant the Sixers had possession, a 93-91 lead and a time-out to draw up the final play plan.
The Wildcats fouled Maher immediately and after he made both baskets, they picked up a basket with seconds to spare. There was, however, no time for anything more and Adelaide held on for a 95-93 finish.
Adelaide 95: Maher 23, Rychart 22, Farley 16, Forman 15, Holmes 13, Cooper 6.
Perth 93: Tucker 23, Majstrovich 16, Ronaldson 15, Ellis 12, Crawford 11.
FG%: 41-47
3P%: 38-44
FT%: 65-46
Rebounds: 54-46
Fouls: 15-22
Assists: 26-18
Blocks: 8-0
Steals: 7-3
Turnovers: 12-16
Boxscore
