Isaac
Years ago
36ERS gritty at home against Cairns
A huge performance on the offensive boards by Dusty Rychart against the league's top rebounder has helped the Adelaide 36ERS back-up their recent road victory and revitalise their run towards the finals. Rychart's 21 points, 19 rebounds (13 offensive) and 6 assists were an MVP performance, partnered by 23 points including a number of breakaway dunks from Willie Farley in a 105-100 win at the Dome against the Cairns Taipans.
Someone forgot to remind Cairns to look at their lowly position on the NBL ladder and to also take note of Adelaide's home record before the game. Veteran Melvin Thomas had 8 first quarter points to keep the Taipans in the running and then the aforementioned league-leading rebounder, Chris Burgess, piled on 10 points in a second quarter that blew Adelaide away 17-33, and left them unexpectedly down 51-60 at the long break.
During that first half, the 36ERS had been persistent but scrappy, Jacob Holmes amassing 11 points and Rychart 12 to lead their team. Cairns, however, had played careful basketball and restricted their mistakes to 4 turnovers to Adelaide's 9. Brad Hill again made a quality mark in his time on court, making only two baskets, but hitting a perfect 5 of 5 free throws, and Todd Gower was used efficiently to rest key players, and hustled well to 2 rebounds and 2 points while on court.
After the main rest, Holmes and Darren Ng paced the 36ERS, Holmes with 8 points and Ng with 5 for the third period. Neither team grabbed a vital edge, but Adelaide outscored the Taipans by 7 to draw within striking distance.
Still, the game's result was not certain until the final seconds of play. Even after the 36ERS reeled in the Cairns lead courtesy of 10 Farley points in the term, and an Oscar Forman three pointer and 3 of 4 foul shots, Taipan Anthony Stewart nailed consecutive outside baskets to leave the game up for grabs. Free throws to Rychart and one to David Cooper down the stretch brought Adelaide the win despite the 36ERS poorer field goal percentage. The dominant 19 rebounds from Rychart led the home team to a giant 60-35 edge on the boards and was a vital difference.
Adelaide 105 (Farley 23, Rychart 21, Holmes 19, Cooper 10, Forman 10, Hill 9, Ng 8)
Cairns 100 (Thomas 19, Stewart 18, Burgess 15, Boodnikoff 13, Grabau 12, Rampton 11)
FG: 43-46%
3P: 35-32%
FT: 74-67%
Rebounds: 60-35 (Rychart 19, Cooper 9, Holmes, Rees 7)
Turnovers: 18-14 (Farley 4, Cooper 4)
Adelaide win second game straight to join Sydney and Wollongong on 18 wins and face Brisbane at the Dome next week. Cairns lose their 19th game for the season.
Boxscore
