Cleveland Buries Hawks for Sixers' Great Escape

Saturday, January 7, 2023

After what happened on New Year's Eve, the Adelaide 36ers were staring down the barrel of what could have been a season-defining Friday night loss to a brave Illawarra Hawks, but Antonius Cleveland inspired their escape for a 103-95 win.

After what happened on New Year's Eve, the Adelaide 36ers were staring down the barrel of what could have been a season-defining Friday night loss to a brave Illawarra Hawks, but Antonius Cleveland inspired their escape for a 103-95 win.

The Hawks just can't take a break, both figuratively and literally. Having already lost imports Justin Robinson, George King and Peyton Siva to season-ending injuries, Michael Frazier II might be about to join them after potentially breaking his arm in the first half at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

It didn’t deter Illawarra though. With co-captains Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling leading the charge, they put themselves in a winning position leading by eight with five straight points on offensive rebounds with four minutes to play.

The pressure was right back on Adelaide coming off coughing up an 18-point fourth quarter lead in Cairns on New Year's Eve to see them drop from the top six.

They had to dig deep and from the moment CJ Bruton called for a standing timeout, the Sixers went on a 17-0 run to turn the game on its head. It was Cleveland against his former team that was the inspiration for it all for the 36ers too.

He hit a crucial three himself, but his defence on Harvey, ability to pull off steals and then create for his teammates was massive in those 17 straight points to see them win by eight and improve to 11-9 on the season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE 36ers ARE STORMING HOME. FRANKS BACK TO BACK ??<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/or8ZfqQR1r">pic.twitter.com/or8ZfqQR1r</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611306612945485825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Daniel Johnson top-scored for Adelaide with 18 points to go with eight rebounds and three assists with Ian Clark contributing 16 points and five assists while going 4/6 from deep.

Cleveland finished with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks, Anthony Drmic 16 points and five boards, and Robert Franks 13 points and three assists with 3/4 shooting from deep.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton was a relieved man for what his team produced in those last four minutes.

"I thought the boys responded in those last four minutes," Bruton said.

"Clearly you need energy and playing in front of big crowds and winning games like that, you don't want to have to do that too often. But I obviously liked the way that we got after it and went on a 17-0 run after that timeout.

"We got up the floor and pushed the ball, but the intensity on the defensive end is really what got us the win."

The Hawks will be shattered to have been so competitive and so brave, and to be in a winning position but unable to come away with their third win of the season.

You certainly can't fault their effort with Harvey finishing with 22 points with 6/9 three-point shooting and Froling 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Deng Deng stepped up again for 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks, Mangok Mathiang 12 points and seven boards, and before he hurt his arm, Frazier 11 points.

Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas will never be happy to lose, but couldn’t be proud of his group.

"When they play like that I'm always proud of them. I'm proud of the fact that when we go in that room and speak about it afterwards, all we've got right now is opinion and how I feel about them," Jackomas said.

"I know from the outside world the record is not great, I mean it's terrible, but the amount of hits these guys are getting and still producing, there's been other teams in the past who would just roll over.

"They are refusing to roll over and I know everyone in the league is waiting for them to do so, and take some shots at them. But we're doing something right now in this space and guys are getting big time minutes who never would any other time, and they are learning.

"Tyler's carrying us on the scoring wise too and they are sending two to him and the criticism on him is unwarranted with what he's playing against. We've got one American again right now so of course I'm proud of them and I'd love to get them a win. Eventually we will."

Anthony Drmic has been in tremendous form of late for Adelaide and he opened up with a pair of triples to get the huge home crowd rocking, but the Hawks had come to play and worked their way into the contest.

They grabbed the lead thanks to a three ball from Michael Frazier and a bucket to Sam Froling, another Frazier triple before quarter-time kept Illawarra in front but then Ian Clark gave Adelaide a surge and he hit two long balls of his own to put the home team on top 23-19 after one.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sam ????? it home ? Illawarra pushing out the lead! ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/2h6sGDq5jq">pic.twitter.com/2h6sGDq5jq</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611304593253888002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Adelaide threatened to open up a handy lead on several occasions through the second quarter with Daniel Johnson on his way to 12 points for the half on 4/5 shooting, but the Hawks did well to keep in touch.

Even though the 36ers went into the break shooting at 59 per cent from the floor and having knocked down 7/11 three-pointers, the Hawks limited the damage with Frazier and Deng Deng combining for 21 points.

Adelaide only led 50-47 at half-time despite how well they executed offensively and having nine turnovers.

As if the Hawks could afford another blow, Frazier wouldn’t be returning in the second half with an arm injury. Despite that, they refused to lie down and they were back in front when Deng, Harvey and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk opened the half with three balls.

The Sixers responded with a 7-0 run started with an and-one from Robert Franks, but they just couldn’t shake Illawarra and by three quarter-time scores were all locked away at 75-75.

Froling put Illawarra on top to start the fourth before Davo Hickey and Swaka Lo Buluk pushed that lead out to four. Then suddenly it was six when Harvey connected on a three ball when the Hawks gathered the offensive rebound on a free-throw.

Things were getting desperate for Adelaide with five minutes to play before a couple of turnovers showed the pressure was being felt by the home team. Yet another o-board for Illawarra saw Froling slam one home and it led to a standing timeout from CJ Bruton with the Sixers down eight with four to play.

It didn’t work. Adelaide coughed up another turnover straight away before Mitch McCarron missed a layup on the next possession and time was becoming an issue.

Eventually it was Clark in his third game of the season who brought the 36ers back in touch with a three ball. Antonius Cleveland hit one of his own and the margin was back to two before Cleveland pulled off a steal that lead to a McCarron bucket to bring scores level.

Cleveland then found Franks for a go-ahead three for the home team. Cleveland's defence then denied Harvey getting off a shot, Froling was called for the charge and the 36ers put the game to bed.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DAVO DUNKING ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/ynoQ9chslS">pic.twitter.com/ynoQ9chslS</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611290130471587842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Franks hit another three ball before they ended up scoring the 17 straight points after trailing by eight to end up winning by eight.

The Sixers remain at home to host the second placed New Zealand Breakers on Sunday while the Hawks are at home to the Tasmania JackJumpers on Tuesday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 14

ADELAIDE 36ERS 103 (Johnson 18, Clark 16, Drmic 16, Cleveland 16)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 95 (Harvey 22, Deng 19, Froling 14)

BOX SCORE