Hot Sixers hold off fast-finishing Phoenix in thriller

The Adelaide 36ers turned on some scintillating basketball but then had to hold off a momentous South East Melbourne Phoenix comeback to win their opening NBL Cup game 99-94 on Tuesday night.

The game was the last in the block of four days of double-headers in the opening round of the NBL Cup and it was quite the spectacle put on by the 36ers and Phoenix.

It was a much-needed bounce back win as well for the Sixers in the end on the back of two heavy losses, and a minute into the fourth quarter they appeared unstoppable leading by 17 points.

Daniel Johnson was on his way to 27 points and 10 rebounds while Isaac Humphries ended up delivering 24 points and 11 boards, and Josh Giddey was brilliant with 15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals.

The 36ers appeared to have the game in the bag and then did appear to steady after Mitch Creek knocked down three huge triples as part of a Phoenix 16-2 run when Conner Henry was successful with a Coach's Challenge to deny Cam Gliddon three free-throws and keep Tony Crocker in the game.

Humphries delivered one huge slam over both Creek and Keifer Sykes to again give the Sixers breathing room, and he responded again with a three-point play after Reuben Te Rangi brought the Phoenix within a point with just under a minute left.

The twists didn’t end there. Gliddon scored a layup to make it a three-point game with 14 seconds left and then drew a charge on Giddey on the in-bounds pass. That gave South East Melbourne a sniff but they couldn’t capitalise and Giddey would grab the critical defence rebound to secure the win.

Crocker also had 12 points for Adelaide, Sunday Dech eight to go with six rebounds, and Jack McVeigh six.

Creek top-scored for South East Melbourne with 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists while connecting on 4/8 from three-point land. 

Sixers coach Conner Henry was a proud and relieved man for how his team bounced back to win after a couple of tough losses.

"I was pleased with the way we came together as a group over the last two days after not looking real strong the last game," Henry said. 

"Everybody played a part, everybody bought into what we were trying to get across the last two days, and we needed a really good, solid, hard fought victory.

"It got a little close there in the end and I didn’t manage things too well, and I've got to be better in that situation but we got some stops and made some free-throws."

Gliddon also had 18 points and four assists, Ben Moore 13 points and six rebounds, Yanni Wetzell 12 points and seven boards, Reuben Te Rangi 10 points and four assists, Keifer Sykes nine points and three assists, and Kyle Adnam nine points and six assists.

South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell pointed to the 36ers performance inside to capitalise on their big men as the major difference between the teams.

"It's a little bit disappointing. Our pick-and-roll defence was pretty poor and our interior defence struggled, they were really dominant and efficient in the paint," Mitchell said. 

"I think for the most part that was probably the difference between the two teams was their ability to finish around the rim, and we probably struggled once we entered the paint. 

"That's the story of the game is just their efficiency. We have opposite styles where they are big and pound it inside, and we're a little bit smaller and more free-flowing, and they just had the better of us tonight."

The Phoenix started well with a couple of triples to Cam Gliddon and Keifer Sykes before Daniel Johnson and Isaac Humphries got things going inside for the 36ers, and the first quarter ended with scores tied at 19-19.

Mitch Creek and Gliddon had South East Melbourne narrowly up midway through the second term before Johnson and Humphries again got on a roll for the 36ers, and then Josh Giddey and Sunday Dech dropped triples.

Humphries and Johnson had combined for 27 points and 11 rebounds in the half for the 36ers but the last four points went to the Phoenix to cut the deficit to one.

Gliddon and Reuben Te Rangi knocked down triples to open the second half for South East Melbourne, but Giddey answered with eight quick points of his own for Adelaide before Johnson took over with two and-one plays, and a three ball.

That had the 36ers on top by double-figures before Jack McVeigh and Kendle extended that to 13 by three quarter-time.

Adelaide's lead grew to 17 to start the fourth quarter before Creek nailed three triples to spark a Phoenix 16-2 run that brought the game back to life. 

The Sixers had appeared to steady again with a Humphries slam and then Crocker free-throws after their successful Coach's Challenge and an unsuccessful one from the Phoenix.

But still the Phoenix kept coming and were back within one after a triple from Te Rangi and his layup. Humphries answered with an and-one play but still South East Melbourne had another chance in the frantic finish, but the Sixers held on for the important win.

The Sixers are back in action Thursday against Melbourne United while the Phoenix have until Sunday to take on the Illawarra Hawks.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 6
NBL CUP WEEK 1

ADELAIDE 36ERS 99 (Johnson 27, Humphries 24, Giddey 15)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 94 (Creek 23, Gliddon 18, Moore 13) 

POINTS AWARDED – Adelaide 36ers 5.5, South East Melbourne Phoenix 1.5

BOX SCORE