R2 Preview: Adelaide 36ers vs NZ Breakers

Sunday, December 12, 2021

CJ takes on his beloved Breakers for the first time as a head coach, while Finn Delany and Daniel Johnson shapes as a classic marquee match-up.

When: 3pm (AEDT), Sunday 12 December 2021

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo Freebies; 10 Peach; 10 Play; Sky Sports NZ

Who won last time?
New Zealand 94 (C Webster 22, Randolph 17, Delany 14, Iverson 14) d Adelaide 76 (Dillon 22, Johnson 18, McVeigh 13) - Round 19, 2021, Christchurch Arena

The Breakers continued their late-season bounce after finally returning to New Zealand, while a deflated Adelaide continued to slump with Josh Giddey and Isaac Humphries done for the year. Corey Webster was the chief destroyer for New Zealand with 22 points off the bench.

What happened last start?

The 36ers broke their duck with a hard-fought win in Hobart on Thursday night, controlling much of the contest as they shot an impressive clip from all over the floor, before withstanding a fierce Tassie run down the stretch thanks to Dusty Hannahs.

New Zealand’s last start was Friday night in Melbourne and, trailing by 13 early, they were on track for another thrashing. However, the Breakers’ switching D went to a new level of physicality, while Finn Delany and Hugo Besson were next level to almost pinch the W.

Who’s in form?

Dusty Hannahs – For a guy who had only played one round of NBL basketball, Hannahs was under enormous pressure to perform, but he didn’t show it on Thursday. Refusing to settle for his trademark long bomb, he scored 10 of his 15 points from the paint and free-throw line and dished four assists. He saved his best for last with a wicked contested three and a composed floater in the final 90 seconds to seal victory and silence the critics.

Hugo Besson – If another import underperformed to the level of Hannahs in Round 1 it was the 20-year-old Besson, who struggled badly after recovering from a battle with COVID. It took him a little while to get going in Friday’s rematch with South East Melbourne, but in the final 16 minutes he dropped 20 points on 7/11 shooting, including 12 points in 90 seconds late. Adelaide’s bigs better be ready for Hugo to come off picks ready to fire.

Who needs to be?

Mitch McCarron – While Mitch is giving Adelaide plenty of good all-court service, he hasn’t been able to lead the way late in games. In close contests with Perth and Tasmania, McCarron has provided just three points and three assists across both final quarters, while the 36ers have managed just 27 points in 20 minutes, dishing just five assists compared to nine turnovers. With the Breakers’ backcourt weakened, now is the time for McCarron to make plays.

Will McDowell-White – When his team desperately needed a lift, McDowell-White lifted and crammed a power jam on Tohi Smith-Milner’s head. That play sparked an 18-8 Breakers run leading into half-time, and from that point Will added nine points and six dimes, after providing just two points and three assists across the opening five quarters of the season. With Peyton Siva and Jeremiah Martin sidelined, NZ need their Aussie PG in go-mode from tip-off.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">? ? ? <a href="https://t.co/ITbJoo67IM">pic.twitter.com/ITbJoo67IM</a></p>— Matt Walsh (@mattyvincent44) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattyvincent44/status/1469237233488039938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s statting up?

- At quarter time on Friday, New Zealand had given up 6/7 shooting from the arc. After that, they held South East Melbourne to 4/16, with Mitch Creek making three of those

- Last season, the Breakers’ switching defence held teams to 7.2 made triples from 21.4 attempts, both lowest in the NBL

- In their two losses to start the season, Adelaide made 10 threes in total at 23 per cent. In their win over Tasmania they nailed 10 in that game alone at 38 per cent

- The 36ers have handed out a lowly 50 assists to 53 turnovers, giving up 55 points from turnovers. NZ have dished 25 assists to 30 turnovers and have been whopped 18-41 on PFTs

Who’s matching up?

Daniel Johnson v Finn Delany – Fresh from his incredible individual battle with Mitch Creek – where the pair of freak forwards combined for 59 points on 11/17 three-point shooting – Delany now faces Johnson in another highly-anticipated battle, with Johnson’s size and uncanny post moves going against Delany’s elite speed and athleticism.

DJ started the year with a 22-point performance in Perth, but his jumpshot has deserted him, landing just 3/18 from distance, and he’s managed only 26 points in the past two games combined. Delany shot 42 per cent from range against Adelaide in NBL21, a repeat of which will force the Sixers to adjust, because Johnson can’t defend him out to the arc.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FINN DIESEL WITH THE STRONG START <a href="https://t.co/1xEDnuJpLA">pic.twitter.com/1xEDnuJpLA</a></p>— Sky Sport Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1469225944770486273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s talking the talk?

The second round of his already-captivating NBL season could be dubbed redemption round, given the breakout performance from a pair of struggling imports.

“I had a tough first two games, I felt like I let my teammates down, the staff down, everybody, so today was just about getting back on track and the team getting a win, and I was glad I was able to get that three at a time we needed it,” Dusty Hannahs said.

“I’m a professional, it’s my job to stay ready. This is my job and like coach said, I've told him and I've probably told too many people that I'm ready for the big moments, I'm ready to shoot the ball.”

His counterpart in light blue, Hugo Besson, echoed his message after a stunning breakout performance from the 20-year-old.

“It was very good to be back at this level, I had hard days because I had COVID, I was really sick 10 days ago, so it was good to be back at this shape and this level,” he said.

“I always had confidence in myself, I never doubt, even if I'm 0/10 I'm going to take the shot, if I'm 10/10 I'm going to take the shot, I never doubt myself, it’s the same if I'm having and good game or a bad game.”

It sets the stage for an intriguing battle between two teams desperately needing a victory.

While Adelaide broke their duck on Thursday night, their first-up home performance was little short of embarrassing, and Hannahs wants to set that right and must step up again with Sunday Dech still sidelined.

“To give our fans a better showing than last time,” he said.

“We came back from a tough game in Perth and kind of laid an egg, so just for us to come out and bring energy and try to give them a better product to watch Sunday.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="nl" dir="ltr">Dusty Daggers.<a href="https://twitter.com/D_Hannahs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@D_Hannahs</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreSixers</a> <a href="https://t.co/RM4dQ0q31a">pic.twitter.com/RM4dQ0q31a</a></p>— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1468889532837687301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It’s like groundhog day for the Breakers, who have battled adversity the past two years, and now enter their third game of the new season severely undermanned on the perimeter without Peyton Siva, Jeremiah Martin and Tom Abercrombie.

“We lost Peyton after two minutes of the game, playing without your two (import) guards, without Tom, three potential starters, but at the same time we fought, a lot of people left everything they had on the floor,” coach Dan Shamir said.

“So in that regard we made a step, we can be satisfied with it, we have to dig in more and find ways to get some of our advantages out there, especially to play hard and fight to get some wins until we’re in full power.”

It was a defence led fight after the Phoenix blew them off the court early, and Shamir said “It’s better to hit first, but we hit back and second quarter they (only) scored 13 points”.

“it’s definitely not a big change in cover or some secret defence,” Shamir admitted.

“Our main focus with a team like SE Melbourne is one-on-one defence, not getting beat, playing tough, it was a little bit better in the second quarter and we got back in the game.”

It will have to be mano-a-mano on Sunday, with Yanni Wetzell taking on Isaac Humphries, Finn Delany squaring up with Daniel Johnson and Ousmane Dieng fronting up to Todd Withers in the frontcourt.

While Withers has yet to adjust to the NBL’s unique style of officiating, coach CJ Bruton knows a breakout game isn’t far way.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TODD.WITHERS.??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreSixers</a> <a href="https://t.co/HXvQsYOnAq">pic.twitter.com/HXvQsYOnAq</a></p>— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1464794601261199364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Todd is an amazing athlete, he can defend multiple positions,” said Bruton, who will coach agaisnt the club he led to a three-peat from 2011-2013.

“He was unfortunate on some of those calls but as I remind him (about) staying with it, because I think the league is going to recognise how talented he is on the defensive end of the floor and try to go away from him a bit more.

“His offensive skill will show at different times, but more so his ability to be able to shut down players and take them out of their rhythm.”

In the backcourt, Besson eye-to-eye with Hannahs and Will McDowell-White having to withstand the heat from Mitch McCarron.

“Will had a good performance today and he had so much on his shoulders,” Shamir said.

“Obviously he was under a lot of pressure with us missing two guards, but I want to say every time he does something you see what he can do, and I think there is so much in him.

“He’s playing right and he's playing humble, but he can also take over games, and that kind of highlight is just a little bit of a sign of that, and I want him to bring it more, more out of himself.”