Who: Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Saturday 21 November Where: Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide Watch: Fox Sports (Live and in HD); Sky Sports NZ; NBL Live App Last time they met: Adelaide 105 (Wilson 23, Creek 21, Gibson 16) d Illawarra 85 (Martin 14 Carson 13), Round 20, 2014/15, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong THE MATCH-UP

Randle on all fours and then a THREE #HardBall @Adelaide36ers @TsvCrocs https://t.co/fXjaOikuXg

— NBL (@NBL) November 14, 2015

Jerome Randle v Kevin Lisch – This pair have been mercurial this season with their ball-handling and shot-making. Lisch wore down last week being both the Hawks’ playmaker and lead defender on Jermaine Beal, so it’s crucial one of his teammates steps up to defend Randle on Saturday.

De'Lisch #HardBall @illawarrahawks @Perthwildcats https://t.co/JQC4HAHrkt — NBL (@NBL) November 11, 2015

THE STATS In their six losses, the 36ers have been outscored 162-109 in fourth quarters, giving up an average of 27 points in the final 10 minutes of defeats compared to 16.2 points in their five victories. Illawarra have won just one fourth quarter this season, giving up an average of 27.4 points in the final periods of their five losses. THE STORY Illawarra have played some of the best basketball seen this NBL season, but on more than one occasion they’ve undone their good work late in the contest. “We have to finish games out,” coach Rob Beveridge said after they nearly surrendered a 19-point lead to Cairns in Round 5. That message didn’t reach his players, however, who coughed up an 11-point three-quarter-time edge to Perth five days later, the second time they had capitulated against the Wildcats at home. While the Hawks have blown teams away with their three-point shooting, those open looks often arise from their ability to find centre AJ Ogilvy under the basket, something that seems to go missing late in games. “At times we just blaze away too much from the perimeter, but we have to get the ball inside to AJ,” Beveridge said. “He doesn’t always have to go one-on-one, he’s a great passer, he got a lot of his points through second efforts, tip-ins and rebounding”

Penney drives to the hoop & AJ with the tip in#HardBall @illawarrahawks @CairnsTaipans https://t.co/Clu8J8gb3Q

— NBL (@NBL) November 6, 2015

Of course, much of Illawarra’s offence is reliant on flow, and they simply haven’t taken care of the defensive boards against Perth – allowing 37 o-boards in the two match-ups – to maintain pace for four quarters. “That’s what we have to get better at, the mental aspect of the game, the hardness and that desire to rebound,” Beveridge said. It’s probably the same message Joey Wright is preaching to his troops, after they grabbed a season-low 16 defensive rebounds against the Wildcats, who pulled in 12 offensive boards of their own. Quality offensive rebounding effort from Lucas Walker, Anthony Petrie and Daniel Johnson is important for Adelaide too, not just to get extra scoring chances but to allow their first line of defence time to cover the Hawks’ vaunted running game.

Follow up slam from Walker #HardBall #nbl16 @SydneyKings @Adelaide36ers https://t.co/JVhXa3lvjd — NBL (@NBL) October 23, 2015

Yet while some teams have used a rebounding advantage to slow the 36ers down, Beveridge has been preaching the exact opposite so far this season. “We’ve got the potential to be that 100-point team every game and that’s what we’re aiming for,” he said. THE WRAP Both teams can compete with the best, but at business time they’ve come up short. Both love to play free-wheeling basketball, but in the crunch Adelaide need Randle to make smart decisions and the Hawks need Lisch getting the ball inside before looking for his three-point marksmen. The 36ers’ defence is at its best when scrambling and helping as one, with Petrie leading the charge, but Illawarra have the line-up to spread them out. Illawarra’s pressing defence has been a strength, and Adelaide must make intelligent reads and make the most of their advantage close to the hoop.

The rookie Matt Hodgson rips it through and throws it down for the @Adelaide36ers #HardBall https://t.co/7Q0o4A9WEG

— NBL (@NBL) November 18, 2015