Adelaide has won three games in a row for the first time this season after Robert Franks and Daniel Johnson fired the 36ers to a six-point victory against undermanned South East Melbourne on Christmas Eve.
The Sixers led by 14 points with four minutes left to play at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, but had to fight tooth and nail for a 94-88 win after a brave late rally by the Phoenix, who sliced the margin to four points with a minute to play.
The result improved resurgent Adelaide’s win-loss record to 9-8, while the Phoenix, playing their fourth game in 10 days, dropped to 12-8.
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“I’m very happy for our players and our organisation,” Adelaide coach CJ Bruton said.
“We had to fight for it … even though they were undermanned they gave it every crack.
“I think we’re playing better and that momentum is coming.”
“I see this as one that slipped away,” Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell said.
“We came into the game with the true belief that we were the better team and we expected to win so we’re disappointed.”
Johnson and Franks led the way with 20 points apiece, with seven of the import’s points coming in the last quarter.
New Adelaide import Ian Clark suited up for the contest, but the NBA and NBL championship-winning guard didn’t leave the bench having only arrived in the country late in the week.
Phoenix star Mitch Creek, the league’s leading scorer, was held to eight points in the first half but finished with a game-high 24 points, with Kyle Adnam the next best with 18.
ABSENT STARS
The Phoenix were missing Gary Browne (calf), Ryan Broekhoff (hip) and Alan Williams (ankle) through injury, while star centre Zhou Qi has returned to China for family reasons.
That’s a lot of missing star power, but the absentees presented opportunities for more playing minutes and Adnam made the most of his with 11 points, including two triples, in the first quarter.
The skipper’s high-energy approach was pivotal as the Phoenix poured in 32 points in the first term to lead by six points at the first break.
Adnam scored the first points of the second term and forced Adelaide’s eighth turnover as the home side struggled to put it together on defence.
Such was Adnam’s intent to fly around the court, he sent a tray of party pies flying after he barrelled into the crowd attempting to keep the ball in play.
DJ SPARKS
In his second match back from a one-game absence with gastro, Johnson started on the bench with Kai Sotto getting the start at centre.
Johnson provided the spark his side needed to shake off an all-too-familiar sloppy start at home.
The star veteran poured in a team-high 13 points in the first half on 4-of-5 shooting to help his side rein in the visitors and edge in front by two points at the main break.
The starting centre role is an intriguing situation for CJ Bruton to ponder, with Sotto showing encouraging signs as a starter.
The Filipino sensation had five points and pulled down six rebounds in the first half, finishing with seven points and 10 rebounds.
Antonius Cleveland (13 points) had 11 boards, the Sixers winning the rebound count 50-33.
The Sixers are at home again on Thursday night when they host the Bullets, while the Phoenix are off to Hobart next for a New Year’s Day clash against the JackJumpers.
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