Wells Pleased with Hard-Fought Road Win Over Breakers
Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Mike Wells described the game as an “ugly win” but expressed satisfaction with his team’s grit in securing victory against the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday night.
Game Summary
The Sixers defeated the Breakers 83-79 at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, marking their first win at that venue after three attempts. Bryce Cotton led the team, scoring 23 points, adding five assists, and making two crucial steals. Despite a late surge from the Breakers, Adelaide held on for the win.
Context and Previous Meetings
Adelaide entered the game with three wins in their last four matches against New Zealand, although the Breakers had won the previous five encounters between the two teams. The match was characterized by significant momentum swings.
Coach Wells’ Comments
“I thought that was a really, really hard fought NBL game. On the road, you've got to kind of bite and scrap and do a whole bunch of things, and sometimes it's not perfect and it's not pretty, but we got the win.”
“We gave up 33 points in the second quarter, and they scored 32 for the whole second half. That's what we've been preaching about.”
“I thought our transition defence was outstanding, particularly in the fourth (and) I thought that we had some really good efforts and big games from a lot of different guys.”
“Of course, we want to clean it up a little bit at the end so it could be a little bit easier, but, you know, you give them credit, they fought, they scrapped, they fought, and we hung in there, and we got to win.”
Key Takeaways
- Adelaide's defense improved significantly after the second quarter.
- Multiple players contributed key efforts.
- The win required perseverance despite imperfections in play.
Author’s summary: Coach Mike Wells emphasized Adelaide 36ers’ resilience in a tough away game, celebrating a gritty 83-79 win over the Breakers despite an imperfect and challenging performance.