Wells Pleased with Hard-Fought Road Win over Breakers
Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Mike Wells described the victory over New Zealand as an “ugly win” but expressed satisfaction with his team's effort on the road. The Sixers secured an 83-79 win at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, marking their first triumph at this venue after three attempts.
Leading the way, Bryce Cotton scored 23 points, added five assists, and made two crucial steals, helping the Sixers hold off a late comeback attempt by the Breakers.
Before the game, Adelaide had won three of their last four matchups against New Zealand, while the Breakers had claimed victory in each of the previous five encounters between the two teams. Despite significant momentum swings during the game, the Sixers ultimately prevailed, a result that pleased Wells.
“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.”
Wells highlighted the defensive adjustments his team made during the game: “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.”
He also praised the team’s transition defense and contributions from several players: “I thought our transition defence was outstanding, particularly in the fourth (quarter), 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 the win.”
Key Highlights
- Adelaide 36ers won 83-79 at Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch.
- Breakers had won the last five meetings prior to this game.
- Bryce Cotton led with 23 points, five assists, and two steals.
- Strong defensive adjustments limited Breakers' scoring in the second half.
- Coach Wells emphasized the importance of resilience and teamwork.
Coach Wells valued the team's gritty road performance, recognizing their resilience despite imperfections, highlighting a critical defensive turnaround in securing the win.