Sixers too good for NBL's struggling Kings

Nov 18, 2017 - 9:31 AM The Adelaide 36ers overcame a tardy start and wrecked Jerome Randle's eagerly-anticipated homecoming with a comprehensive 108-93 victory over the Sydney Kings.

Shannon Shorter (19 points, six assists, two turnovers) won the point guard battle against his predecessor, ex-Sixer Randle (18 points, five assists, eight turnovers), who starred in his NBL comeback against Illawarra two nights ago but endured a mixed evening on Saturday.

Randle's eventful evening included being crunched by Matt Hodgson, trapped into a rare eight-second back court violation and finally, out of frustration, being pinged for an unsportsmanlike foul against Mitch Creek at the death.

It was the Kings second defeat in two days after losing 97-93 to the Illawarra Hawks.

Sydney blew out of the blocks 8-0 to lay laid the foundation for a 28-25 quarter-time lead against an uncertain Adelaide outfit, which belatedly got going in the second period.

Desperate to avoid a fourth successive defeat and stay in touch with the finalists, the Sixers mounted a sustained charge, piggybacked by Shorter who responded magnificently after his efforts were publicly questioned by coach Joey Wright a week ago.

Up 60-53 at the end of a frenetic opening half, the 36ers extended their lead to 83-69 at three-quarter-time after back-to-back triples to Anthony Drmic and Nathan Sobey inside the final 30 seconds of the stanza.

The margin swelled further during the fourth before Randle, who had been ice cold, drilled successive triples.

Adelaide coach Joey Wright praised the way his side overcame an early deficit on the back of three-straight losses.

"We hadn't been playing the best basketball but we stepped up tonight and stuck together," he said.

"When this group sticks together, we can do some good things."

Sydney coach Andrew Gaze lamented his side's defensive woes after the Kings conceded triple digits for the fourth time this season.

"Until such time as we can defend and be confident about our defence, it puts enormous pressure on our offence," Gaze said.

"(It's) the glaring elephant in the room in our team and it's something that we're looking at.

"We won't make progress if we have to score over 110 points to win a game of basketball."

Source: AAP