Adelaide 36ers 2008/09 season preview

Last season: 14-16, ninth in regular season, missed playoffs
Points For: 104ppg, second
Points Against: 104ppg, tenth
Field Goal Percentage: 45%, seventh
Rebounds: 48rpg, second
Assists: 19apg, seventh
Blocked Shots: 4bpg, second
NBL Titles: Four (1986, 1998, 1999, 2002)
NBL Playoff Appearances: 20 (last time 2006)
Homecourt: Distinctive Homes Dome, capacity 7800
Head Coach: Scott Ninnis (1st season with Adelaide rookie)
Projected Starters: Aaron Bruce, Brett Maher, Mark Tyndale, Adam Ballinger, Luke Schenscher
Bench: Brad Davidson, Jacob Holmes, Paora Winitana, Brad Hill, Ryan Kersten, David Cooper

After three championships and a host of terrific memories, the Phil Smyth era ended in Adelaide last season, not in triumph, but with a distinct sense of what might have been.

The 36ers struggled mightily out of the gate, looking nothing like the squad many pundits had tagged as potential Final Four material. They had problems with injury with Brett Maher in particular and, most importantly, they agonised for far too long as to what should be done with under-performing import Mike Chappell, who never looked like the star forward he used to be.

By the time the decision was made to release Chappell and replace him with former North Carolina State standout and first round NBA pick Julius Hodge, the horse had all but bolted. To their credit, the Sixers made a tremendous run late to just miss the playoffs by a single game a run, by the way, that included a butt-kicking of a Sydney Kings outfit that would lose only three games in the regular season.

In the midst of their ultimately fruitless drive to a playoff spot, Adelaide looked like one of the best clubs in the L and, with Hodge making like Dwayne McClain and the team suddenly a juggernaut, Sixer fans must have been collectively thinking what if?

Smyths post-season departure opened the door for former 36er Scott Ninnis, previously an assistant with the South Dragons and a guy well respected in the Adelaide basketball community. Ninnis inherited a team somewhat in transition, what with the legendary Brett Maher at the tail-end of his magnificent career and the team undergoing a sea change with The General moving on.

It will be interesting to see whether Ninnis can get this team to play defence. Ultimately, the fact Smyth never was able to get his group locked in on that side of the ball proved his undoing giving up 104 points per just aint gonna get it done.

Adelaides interior D in particular has been sieve-like on occasion, which made the off season signing of big Luke Schenscher so important. The former Georgia Tech star helped the Yellow Jackets reach the NCAA title game in what was a truly magical season, and hes been on the fringes of the NBA for the past couple of years. Hell be expected to be a rock-solid presence in the middle.

The Sixers played a game of will-he or wont-he with Hodge as the swingman attempted to break into the NBA, eventually deciding they couldnt afford to wait and that Mark Tyndale out of Temple University would be a quality replacement.

Getting Aaron Bruce, the Australian point guard out of Baylor, was a minor coup although he had his struggles in his final college season and is looking to kickstart his pro career with a Rookie of the Year campaign.

Theres no question Adelaide have done an excellent job re-tooling their lineup. They have size, perimeter shooting, and look stronger inside than they have been in a number of years. Ninnis has enough up and down his roster to get this team to the playoffs this season but he has a lot on his plate as a rookie head coach.

That said with all the attention being paid to the likes of the Dragons and Tigers lately, you dont want to overlook the Adelaide 36ers. Theyll be right there in the thick of it come February count on it.


CENTRE

The 71 Schenscher is the biggest player in the league immediately and one of the biggest in the competitions 29 year history. At G-Tech he became a cult hero for his size, his crazy hair, and his Aussie accent, which the southerners just couldnt get enough of. He also had the game to back it up. Hes obviously going to be a focal point in the half-court offence, hell rebound and block shots and probably average at least 12 points a game. The big question mark is over his distinct lack of footspeed. This is a fast breaking league after all, and thats not one of his strengths still, if all they need him to do is be an intimidator in the middle, that is something hell do very well.


FORWARDS

Adam Ballinger (22.5ppg, 8.1rpg, 54% FG, 44% 3PT FG) had a stellar campaign in 2007/08, ranking among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage and coming up with some monster games all season. He was probably Adelaides most consistent offensive threat and, although he garnered Second Team All-NBL honours, there were very, very few better at the forward position last season than the Michigan State grad. His combination of size, athleticism, and smooth touch out to the perimeter makes him an incredibly difficult matchup most nights and the 36ers will lean on him heavily again.

Tyndale was an outstanding collegian at Temple in the always-tough Atlantic 10 conference, averaging double-figures in points all four of his years there and winding up as the first A-10 player to rank among the career leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. He doesnt figure to be as flashy as the departed Hodge, but should slot in perfectly at the three spot for the 36ers and be extremely productive look for him to slide over to the two on occasion.


GUARDS

What more about Brett Maher (16.6ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.2apg, 41% 3PT FG, 82% FT) needs to be said, other than when his career is done hell join that pantheon inhabited by the likes of Andrew Gaze and Leroy Loggins. He simply has been an ornament to the game in this country and the league will miss him terribly when he decides to hang em up. He missed nearly half the season due to injury in 2007/08 and isnt what he was physically, but the great leadership, the deadly pull-up J and the clutch shooting are all still in evidence. What a story it would be if the Sixers could send him off into the sunset with another ring.

Brad Davidsons ongoing back problems mean that Ninnis will likely throw Aaron Bruce into the deep end as a rookie starter in this league. Bruce has been one of the most highly touted juniors in Australian basketball and his early career as a Baylor Bear in the NCAA showed tremendous promise. He hasnt quite taken that next step yet although some NBA clubs have been sniffing around for a time, but this represents a tremendous opportunity for the 63 firebrand to show that he is an elite PG and a guy who will be a consistent member of the national program for years to come.


BENCH

Jacob Holmes returns home to give the Sixers an instant Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The guy is a flat-out killer on the O boards and is really tough in the wide-open transition game Adelaide favours. Davidson was terrific last year and has a great bulldog mentality he never quits and is in your face constantly. Paora Winitana was an underrated pickup from the Breakers and hell provide hustle and good D. David Cooper returns as one of the leagues top role players, Brad Hill makes his comeback from a devastating injury and Ryan Kersten adds to the Sixers depth in the backcourt.


BURNING QUESTION

Can Ninnis get this group to play D for 48 minutes? We know the 36ers can score especially in that gym of theirs (which as anyone who has shot around in there knows is one of the great shooting arenas in the nation). But for Adelaide, its all about stopping people consistently. Theyve certainly recruited with an eye on that Bruce will improve them on the perimeter and Schenscher will clog up the middle but its whether the team hunkers down on the defensive end this season that will determine how far they will go.


PROGNOSIS

Last season I looked at this team, listened to The Generals enthusiasm about their chances and thought they would be close to, if not a genuine part of the elite in this league. Of course, they didnt get it done then, but still, its hard not to like the Sixers a lot in 2008/09. Their Australian core is very good, theyve got a superstar in Ballinger at one import spot and if Tyndale pans out theyll be in fine shape. They look better prepared to deal with injuries than they have in a while and by all accounts the chemistry in the group is excellent. Theyll be a playoff team without a doubt the only question is how far theyll be able to go once there.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of the National Basketball League.

Courtesy of Matt McQuade
www.nbl.com.au