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MVP Randle lights fuse for battle with Hawks

Jerome Randle of the Adelaide 36ers.
Expert
15th February, 2017
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NBL MVP winner Jerome Randle has called out the “dirty” Illawarra Hawks, which could be exactly what his opponents wanted to hear heading into Game 1 of their semi-final series on Thursday night.

Following a slow start, the 36ers took all before them during the 2016-17 regular season to claim the minor premiership for the first time since 2000 as they chase a first championship since 2002.

The Sixers then swept the NBL awards on Monday night, with Randle named MVP, Joey Wright Coach of the Year, Anthony Drmic Rookie of the Year, and Nathan Sobey Most Improved Player.

Now, in the lead-up to Game 1 of the semi-final contest with the Hawks, Randle has fired his bullets, declaring how much dislike he has for every player in an Illawarra singlet, saying some of their defensive tactics guarding him are dirty.

That was likely music to the ears of Hawks coach Rob Beveridge and his tenacious defenders like Kevin White and Mitch Norton. They will be hoping to get under the skin of Randle during the best-of-three series, with a grand final berth at stake.

The Hawks will go in with the belief that if they target Randle and make his life difficult, with tight-checking and physical defence, it could frustrate him and throw him off his game.

When Randle is fired up, he can be unstoppable. But equally, if he is flustered, angry and frustrated by the tactics he perceives as dirty, then the Hawks have a great chance of knocking him off his game and ultimately winning the series.

Jerome Randle

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As for what Randle said, he certainly pulled no punches in what he thinks of the Hawks.

“I just don’t like them. I don’t like the way they play basketball, I don’t like anything about none of the guys on the team. I’m just being honest,” Randle said.

“There’s a lot of dirty players on the team, that is how they play – fight first, play basketball second.

“They want to make it to the grand final and we want to make it to the grand final so however they throw blows, then we’re going to do the same thing.”

It’s tough to argue that the Hawks haven’t had a degree of success against Randle as well, which would be a big factor in the way he is feeling. In four games this season, Randle had one good game, with 25 points in a crushing win on January 5.

But Illawarra won the other three battles with Adelaide for the season, with Randle only managing a combined 39 points in those defeats.

In contrast, the league’s Best Sixth Man award winner, Rotnei Clarke, had two 25-point games in the wins over the 36ers this season. If he catches fire again with his dynamic shooting ability, it could be a tough series for the Sixers.

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The Hawks’ shooting is something Adelaide will have trouble containing, with Oscar Forman – who played in that 36ers championship of 2002 – still the man to stop – he is capable of hitting plenty of dagger threes even after almost 500 games in the league.

Another Hawks veteran who will spend time opposed to Randle is Rhys Martin. He is looking forward to the challenge of needing to win a game in Adelaide to advance, and with the league’s two highest-scoring teams doing battle he is expecting nothing different.

“We have to win one game on the road and take care of business at home, that’s our goal and that’s all we’re focused on,” Martin told hawks.com.au.

“At least one of the games it’s going to be a struggle shooting it, so the team that does the best job on the boards is probably going to win that game.

“There will probably be another one that will be high-scoring, free-flowing and whoever can lock in defensively for the majority is probably going to win the series.”

There are fascinating battles all over the court on top of White and North defending Randle, and Brendan Teys to come on and try to limit the influence of Clarke.

The inside battle between Adelaide big men Matt Hodgson and Eric Jacobsen against Illawarra’s AJ Ogilvy will be pivotal, along with which of the shooting bigs Daniel Johnson and Forman can catch fire.

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The x-factors could well be Adelaide’s Sobey and Illawarra’s Marvelle Harris. Whoever can have the biggest impact from those two could have a big say in who advances to the grand final.

The two coaches, Wright and Beveridge, are arguably the two best in the NBL as well so that sets up a fascinating battle all on its own.

The other semi-final series features the Cairns Taipans and Perth Wildcats with Game 1 in Cairns on Friday night.

NBL semi-final fixtures (AEDT)

Thursday
Game 1: Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks – Titanium Security Arena 7.30pm

Friday
Game 1: Cairns Taipans v Perth Wildcats – Cairns Convention Centre 6.30pm

Sunday
Game 2: Illawarra Hawks v Adelaide 36ers – WIN Entertainment Centre 3pm

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Monday
Game 2: Perth Wildcats v Cairns Taipans – Perth Arena 9.30pm

Thursday
Game 3 (if required): Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks – Titanium Security Arena 7.30pm

Friday
Game 3 (if required): Cairns Taipans v Perth Wildcats – Cairns Convention Centre 6.30pm

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