Creek eager to dish up Taipans a deadly dose
ADELAIDE 36ers swingman Mitch Creek isn’t mincing his words about today’s NBL re-match with Cairns when he says: ‘‘We want to beat the crap out of them.’’
The Taipans last Saturday in Cairns doled out a painful 98- 78 beating to the Sixers — their worst loss of the season.
‘‘We left that game straight away and were talking about it as a group,’’ Creek said.
‘‘ We can’t wait to play them (again). We want to show them how well we can play ‘Adelaide basketball’.
‘‘ When we play well, it’s with a carefree mindset and we tightened up in Cairns.
‘‘Our intensity at the defensive end just wasn’t there.’’ Creek, the athletic young swingman and fan favourite, said the Taipans had done their homework in Cairns.
‘‘ Their transition defence was very good,’’ he said. ‘‘But we missed a lot of easy shots and gave up a lot of easy ones.’’
Creek said he felt the officiating was no longer as stringent as it was earlier this season.
‘‘We were shooting 35 free throws a game and everyone is shooting 20,’’ he said.
‘‘We have to finish stronger at the basket and play through contact.’’
Revelling in the new atmosphere at Adelaide, Creek said that it was no surprise so many of the players were thriving.
‘‘I love it,’’ he said of the 2013-14 Adelaide team. ‘‘ It’s been my most enjoyable year and it’s the best camaraderie we’ve had in myfour years here. ‘‘We feel like we can’t lose again.’’ Creek, 21 and 195cm, is averaging a career-best 8.3 points per game and relishing his opportunities.
‘‘We all know the score — the opportunity is there and it’s about bringing energy on every possession,’’ he said.
He said he had spoken with coach Joey Wright and assistant Kevin Brooks but it also had been made clear to everyone that court-time was performance-merited.
‘‘You have to make the most of your opportunities but bring intensity,’’ Creek said.
Creek has been doing that but it always has been his trademark.
That and the spectacular, such as his two superlative blocks against Sydney and his gamebreaking three in the 36ers’ first road win over Cairns.
He has more like that in store for today’s payback at Adelaide Arena.