BASKETBALL
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Wollongong captain Oscar Forman is convinced the Adelaide 36ers are plotting a payback job tomorrow night at WIN Entertainment Centre.
After beating the Hawks earlier in the season, the 36ers copped a 102-80 mauling three weeks ago in Wollongong, a boil-over no-one saw coming.
The second-placed Sixers (15-8) were savaged by league-leading Perth a week later, before bouncing back with wins over Melbourne and New Zealand.
Wollongong have won four straight and need to keep winning to stay in finals contention.
The Hawks dismantled the Sixers with surprising ease in the previous clash, comfortably coping with the visitors' full-court defensive traps.
Forman believes Adelaide coach Joey Wright will have done his homework and will demand a far more committed effort from his side tomorrow.
"We expect them to come in aggressive," he said.
"They took us a bit lightly last time. We exposed their perimeter shooting and they didn't shoot it well, and that really played into our hands. I expect a really tough game. They'll come out of the blocks early and really hard.
"This time they'll definitely have counters for us. They'll have worked on a few things, knowing what we like to do."
Fifth-placed Wollongong's past four wins have all been by double digits, including last week's 88-68 belting of New Zealand.
"Adelaide are in a similar mould to New Zealand," Forman said.
"We want to get them into the half-court and make them grind it out with us."
Missing from Wollongong's line-up for the second successive game will be dynamic import Kevin Tiggs (knee injury).
"We lost an important cog and we showed we could still get it done," Forman said.
"That gives us confidence while he's out and it also reassures Kev that he can focus on coming back healthy without rushing."