Oct. 7—Tre Mann had become noticeably stronger during the offseason, adding 12 pounds of muscle.

The hope for the Thunder shooting guard was that it would translate to better performances on the court.

On Thursday against the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League, it did. He finished with 26 points and made eight 3-pointers to help lead the Thunder to a 131-98 win.

“I think what you saw tonight was a combination of his experience and the work he put into the summer,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

While it’s just preseason, if the bulkier Mann can continue to carry the momentum he’s built in the last few weeks, the Thunder might’ve found a gem with the 18th pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

Here are three more takeaways from the Thunder’s win: Two-way player Eugene Omoruyi plays well When the Thunder signed Omoruyi to a two-way deal in July, there was some skepticism that he could make an impact.

However, he’s put up a quietly solid preseason campaign, with his best game coming against the 36ers. In 28 minutes, Omoruyi finished with 19 points, all mostly coming from beneath the basket.

“This is a pseudo-rookie year for him because he was hurt last year so he’s learning a lot of things right now,” said Daigneault. “I give him credit. He really wants to get it right. He’s a really humble good guy that brings a lot of competitive fire and toughness. He reminds me of Dort and Kenrich and those type of guys.”

Omoruyi wasn’t the only two-way player that played well, as Norman native Lindy Waters III finished with 23 points on 6-of-9 3-point shooting. However, Omoruyi’s early success is encouraging for the Thunder.

Josh Giddey shows out against former team The biggest story heading into the game was Giddey playing his first game against his former NBL club. Giddey finished with 10 points, six assists and five rebounds in 21 minutes.

For Giddey, it’s been great to see NBL players get a chance to play in the NBA. The 36ers defeated the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game last week Sunday.

“It’s really special,” said Giddey. “It’s great for the NBL. Great for basketball in Australia.”

Notable 36ers’ performances While the 36ers upset the Suns, the Thunder had no issues defeating them.

The Thunder led throughout the entire game with a lead as large as 40 points. The 36ers struggled to muster up offense as they shot 37.8 percent from the field.

The backcourt duo of Craig Randall II and Robert Franks led the way for the 36ers, finishing with 27 points and 20 points, respectively.

Tip-ins Before the game, Daigneault announced several injury updates. The biggest one involved Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has missed the last two weeks with a sprained MCL.

Daigneault said it’s still undetermined when Gilgeous- Alexander will return but that he is progressing. Daigneault’s hopeful he will be ready to play the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 19.

Daigneault also revealed Jalen Williams is dealing with strep throat, Ousmane Dieng is dealing with a knee contusion and Mike Muscala is likely out for the preseason dealing with an ankle sprain. Daigneault also sat Kenrich Williams out for the game for rest.