Record crowd rejoice as Sixers shock leaders United

The Adelaide 36ers used the spirit of the 1999 NBL championship winning team to defy the last versus first nature of their contest to hold out Melbourne United and win 100-96.

A record crowd of 9564 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre was on hand for the last placed Sixers to host a United team three games clear on top of the NBL table, but the 36ers came out inspired from the start.

Whether it was the 25-year anniversary of their 1998/99 championship team or just the challenge against the league-leaders, it was a best performance under interim coach Scott Ninnis.

DJ Vasiljevic led the charge in the opening quarter for Adelaide scoring 15 of his 30 points for the game to help his team to the 27-23 lead by quarter-time.

Trey Kell III scored seven quick points in the second quarter to push the lead to double-figures, but Melbourne stayed in touch to cut the Adelaide lead to 46-42 at the half.

The 36ers did well to still lead by 11 at three quarter-time and the game appeared over with Adelaide out to a 15-point lead with five minutes to play.

It started with a finish in transition from Jacob Wiley (12 points, six rebounds).

Isaac Humphries (16 points, seven boards) scored on an offensive rebound from Wiley's missed free-throw, and the Sixers denied Jo Lual-Acuil on four attempts at the rim on the one possession.

Wiley landed a three up the other end to make it a 15-point ball game but Melbourne kept on coming. United got back within four with 1:45 to go but Kell hit a fifth triple of the game to ice the win and finish with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Ninnis, in his second stint as head coach and a 36ers Hall of Famer involved in all four championship, was beaming with pride afterwards.

"We obviously needed this win and it's a reward for the way the boys have stuck at it, and have trained," he said.

"It's easy to get down when you're in these situations and have been losing more than not, but I'm incredibly proud of the effort that we put in tonight."

It's a second road loss in the last three games for Melbourne despite being clear on top at 15-5 with Tanner Krebs having a career-best night with 23 points in his 88th game.

Jo Lual-Acuil pulled down 17 rebounds but scored just seven points with Chris Goulding scoring 13, Shea Ili 12 (six assists), Matthew Dellavedova 11 (nine assists), Ariel Hukporti 10 and Kyle Bowen 10.

United coach Dean Vickerman paid full credit to the 36ers afterwards.

"They played with great spirit and you could feel the energy in the building even pre-game and obviously celebrating a championship is an important part of a club's history," he said.

"Their team got behind that tonight and they were tough to stop.

"We were a little bit off with our connection and physicality in the first half, and that allowed their big three, Kell, DJ and Humphries, to impose themselves and feel pretty good about the game.

"That continued for them for a bit and we made our runs back, and I loved the fight back, but credit to them."

HUNGRY JACKS NBL ROUND 14

ADELAIDE 36ERS 100 (Vasiljevic 30, Kell 24, Humphries 16)

MELBOURNE UNITED 96 (Krebs 23, Goulding 13, Ili 12)

BOX SCORE