The Invincibles: Inside the greatest team in NBL history

Pete Hooley for NBL.com.au.

From 1998 to 2002, the Adelaide 36ers set the standard in the NBL, claiming three championships in a five-year stretch and establishing themselves as the league’s benchmark.

Since their 2–1 Championship Series win over the West Sydney Razorbacks, the 36ers have reached the decider just twice before their current clash with the Sydney Kings.

Now, this Adelaide group is chasing a place in club history, aiming to add to a legacy that already boasts four titles.

But the foundation of that success traces back to 1986, when a remarkable 36ers side didn’t just secure the club’s first championship, it redefined what dominance looked like in the NBL.

That team, known as “The Invincibles,” finished the regular season with a 24-2 win-loss record. They were a perfect 13-0 at home, with their two road losses coming on last-second buzzer-beaters to the West Sydney Westars and Coburg Giants.

“No one expected us to have the year we did, but we had our own expectations, the ones we set in the team bus after that Grand Final loss,” 1986 champion Mike McKay recalled of those special times.

The now infamous “bus chat’, referred to the season prior to their historic run, when the 36ers dropped a heartbreaking Grand Final series to the Brisbane Bullets.

“We sat on the bus after the game and we all made a pledge and commitment to each other, that we didn't want to have the same feeling of devastation again the following year,” McKay said.

“Everyone respected each other and pushed each other during trainings and games. No one ever went off track from what we discussed and what we wanted to achieve in 1986.”

Ken Cole.

It was prior to the 1985 season that the two Adelaide clubs merged and quickly became a powerhouse of the competition.

That move brought together a box office backcourt pairing in Al Green and Darryl Pearce, instantly giving fans at Apollo Stadium plenty to rise for.

And when Mark Davis joined the squad after Round 6, the 36ers found another gear entirely, setting the tone for a run that never looked back.

The man in charge of “The Invincibles” was the late great Ken Cole, who was deservedly named Coach of the Year on the back of their extraordinary run.

“Ken was a true mastermind of the game, a great motivator, leader, inspiring, and as we know a great storyteller,” McKay said of his former coach and friend.

“He always instilled self-belief in your ability and backed you. He never belittled anyone for messing up or making a mistake.

“As a 17-year-old entering the league, during one of our many chats, Ken said to me that I reminded him of himself and the way he played the game. That was a huge compliment and stayed with me throughout my entire career.”

Cole sadly passed away last week following a decade-long battle with cancer, and while his courtside chair in Adelaide will no longer be filled by his vibrant personality and unmistakable style, his presence remains woven into the very fabric of the club.

That foundation is epitomised by the 1986 Grand Final series, which delivered everything and more for Cole and the city of Adelaide.

On one side there was the Brisbane Bullets, who were looking to go back-to-back and on the other, a 36ers team who were almost untouchable in the regular season, but wanted revenge from the year before.

It began with a three-point overtime win by the 36ers in Game 1 in Brisbane, led by Davis’ 38-points, outduelling Leroy Loggins, who had 38 points himself for the Bullets. McKay chipped in with 16 of his own, as the Sixers got one game closer to their goal.

When they returned home to Apollo for Game 2, hoping to give their fans a taste of redemption, it didn’t go to plan as they fell to the Bullets by 21-points.

“We stayed in the change room for quite a while,” McKay said about that tough loss at home.

“(When we were) walking out to the car park, we saw approximately 3,000 fans lining up to get tickets to the third and deciding game.

“This was a clear message of support.”

Mike McKay with the trophy. Photo: Adelaide 36ers.

The 36ers put the exclamation mark on their season with an emphatic 22-point win in Game 3.

“The parade through the city for us when we won Game 3, was incredible,” McKay said.

“Thousands of people turned up, it was crazy.

“These are things that I will never forget. We paved the foundation for the club to succeed. Our work ethic during trainings and games, representing the city and more importantly the jersey.”

That 1986 Adelaide team averaged 115 points per game, had an average winning margin of 21.

To this day, many experts consider the 1986 36ers' championship team the greatest of all-time.

The team
Al Green
Bill Jones
David Spear
Darryl Pearce
Dwayne Nelson
Mark Davis
Mark Sykes
Mike McKay
Peter Ali
Peter Sexton
Ray Wood
Scott Ninnis
Coaches: Ken Cole (Head Coach), Don Shipway (Assistant Coach)

The record
Regular season - 24 wins, 2 losses
Finals - 3 wins, 1 loss