THE final National Basketball League (NBL) preseason match before the Blitz tournament took place on Wednesday night, and it was the Adelaide 36ers that took home the chocolates against the Brisbane Bullets.

Sunday Dech was the hero for the 36ers with a match-winning four-point play late in the piece that ultimately proved decisive as Adelaide snagged a one-point win at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.

Coming into the match, the Bullets were in ripping form, having won all three of their preseason clashes in the build up and showed some exciting signs as they look to bounce back and show signs of improvement following a disappointing campaign last season. On the other hand, the 36ers had spent the off-season constructing one of the most exciting starting lineups in the NBL, and are eager to be one of the major players in the 2024/25 title race.

Both sides traded blows in an engaging affair, but it was the Sixers that got the job done down the stretch to emerge victorious in South Australia.

Adelaide 36ers (97) def. Brisbane Bullets (96)

Adelaide was strong in the opening stages of the match, gaining scoreboard ascendancy in the first period off the back of some excellent play from import point guard Kendric Davis. The Sixers held a nine-point buffer at quarter time, as the Bullets faced their biggest challenge to date in the build up to the NBL season.

Brisbane’s growth as a team was back on display in the second term, as the Bullets clawed their way back into the match coming out of the first change. The visitors were the better team heading into half time, and all of a sudden, Adelaide’s lead was slashed to just one-point, setting up an enthralling final two quarters.

After neither side could gain true momentum within the match throughout the third quarter in a tight tussle, it was anyone’s game heading into the final 10 minutes of play. The 36ers jumped back out to a double-digit lead early in the fourth, but the Bullets again turned to Deng Adel as they had on several occasions throughout the preseason, and Brisbane hit the front.

With the 36ers looking to deny the red-hot Davis at all costs, the ball found its way to Dech with the clock winding down. He kept a cool head and knocked down the triple, all while being fouled to not only tie the game, but also draw the foul, heading to the free throw line to give his side the win in remarkable fashion.

Davis was the star of the show over the course of the match for the Sixers, cementing his place as one to watch at the Blitz given his potential to become a star of the NBL. He had 20 first-half points (8/10 FG) en route to 25 for the match along with six assists in an outstanding debut for Adelaide.

NBL1 South MVP Nick Marshall had a game of his own with 18 points, while guard Dejan Vasiljevic had 13 points, putting his skills to the test and finding the bottom of the net with ease.

Top-scoring for Brisbane was Tohi Smith-Milner, who was particularly impressive in the second period and finished the match with 19 points, while Adel continued his hot preseason form with 17 points and six rebounds.