ALTHOUGH the game will be remembered for an extraordinary late-match melee, the end result remained the same in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Adelaide 36ers recording a 33-point win over the Brisbane Bullets.

The two sides locked horns at the Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre on Wednesday night, with the Sixers looking to cement their place at the Ignite Cup Final and bounce back following a string of disappointing losses. With the SEM Phoenix breathing down their neck for top spot in the standings, a matchup against the bottom-placed Bullets offered the perfect opportunity to return to form.

Although a late scuffle between the two sides will dominate the headlines, the Sixers will be thrilled to leave Queensland with a big win under their belt, having dominated from start to finish in one of their most clinical performances of the season.

Brisbane Bullets (74) def. by Adelaide 36ers (107)

Adelaide started in emphatic fashion, looking at their productive best on the offensive end with a whopping 33 points in the opening term. Although Brisbane was still able to generate good looks in the first 10 minutes, the home side still trailed by nine points at quarter time as they felt the full power of the Sixers’ star power.

It was an improved showing from the Bullets in the second frame, in an effort led by Canadian big man Jacob Holt on the scoring front. The 22-year-old was carrying Brisbane offensively, and by the time the buzzer sounded to mark the main change, Holt already had 17 points to his name. Although the Bullets still faced a six-point deficit heading into the second half, the signs were more positive.

To add to the intrigue of the game, the Sixers needed to win the final two quarters in order to cement their place in the Ignite Cup final, so the favourites needed to improve on their second quarter showing. In a scrappy third quarter, Adelaide was able to hold the hosts to just nine points and extend its lead out to 10 points with a quarter to play.

The final term was all one-way traffic with the Sixers outscoring the Bullets 39-19 to flex their muscles and book a spot in the Ignite Cup Final in truly dominant fashion. However, tensions boiled over when Brisbane guard Hunter Maldonado and Adelaide big man Nick Rakocevic got tangled up under the basket, and things escalated when the latter dived on top of his opponent.

Play was stopped as players from both sides got involved, including those from Brisbane’s nearby bench, and the end result saw seven ejected for the final minutes of the game in a spicy finish to a one-sided match. Regardless of the fireworks, the Sixers were able to get the job done up north, and now advance to the in-season tournament decider.

As he has done so many times this season, MVP favourite Bryce Cotton led the way for Adelaide in the win, dropping 22 points, five rebounds and eight assists on 8/15 shooting from the field in another standout showing.

He seems to have found a strong partner in crime in the form of new signing John Jenkins, who had 19 points of his own to give the Sixers star some support on the scoring front, while Flynn Cameron and Isaac Humphries each dropped 16 points as the starters excelled for Adelaide.

Holt ended the game with 24 points after a blistering first-half performance was quelled by the opposition after the main break. He can still hold his head high for keeping the Bullets in the match during the first two quarters.

The Sixers will now turn their attention to a blockbuster clash against the SEM Phoenix on Saturday night, in an encounter that could have massive ramifications on top spot come season’s end, while the Bullets will have plenty of time to regroup with their next clash not until next Friday night.