Dech hits winner as Davis shines for 36ers

Following an off-season that saw him become an Olympian, Sunday Dech has opened the NBL25 pre-season for the Adelaide 36ers with a match winning four-point play in Mount Gambier against the Brisbane Bullets.

On a night where new import point guard Kendric Davis was mighty impressive for the 36ers with 25 points and 4/8 three-point shooting, Dech who gave Adelaide the 97-96 win in a thrilling finish at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.

The home of the Pioneers in the NBL1 South played host to an entertaining affair that was decided with the three-point shot and subsequent free-throw for Adelaide from Dech who is fresh off representing South Sudan at Paris 2024.

It was a first pre-season hit out against NBL opposition for the 36ers under coach Mike Wells with everyone aside from former Sydney Kings championship winning big man Jarell Martin available.

It was a fourth game in less than two weeks already for the Bullets after wins against the Shanghai Sharks, Melbourne United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

They took on the 36ers minus Casey Prather, Josh Bannan, Mitch Norton, Sam McDaniel and Tyrell Harrison.

Lat Mayen and Kendric Davis were especially strong early for Adelaide to give them a good start and end up leading 24-15 by the end of one with Davis hitting two threes late in the period.

Davis ended up with 20 first half points on 8/10 shooting for the 36ers but the Bullets put up 29 points in the second stanza with Tohi Smith-Milner and Jarred Bairstow combining for 17 going into half-time with Adelaide narrowly leading 45-44.

The Sixers did push back out to an 11-point lead early in the final period following a triple to 393-game veteran Jason Cadee, but Brisbane were back within three after an and-one from Deng Adel with three minutes to play.

Just 30 seconds later and a dunk from Adel following a turnover had Brisbane in front before Davis and James Batemon traded three-point blows.

With the Bullets doing a terrific job to deny Davis, Sunday Dech knocked down the three, made the free-throw and the Sixers won by a point.

On top of his 25 points, Kendric Davis had six assists for Adelaide with Nick Marshall putting up 18 points on the back of being MVP of the NBL1 South with Mount Gambier.

DJ Vasiljevic added 13 points, and 10 each to Isaac Humphries, Lat Mayen and Dech.

Tohi Smith-Milner top-scored for Brisbane with 19 points with 3/5 three-point shooting with Deng Adel adding 17 points continuing his standout pre-season form with 17 points and six rebounds.

James Batemon had 15 points and five boards, Keandre Cook 14 points and four rebounds, Isaac White 12 points and three assists, and Jarred Bairstow 10 points and nine rebounds.

Both teams now head to the Gold Coast for the NBL Blitz with the Bullets first up against the Tasmania JackJumpers on Saturday evening. The first game for the Sixers will be on Monday also against the defending champions.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL PRE-SEASON

ADELAIDE 36ERS 97 (Davis 25, Marshall 18, Vasiljevic 13)

BRISBANE BULLETS 96 (Smith-Milner 19, Adel 17, Batemon 15)

BOX SCORE