The Townsville Crocodiles emerged from a dramatic final-quarter shoot-out with an 86-82 home victory over the Adelaide 36ers on New Year's Eve.

While Gary Ervin (23 points, 10 assists) and Luke Nevill (19 points) laid the foundation, it was oft-maligned captain Russell Hinder’s clutch shooting that withered a blistering final-quarter shooting performance from Adelaide.

After missing his first four three-pointers, All-Star Game three-point champion Stephen Weigh awoke in the final term.

He nailed three triples and a tough pull-up, then Adam Gibson (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists), Jason Cadee (10 points, 3 assists) and Tom Daly joined in the scoring feast as the 36ers roared home.

But every time they threatened, Hinder (17 points, 9 rebounds, 4/5 three-point shooting) surfaced with a dagger long-range bomb.

With help from Ervin, Peter Crawford (12 points, 3/5 three-pointers) and Todd Blanchfield (12, 4/6 three-pointers), the Crocs answered every challenge to the delight of a large home crowd.

Entering the match on a three-game winning streak, the Crocs picked up where they left off.

Nevill made himself a strong target inside for 10 early points on a perfect 5-of-5, including a sweet alley-oop from Ervin.

Adelaide did their best to hang tough, but with Ervin dynamic in transition the Crocs claimed a 22-17 quarter-time lead.

The 36ers found their vaunted running game in the second term, some slick passing creating a number of easy lay-ups, and when Weigh flew to the basket the visitors were in front.

Crawford and Blanchfield found their range from outside the arc, but Luke Schenscher stamped his mark on the game with some tough finishes inside.

Trailing 37-36 at half-time, the Crocs were a determined unit in the third, the combination of Ervin and Nevill near-unstoppable as they threatened to blow the game out.

But Anthony Petrie (10 points, 8 rebounds) would not let the 36ers slip, flying repeatedly for boards at both ends and hitting a series of difficult fade-aways.

When Daly spectacularly blocked Ervin and Pero Vasiljevic threw down a towering one-handed jam to finish the quarter the margin was back to six.

The fourth quarter was one to remember but in the end Hinder’s heroics were enough to deliver the Crocs victory, and consign Adelaide to their sixth straight defeat.

Townsville Crocodiles 86 (Ervin 23, Nevill 19, Hinder 17)
Adelaide 36ers 82 (Weigh 21, Gibson 14)

Crowd: 4124 at Townsville Entertainment Centre