BOXSCORE

The Adelaide 36ers ended a five-game losing streak with a thrilling 79-74 win over the Townsville Crocodiles at Adelaide Arena on Sunday.

The 36ers led for most of the match but had to withstand a spirited Townsville fightback.

Croc Jacob Holmes levelled the scores in the final minute with two free throws, but out of the ensuing time-out Adelaide executed perfectly for a Diamon Simpson dunk and then held their nerve from the charity stripe. 

Adelaide centre Daniel Johnson (20 points, 7 rebounds), guard Darren Ng and Simpson (both 19 points) were outstanding, while Crocs guard Eddie Gill top-scored for the visitors with 20 points.

The opening stanza was tight with both sides struggling to find any rhythm. Accurate shooting was a rarity before Crocs guard Todd Blanchfield produced a sublime three-pointer.

With Johnson slamming home nine points the 36ers broke the deadlock and established a 17-11 lead at the first change.

Simpson nailed a rare three-pointer early in the second term as the game opened into an entertaining affair, highlighted by Ng's brace of three-pointers either side of a Blanchfield reply. 

With Simpson fighting for everything and guard Chris Warren getting busy the 36ers led by 10 points, but Gill led a late rally to reduce the home side’s advantage to 38-34 at half-time.

After the break both sides produced a dazzling display of long-range shooting, Ng thrilling the crowd with a triple treat of three-pointers.

Adelaide jumped out by 12 points but Gill and centre Luke Schenscher worked hard to keep the Crocs in touch at 64-57 going into the last term.

Tension was high in the final period with both sides producing a series of turnovers and struggling to find the baskets.

The 36ers still led by 10 points with over six minutes remaining before Mims inspired a late surge.

In the final 75 seconds Peter Crawford connected from deep and Holmes tied the game, but Adelaide held on to break their unwanted streak.

Townsville coach Paul Woolpert explained his confrontation with the refs after Simpson's dunk with 32 seconds to play.

“We tried to take the ball out of bounds and couldn’t because Diamon Simpson comes up limping and they stop the game,” he said.

“We had an opportunity to go down and then score and he starts limping and they stop the game. That is completely not the way that play should have gone.”

Woolpert said the decision did not lose his side the game, but there will be a complaint to the league.

“In all honesty we did not deserve to win that game. We got out-played, out-hustled, out-worked and it’s inexcusable for a team that is fighting for its playoff life.”

Adelaide coach Marty Clarke said he always expected a Crocs fightback.

“They are a top four team and it’s a league where games are usually close,” he said.

“They got back to even the scores and for us to then pull away was a huge step forward for us.”

Adelaide 36ers 79 (Johnson 20, Ng 19, Simpson 19)
Townsville Crocodiles 74 (Gill 20, Mims 14)

Crowd: 5072 at Adelaide Arena