Tyler Johnson has missed an off-balance three-pointer in the dying seconds, allowing the Adelaide 36ers to escape with an 87-84 victory over the Brisbane Bullets at a sold-out Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
In front of 9263 fans, the biggest-ever crowd for an NBL game in Adelaide, the Sixers - without captain Mitch McCarron (gastro) - looked home when they led 85-79 inside the last 10 seconds on Thursday night.
Nathan Sobey (24 points) was the best player on the court but missed those frenetic final moments after fouling out with 57 seconds remaining after racking up an offensive foul, a technical foul and a blocking foul in a matter of seconds.
Andrew White's three-pointer with six seconds left was followed by a steal and two free throws from Tanner Krabs and the 36ers' buffer was suddenly one point.
Robert Franks (18 points) replied with two free throws before Johnson's last-ditch attempt to tie fell short.
The players put themselves in positions of strength and we defended really, really well in the second half," Bullets caretaker coach Greg Vanderjagt said.
"Disappointed in the outcome because I thought we gave ourselves opportunities to win."
Brisbane made an encouraging start behind the hot hand of Sobey but trailed 29-27 when Sunday Dech's steal ended with an Antonius Cleveland layup on the quarter-time bell.
The Bullets switched to a 2-3 zone in the second term and went on a 10-0 run before import Ian Clark, making his Sixers debut, broke the drought with a much-needed trey.
The frenetic pace of the first-half shootout slowed to a grind in the third stanza as Brisbane sharpened up defensively.
The Bullets started with a 9-0 bang amid an overall 13-2 burst and held sway 66-62 at three-quarter-time.
The Sixers awoke from their slumber with an 11-0 fourth-quarter tear underpinned by reserve forward Kyrin Galloway's inspirational defence.
Clark camne on mdiway through the opening term to generous applause and mixed nine points with four turnovers in his first game back in the NBL.
Our journey is our journey so far but I feel where we're at right now, to be able to do that (win four successive games to enter the top six) gives us calmness." 36ers coach CJ Bruton said.
"I'm excited for our club, I'm excited for our players, I'm excited for our fans."
