Match Preview: Semi series decider a simple equation

Win, and it’s a Championship Series. Lose and it’s curtains on the season.

That is the simple equation facing the Adelaide 36ers on Tuesday night as they host the South East Melbourne Phoenix in game three of their Semi-Final series.

The sides have split their six meetings so far this season 3-3 with the Phoenix pushing the series to a third game with a 101-92 win at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Saturday night in the most recent encounter.

The winner of this series would go on to face Sydney in a best-of-five Championship Series, starting this weekend.

Bryce Cotton was a standout performer with 42 points for the Sixers in game one, while Nathan Sobey put the Phoenix on his back and produced a career-high 41 points in game two.

But the hostile Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd could make all the difference on Tuesday night. In each of the Phoenix’s last seven finals games, the home side has come out on top, and the Sixers supporters will be hoping that is again the case.

Sixers centre Nick Rakocevic has managed a double double in each of the playoff games against the Phoenix over the last week.

He is weary of limiting the influence of Sobey, who was so dominant in game two.

“He's a terrific player,” Rakocevic said of Sobey.

“I was teammates with him for a little bit in Puerto Rico and just seeing what he does on a day-to-day basis, and his work ethic, you know he's really talented.

“I think for us, we just need to make him uncomfortable. We need to be more aggressive on him. We can't let him get out in the open floor because that's what he likes to do and he's just too quick, he's too fast.

“So, we just need to kind of slow him down a little bit, make him make a few more extra decisions than he likes to, maybe have him pass the ball, just throw some different looks at him that he hasn't seen before, and just kind of be aggressive on him.

“That's the thing with a great player like that. You’ve just got to always crowd them.”

Tuesday night’s game gets underway at 7:00pm ACDT.

Limited tickets are still available, but if you can’t get to the venue, every NBL game is live on ESPN through Kayo Sports or Disney+.

ADELAIDE 36ERS vs SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Tuesday 17 March, 7:00pm ACDT / 7:30pm AEDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+

OVERALL
Played 28, Adelaide 14, South East Melbourne 14

At AEC
Played 13, Adelaide 9, South East Melbourne 4

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Mar 14, 2026 – Phoenix 101 def 36ers 92 
Mar 10, 2026 – 36ers 104 def Phoenix 97 at AEC
Jan 31, 2026 – Phoenix 97 def 36ers 77 at AEC
Jan 18, 2026 – Phoenix 108 def 36ers 89 at RAC Arena, Perth (HoopsFest)
Nov 22, 2025 – 36ers 94 def Phoenix 81 at John Cain Arena