NBL27 Match Recap: Adelaide 36ers vs Melbourne United. 7 October 2026.

Melbourne United have come away with a gutsy 94-91 win on the road against the Adelaide 36ers, getting one back in the teams’ second matchup of the season, and kicking off their Ignite Cup campaign with a bang. 

Melbourne’s urgency was palpable early, as Josh Oduro, as it so regularly is, opened up the scoring for United, with a hoop and the harm off a perfectly executed pick and roll with Cole Anthony.

Then, Malith Machar, continuing his excellent form, swatted away a layup attempt from Bryce Cotton, which teammate Luke Travers turned into a transition three pointer to give Melbourne an 8-5 lead two minutes into the game. 

As the contest continued at a rapid pace, Oduro once again got the better of the 36ers, with a baseline post-move that had his defender lost, and left him wide open for a layup. 

On the next possession, the big-man’s compatriot, Anthony, cashed in his first bucket of the contest, with a deep three midway through the period that let the home team know there isn’t a spot on the floor he can be left open. 

After back-to-back Adelaide buckets brought the scores level, United responded with a pair of their own. The first; another deep three from Anthony, this time off the dribble over tight coverage. 

For the second, Fabian Krslovic and Ingles plugged in for a spectacular connection, as Ingles tossed a behind the back dime for an easy Krslovic dunk. 

United closed out the first with confidence and a ten-point lead, as Ingles found some space for his second bucket of the contest.

Travers dropped in the first basket of the second for Melbourne, again off the back of Machar’s activity, as the swingman pulled in an offensive board which Travers immediately drove off for an off-the-glass finish. 

The inside presence of Oduro continued to overpower the 36ers defense, as he muscled his way in for two, continuing his perfect shooting night, and cracking double figures for his tenth point. 

Following in the frontcourter’s footsteps, Travers knocked down his second three of the game, taking his tally to double digits, and ballooning United’s lead to 15, five minutes into the period. 

United’s number one ranked defence impressed, as versatile big Sam Waardenberg denied a 36ers attempt at the ring with ferocity. An attitude the New Zealander brought to the other end, as his tight handle shined with a drive past a 36ers defender for a two handed slam. 

The quarter ended as it began, with another Travers bucket that sent United back down the tunnel with a 56-38 lead. 

For the first time this season, United finished the first half with three players in double figures, illustrating that when they’re at their best, they can hurt defences from any position on the floor from tip-off. 

The second half opened up with a mirror image of the first, as Oduro used his soft touch to put in a shot at the rim for a deuce. 

The 36ers fought back with a quick 5-0 run, which was cut off by Anthony; whose world class scoring ability was on display again, taking on two defenders in the paint to drop in a sweet floater. 

Travers, who was having his best game this season, beat Adelaide down the floor for a fastbreak dunk. On the next possession, his fellow son of the west, Kyle Bowen, dropped in a bucket in his first game as captain. 

After weathering a 36ers run that cut the United lead down to 11, the captain responded, knocking down his first three of the season, and swinging the momentum back in his team's favour. 

Ingles, in his return to his hometown, delivered a gut punch to Adelaide’s hopes of a lead with a deep three. A triple that was replicated for their next score, this time by Tom Wilson, whose make brought Melbourne’s advantage to 76-59 heading into the fourth. 

The curtains opened on the final period with another quarter opening basket from Oduro; this time with a right handed hook shot after taking it to the chest of the 36ers defence.

Despite another three from Anthony, a slow few minutes from United had their lead cut down to 10 with five minutes left in the contest; a sign that Melbourne needed to bring back the urgency that made them so dominant through the previous three quarters. 

Just as the game looked like it was slipping through United’s fingers, captain courageous Bowen brought that urgency with a strong and-1 for three points that shot a bolt of energy into himself and his team. 

With two minutes left in the game, following a 13-2 Adelaide run, United’s lead was down to three going into clutch time. 

As the crowd roared, Anthony pulled out the silencer in response, cashing in his fourth three of the game, to steady the ship with a minute left and kill any hopes of a comeback win for Adelaide. 

Some great team defence combined with timely foul shooting proved to be enough in the final seconds to give Melbourne their first interstate win of the year; the scores finishing at 96-91.

FULL BOX SCORE AVAILABLE HERE

Melbourne United next take the court at 7:30pm, Saturday October 10 for Throwdown 34 presented by AXS inside John Cain Arena. The game will be live on Channel 9 and ESPN via Kayo and Disney+

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