Match Preview: Canberra calling for Sixers

Canberra will be the setting as the Adelaide 36ers look to continue a run of strong form on the road against the Sydney Kings on Wednesday night.

The Sixers have won six of their seven away games this season and currently sit top of the Hungry Jack’s NBL ladder.

While they have won four of their last five meetings with the Kings, the Sydney outfit was victorious in the most recent clash, in Adelaide back in October.

Wednesday night’s game will be the first time the sides have met at Canberra’s AIS Arena but the 36ers have previously played there on 26 occasions for 14 wins.

The Arena was the scene of the pre-season NBL Blitz, where the Sixers won one of their two games.

While the last meeting between the sides was dominated by external discussion about former Sixer Kendrick Davis returning to Adelaide in Sydney colours, this time it is more about two in-form sides going head-to-head.

The Kings have won six of their last eight games while the Sixers are unbeaten in seven straight.

The game has extra significance as part of the Ignite Cup.

Adelaide has only played one Ignite Cup game so far – a win over Illawarra - and will be looking to claim close to maximum points to close in on the Ignite Cup leaders New Zealand who have played three games so far.

Sixers Head Coach Mike Wells says the group has discussed making the most of every quarter to ensure the club claims as many Ignite Cup points as possible.

“Absolutely we (have discussed it),” he said. “There's money on the table.

“I think everybody likes to play for a little extra money and you know, there's a little extra incentive.

“It's Christmas time. You'd like to kind of put yourselves in the at least in the game, have an opportunity to play in another game, and, you know, I think as a group for us to have any sort of building the foundation of us being in big games and playing in big games, we'd like to be in Ignite Cup finals what we'd like to do.”

Wednesday night’s game will be Isaac Humphries’ 150^th in the NBL and comes against the side where he started his NBL career.

Humphries played 26 games for the Kings in the 2017-18 season before signing with Adelaide in 2020 after stints in Europe and the US.

Wednesday night’s game gets underway at 7:00pm ACDT / 7:30pm AEDT.

If you can’t be in Canberra, you can watch it live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+.

SYDNEY KINGS vs ADELAIDE 36ERS  
AIS Arena, Wednesday 17 December, 7:00pm ACDT / 7:30 AEDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+

OVERALL
Played 113, Adelaide 64, Sydney 49

At AIS Arena
Played 0, Adelaide 0, Sydney 0

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Oct 11, 2025 – Kings 103 def 36ers 79 at AEC
Feb 13, 2025 – 36ers 95 def Kings 88 at Qudos Bank Arena
Jan 24, 2025 – 36ers 105 def Kings 96 at Qudos Bank Arena
Dec 30, 2024 – 36ers 111 def Kings 96 at Qudos Bank Arena
Oct 11, 2024 – 36ers 89 def Kings 79 at AEC

KEY STATS

·       Adelaide has won each of its last 12 games when scoring 90+ points.

·       Adelaide has won each of its last seven games.

·       Bryce Cotton recorded an equal-career-high 13 assists in his last appearance.

·       Zylan Cheatham has recorded 5+ rebounds in 18 consecutive appearances - longest active streak of any player in the league.

·       Sydney has won the second half in each of its last eight home games after trailing at half-time.

·       Sydney has won five of its last six home games after coming off overtime.

·       Tim Soares has a career average of 15.5 points per game against Adelaide – his most against any opponent.