PART IV - Title town moves to world stage

Adelaide 36ers will celebrate the 25-year anniversary of the 1998/99 NBL championship this Saturday night at home against Melbourne United.

We sat down with 1998/99 championship captain and Larry Sengstock Medalist Brett Maher to reminisce about the pathway to back-to-back titles.

PART 4 - TITLE TOWN GOES GLOBAL
Success against the Titans in the three-game grand final series had an added bonus for the 36ers and one Maher will cherish as a huge part of his 15-year playing career.

“One of the best things to come out of winning that ’99 championship was we got to go to Milan to play in the World Club Championship,” Maher said.

Adelaide went to Milan for the 1999 McDonalds Championship, won by NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, where six of the best club teams from around the world played off for international bragging rights.

The 36ers drew Brazilian powerhouse Vasco da Gama in the preliminary round and lost 90-79, before bouncing back to defeat Asian champion Hekmah 91-84 to finish in fifth place.

“In 1998, the Crows had won, the Lightning had won, the Thunderbirds had won and us, so it was all our and it was title town,” Maher said.

“But for us to just win it in ’99 and get to go to Milan, it was pretty special.”

READ MORE

• Mee happy to be 'home' in Adelaide
• Club legends thrilled with '99 jersey
• HISTORY REPEATS - Part I - Summer Vibes
• HISTORY REPEATS - Part II - Playoff campaign begins with sweep
• HISTORY REPEATS - Part III - Titanic battle to title win

MEDAL OF HONOUR
Along with a second championship win, Maher was voted the best player of the grand final series and won the inaugural Larry Sengstock Medal.

Maher averaged 20.3 points per game across the three-game series and the captain led from the front.

“Any sportsperson will say it’s not about the individual accolades, but I think a lot of players themselves judge themselves about how they perform in big games,” Maher said.

“So for me to be able to step up and play well in a grand final series was good from a personal perspective.

“KB (Kevin Brooks) had won in 1998 and he was spectacular in that championship.”