The Adelaide 36ers appeared on track for a comfortable win over the Brisbane Bullets during Wednesday night’s Ignite Cup preseason game when unexpected chaos unfolded late in the match. With just over three minutes left on the clock, the 36ers held a commanding 107-74 advantage—a margin that should have signaled a routine conclusion. Instead, the night took a dramatic turn when a heated confrontation between players spiraled into a full-blown brawl, overshadowing what had been a decisive team performance.
The initial moments leading up to the fight seemed innocent enough. Adelaide’s forward Nick Rakocevic, who had been dominant in the paint throughout the evening, jockeyed for position against Brisbane guard Hunter Maldonado during a typical box-out. But the physicality between the two quickly intensified—arms tangled, tempers flared, and the game’s rhythm abruptly gave way to raw emotion. Within seconds, what started as competitive jostling devolved into something far more volatile.
Spectators in the arena and watching online were stunned as the scuffle grew increasingly aggressive. The referees’ whistles blew in succession, but the escalating tension drowned out any immediate control. As players pushed and grabbed at one another, it became clear that the incident was no longer a minor altercation—it was a breakdown of discipline that no one had anticipated.
The Melee Erupts on the Court
The turning point came when Brisbane’s forward Terry Taylor rushed toward the center of the confrontation and grabbed Rakocevic in a headlock. That moment set off a chain reaction. Players from both bench areas surged onto the court, and a full-scale brawl erupted. Coaches and officials sprinted forward to separate bodies amid the chaos, while the crowd erupted in disbelief. For nearly a minute, the game bore no resemblance to basketball—it was a scramble of shouting, pushing, and swinging arms.
Officials halted play entirely, forcing a lengthy delay as they worked to restore order. Once the scuffle subsided, referees huddled around the scorer’s table to review footage from multiple angles. The process took several minutes, with the atmosphere in the arena thick with tension. Players paced near their benches while referees conferred with game officials and league representatives to determine who had participated and who had initiated contact.
The altercation’s intensity drew comparisons to scenes from combat sports, and the crowd buzzed as the review continued. Though the physical confrontation had ended, the repercussions were only beginning. Tempers were still high on both sides, and the anticipation over pending disciplinary decisions hung heavily in the air.
The Fallout and League Consequences
After an extensive review, the referees announced that seven players would be ejected from the game, marking one of the most severe disciplinary actions in recent league memory. Adelaide’s Nick Rakocevic, Brisbane’s Hunter Maldonado, and Terry Taylor were among the first to be dismissed, all directly involved in the incident’s escalation. They were joined by Bullets guards Taine Murray and Tristan Devers, both penalized for leaving the bench area during the altercation in violation of league rules.
In a surprising twist, two additional 36ers players—Sam McDaniel and Alex Ducas—were also ejected despite being out with injuries and watching the game from the sidelines in street clothes. Their participation, or at least their proximity to the confrontation, was deemed enough to warrant removal under the NBL’s strict conduct policies regarding bench personnel. For fans and analysts alike, the mass ejection underscored the seriousness with which officials viewed the meltdown.
Once play resumed, the game’s final minutes were largely procedural. The 36ers, already ahead by a large margin, maintained their composure to secure a 107-74 victory and punched their ticket to the Ignite Cup championship game. Yet as the final buzzer sounded, celebrations were subdued. The narrative had shifted from Adelaide’s dominant performance to the spectacle of the altercation that would inevitably dominate headlines.
The NBL’s league office confirmed it would review the incident further, with potential suspensions and fines expected to follow upon closer examination of video evidence. For both teams, the fallout could linger well into the season, affecting lineups and preparation as the league seeks to make a statement about professionalism and discipline.
Though tempers have cooled since the melee, the night remains a reminder of how quickly competition can cross the line into chaos. The Ignite Cup is designed as a tune-up before the regular season—a chance for teams to find rhythm, build chemistry, and test new rotations. But for the 36ers and the Bullets, this matchup will be remembered less for basketball prowess and more for the mayhem that erupted in its final minutes.
As the league deliberates its response, both organizations will likely face scrutiny from fans and officials alike. The incident serves as a cautionary tale that even preseason games demand composure under pressure—a balance of intensity and restraint that separates professional athletes from impulsive actors. In the end, the Adelaide 36ers advanced, but their victory came with an asterisk: one earned on the scoreboard, but shadowed by a chaotic moment that reminded everyone how quickly control can be lost in the heat of battle.
