The atmosphere at Sunday’s NBL grand final means Adelaide Arena is the place to be this weekend

ADELAIDE Arena was rocking for the duration of Game 2 of the NBL grand final series on Sunday and you need to get your ticket for Game 4, writes Reece Homfray.

The raucous Adelaide Arena crowd gets behind the Sixers in Game 2 of the NBL grand final series on Sunday. Picture: AAP Image

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THE critics will say it’s bordering on corny and the traditionalists will say it’s too loud but the two-hour light and sound show to accompany the world-class basketball in Adelaide on the weekend was the hottest ticket in town.

From start to finish Adelaide’s grand final clash with Melbourne United on Sunday was the complete package and the team did its part by winning game two to keep the championship dream alive.

When the lights went down the pre-game video titled #AllforAdelaide lit up the stadium with legendary vision of Brett Maher, Ken Cole and narrated by the booming voice of Mark Davis.

Then came the player introductions by long-serving stadium announcer Allan Browne before tip-off.

The crowd was told to stand until Melbourne scored which made for an intimidating atmosphere and the 8000 people were clapping and stamping their feet for the rest of the game.

They screamed when Majok Deng ignited in the third quarter, booed when Melbourne United attempted to fight back and pointed to the bench to sing Hit The Road, Jack when visiting superstar Casper Ware was fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Nathan Sobey gets the crowd pumped up during the Sixers win on Sunday. Picture: AAP Image

“It was amazing,” Deng said.

“Tonight the win was for the fans, they gave their energy from the start and we were feeding off it, every bucket and every stop we hear the energy and it got us playing a lot better.

“We appreciate every one of them for coming out tonight.”

Sporting teams talk about the theory of home court or home ground advantage but with an atmosphere like that it’s reality.

“It lifts you,” Deng said.

“We’re great on the road too but once you play at home it’s a different story.

“The energy is right there and you know your people are out there - your family, everybody - so we’re just trying to play for ourselves and for the fans.”

With the series now locked at 1-1 it’s a minor scheduling disaster really. To run your grand final into the opening week of the biggest sporting competition in the country (the AFL) is far from ideal especially when two traditional football cities are vying for the title.

But if you’re tossing up between the two this weekend you could do a lot worse than get in line for a ticket to game three in Melbourne on Friday night and game four in Adelaide on Sunday.

It might be the last time you see them in action this year and it could also mean seeing the championship coming to Adelaide for the first time in 16 years.

The Sixers, as Deng rightly points out, need you there.

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