The Adelaide 36ers have broken through for their maiden win of the NBL season, and their first under new coach Mike Wells, with a clinical 93-83 victory over winless South East Melbourne Phoenix.
A commanding 52-35 first half paved the way for the Sixers' win in front of 9377 fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Thursday night.
Captain Dejan Vasiljevic (22 points), Isaac Humphries (22), Kendric Davis (21) and Montrezl Harrell (14 points, 12 rebounds) starred for the 36ers, who were never threatened after their initial burst out of the blocks.
"The fans were just awesome and the guys were dialled into the details," Wells said.
"DJ (Vasiljevic) made some shots early, Ice (Humphries) got rolling, Kendric got playing and things rolled downhill for us a little bit."
Import Matt Hurt (32 points) was superb but had little support for the Phoenix who slumped to 0-4, their offence stagnant and their defence leaky.
Vasiljevic and Humphries were active from the opening tip, steering the hosts to a 7-1 start which developed into a 25-16 lead when exciting import Harrell threw down a monster putback dunk on the quarter-time siren.
The Phoenix connected on just 30 per cent from the floor and 11 per cent from three-point territory in the opening term, before their struggles continued in the second, repeatedly undone by Vasiljevic's shooting, Humphries' inside work and Davis's playmaking.
Hurt waged a solo vigil as the Sixers sprinted further clear with a 27-19 second period.
Vasiljevic started the third quarter with a corner three, shortly before SEM centre Jordan Hunter chalked up his fourth foul, as the margin ballooned to 20 points.
Harrell and Phoenix enforcer Tom Vodanovich were whistled for a double tech for engaging in push-and-shove late in the third term, before 36ers head of high performance Nik Popovic was ejected at the start of the final quarter for stepping onto the court during the melee.
Spearheaded by Hurt, Phoenix rallied to trim the gap to 13 points at three-quarter time and single digits in the fourth but a miracle comeback was never a realistic prospect.
"That first half they jumped on us," Phoenix coach Mike Kelly said.
"Anytime you give up 52 points in a half, unless you're scoring freely yourself, it's going to be difficult."
