ADELAIDE 36ers’ Victorian hoodoo has continued as they again fell to reigning champion Melbourne United on the road in a thrilling repeat of last season’s NBL grand final demise.

The Sixers went down 75-72 at Melbourne Arena on Sunday after leading by as much as 10 midway through the second period but coming up short in a heated final quarter.

Jacob Wiley (13 points, eight rebounds) gave Adelaide a two-point buffer with two minutes left as tensions reached boiling point following a string of contentious referee calls.

A David Barlow (15 points) three edged Melbourne back in front in a seesawing contest, before Nathan Sobey (19 points) and Adris De Leon missed from outside the arc at the death.

The frustrating defeat consigned Adelaide to a 2-2 record as its mixed start to the campaign continued.

It also extended the Sixers’ six-match winless streak in Melbourne which stretches back to October 9, 2016.

United had taken a two-point advantage into the last quarter of a hotly contested encounter between two high quality sides.

The match exploded when the Sixers’ Anthony Drmic caught United’s Chris Goulding with a stray elbow as the pair scrambled for the ball on the floor.

Adelaide’s Daniel Johnson was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Barlow, before Melbourne import DJ Kennedy returned the favour on Wiley.

Ramone Moore had a lay-up rubbed out after being narrowly beaten by the shot clock.

Barlow’s long bomb ultimately sealed the win for the home side moments later.

It might have been a different story for Adelaide as the in-form Sobey handed it a four-point buffer at the first break.

The guard teed up Drmic for the first points of the match, then produced a brilliant pass to set-up set the same teammate for a big dunk.

A nine-point scoring streak put the visitors in control as Majok Deng converted a free throw after landing a jump shot, then Sobey nailed two triples in quick succession.

The 36ers kept Melbourne danger men Casper Ware and Goulding scoreless in the first period, but a late three-pointer by the returning Kennedy kept United in touch.

Scores were level at half-time after the visitors pushed out to a lead of 10, only to be pegged back as defending champion sprung to life.

Sobey picked up where he left off hitting the target twice more from beyond the arc early in the term, either side of a Wiley lay-up.

But unanswered buckets to big man Josh Boone (15 points, 16 boards), Mitch McCarran and Barlow again dragged the hosts back into the clash.

Sobey (17 for the half) nailed a beautiful jump shot, before Ware finally got his first points of the game with a crucial three and McCarran scored off the glass to put Melbourne in front.

Veteran Brendan Teys and Drmic were on target for the Sixers late in the quarter between Alex Pledger and Kennedy’s buckets for United.

A frenetic third term ended in Melbourne’s favour.

Moore got the Sixers rolling again with a stunning lay-up and accurate free throw.

Goulding finally had an impact with back-to-back triples to put his side in front, before Teys finished off a sweeping Adelaide move following Johnson’s defensive block on Barlow.

The Boomers forward hit back immediately with a three and a Boone bucket pushed Melbourne out by six.

Adelaide pounced on several sloppy turnovers by the hosts to allow Moore and Sobey to level the game once more.

But a Craig Moller basket gave United a slender advantage, which proved decisive in a drama-filled conclusion.