Following the 1984 season, Adelaide's "other" team, the 1982 champion West Adelaide Bearcats, pulled out of the NBL and a number of their star players including 1982 season MVP Al Green, Australian boomers representatives Peter Ali and Ray Wood, and young gun Mike McKay, moved across to play for the 36ers.
Former Australian Boomer and 1964 Olympic representative Ken Cole was signed as coach of the Adelaide 36ers for the 1985 NBL season.
Cole successfully chose to leave Pearce at SG (primarily due to his better outside shooting) and move Green to play Point guard.
While Adelaide, now under the coaching of Gary Fox, was still at the top of the league in 1987 and 1988, they were unable to progress past the Semi-finals in both seasons.
Despite Adelaide missing the playoffs in 1990, Pearce was selected to his only NBL All Star Game played at the Perth Entertainment Centre.
The club was back in the Semi-finals in 1991, but once again fell short, losing the Semis to defending champions the Perth Wildcats.
1991 would prove to be Pearce's last as a 36ers player and before the 1992 NBL season he was released by the club and would join the North Melbourne Giants.
Pearce joined North Melbourne for the 1992 season, with his first game for the club being against Adelaide at the 36ers new home, the 8,000 seat Clipsal Powerhouse.
Despite their poor start, the Giants would make the Semi-finals in 1992 where they were defeated in two games by the South East Melbourne Magic.
He represented Australia in the 1986 FIBA World Championship in Spain, as well as at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.