NBL: Kai Sotto, Adelaide 36ers Snap Slide with Red from Cairns

MANILA, Philippines – Adelaide 36ers unleashed a fourth-quarter flood on Cairns Taipans to end their five-game skid with a reassuring 83-57 victory in the Australian National Basketball League Friday at the Adelaide Entertainment Center.

Mitch McCarron, Tad Dufelmeier and Cameron Bairstow triggered Adelaide’s 18-0 run in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter to finally win their winning ways in front of their 3,596 home crowd.

Filipino import Kai Sotto fought offensively, missing all seven of his shots on the field and scoring just two free kicks after finishing with a season-best 14 points in their last game.

Sotto, however, still played eight rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 17 minutes.

Kai got the embarrassment on Jawai.

📺 – @ESPNAusNZ + @kayosport pic.twitter.com/Gb1L5GkLpA

– Adelaide 36ers (@ Adelaide36ers) March 18, 2022

McCarron led the way for the 36ers with 21 points, marked with four triples, to go with 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Bairstow struck out with 12 points and six rebounds. Dufelmeier had 10 goalscorers, five boards and an assist, while on Sunday Dech and Daniel Johnson added nine as Adelaide improved to 6-12.

Adelaide went full throttle in the fourth quarter, where it shot 22 and kept Cairns on six points during the period.

After a lay-up by Majok Deng in the 6:23 mark to reduce the lead to 10, 65-55, the 36ers’ air-tight defense kept the Taipans undefeated for six minutes while scoring 18 undefeated points abolished by the Dusty Hannahs three points. Play to build an 83-55 spread with 33 seconds.

Keanu Pinder led Cairns, who suffered their fifth straight defeat, with a double 15 points and 13 rebounds. Tahjere McCall posted 14 points, six boards and five assists, while Bul Kuol added 12 goals.

Adelaide host Melbourne United on Sunday at the John Cain Arena.

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