National Basketball League

Kai Sotto stuffs stat sheet in Adelaide season finale rout of New Zealand

JR Isaga

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Kai Sotto stuffs stat sheet in Adelaide season finale rout of New Zealand

ADELAIDE 36ERS

Kai Sotto follows up a 16-point game with a 12-point, 4-block outing in Adelaide's season-ending rout of New Zealand in the Australian NBL

MANILA, Philippines – The Adelaide 36ers finished the 2021-2022 Australia National Basketball League (NBL) season on a high note with a 93-60 blowout of the lowly New Zealand Breakers on Sunday, April 24.

After an up-and-down campaign, the Sixers finished with a 10-18 record, good for eighth place in the ten-team field, while the Breakers bottomed out at the cellar with a 5-23 slate. Both squads fell way short of contention for the playoffs, where only the top four teams will qualify.

Filipino sensation Kai Sotto had himself a blast to end his first season as a pro baller, and followed up a 16-point game with a 12-point outing on 5-of-12 shooting with nice helpings of 7 rebounds and 4 blocks in 20 minutes.

Off a competitive first half where the Breakers just trailed 34-41, the Sixers fired off a 23-8 pullaway for the entirety of the third quarter to mount a 22-point lead, 64-42, entering the final frame.

It was still all Adelaide from that point as Tad Dufelmeier sank a layup with just 26 ticks left to peak with a 33-point separation, and set the final score at 93-60.

Sunday Dech led five Sixers in double-digit scoring with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists on 7-of-9 shooting, while reserve guard Mojave King and starting forward Todd Withers scored 15 and 14, respectively.

Former NBA guard Chasson Randle led the sorry season-ending loss with 14 points on a 4-of-12 clip, while Peyton Siva, also an ex-NBA player, was held to just 3 points on a forgettable 1-of-14 shooting.

Sotto, the prized Sixers recruit, now faces a tough decision in the off-season as he can decide whether to stay and hone his skills further in the NBL, or jump ship to declare for the 2022 NBA draft.

The Scores

Adelaide 93 – Dech 19, King 15, Withers 14, Hannahs 13, Sotto 12, Dufelmeier 9, Johnson 4, Marshall 4, Harris 1, Malou 0, Gattorna 0.

New Zealand 60 – Randle 14, Bach 14, Delany 9, Loe 9, Timmins 6, Mcdowell-White 5, Siva 3, Abercrombie 0, Galloway 0, Davidson 0.

Quarters: 21-16, 41-34, 64-42, 93-60.

– Rappler.com

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