Kai Sotto hardly plays anew as Adelaide wins 2nd straight in NBL Blitz preseason

MANILA, Philippines – Kai Sotto and the Adelaide 36ers defeated the Tasmania JackJumpers, 87-79, for their second straight win in the 2022 Australia National Basketball League (NBL) Blitz preseason on Monday, September 19.

The 7-foot-3 Filipino basketball star, however, hardly made his presence felt for the Sixers for the second game in a row, finishing with just 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 turnovers in 8 minutes and 31 seconds of action.

Antonius Cleveland led the charge for Adelaide with 27 points, while Craig Randall and Mitch McCarron scored 17 and 12, respectively.

With the score tied at 73-all with under 7 minutes remaining in the contest, the 36ers turned on the jets and unleashed a furious 9-0 run, capped by a McCarron layup with 3:10 left on the game clock.

A triple by Tasmania’s Milton Doyle in the next possession cut Adelaide’s lead back to a two-possession ball game, 82-76, before Sunday Dech and Cleveland sealed the deal with three straight points.

Dech contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds for Adelaide, while Jack McVeigh paced Tasmania with 16 markers.

The 36ers will look to sweep their three-game preseason campaign when they take on the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday, September 22, 5:30 pm (Manila time).

The Scores

Adelaide 87 – Cleveland 27, Randall 17, McCarron 12, Dech 10, Franks 8, Marshall 7, Johnson 3, Galloway 3, Acouth 0, Sotto 0, Harris 0.

Tasmania 79 – McVeigh 16, Macdonald 13, Doyle 12, Kelly 11, Magette 9, Kenyon 5, Weeks 4, Bairstow 3, Krslovic 2, White 2, Forsyth 2, Brown 0.

Quarters: 27-22, 48-45, 71-64, 87-79.

– Rappler.com