Kai Sotto is getting his first taste of the National Basketball League when his Adelaide 36ers take part in the NBL Blitz Pre-season Games on November 14 to 18 in Tasmania.
Sotto and the 36ers join the Tasmania JackJumpers, Brisbane Bullets, the New Zealand Breakers, the Perth Wildcats and the Cairns Taipans in the four-day tournament as part of their preparation for the upcoming 2021-2022 NBL season which is set to fire off on December 3.
Games will be played in Hobart, Launceston, Ulverstone and Kingborough.
Meanwhile, other teams like Illawarra Hawks, Sydney Kings and the South East Melbourne Phoenix will join the league champions Melbourne United in their own pre-season tournament in Victoria and New South Wales.
The tournament should come as a good opportunity for Sotto to work with his new team and test his mettle against NBL players before officially making his professional debut when the 36ers take on the Jackjumpers on the road on the opening day.
The tournament format, however, will be quite unique as aside from the win-loss record, a point system will also be in place. Every team can get a total of seven points in every game, with the winner getting three. An additional point will also be awarded to the team that wins each quarter.
The champion of the pre-season tourney will bag the Loggins-Bruton Cup while the best player of the tournament will get the Ray Borner Medal.