Kai Sotto produced solid numbers in just his second game in Australia’s National Basketball League which saw the Adelaide 36ers absorb a 97-79 loss to Melbourne United at home.
The 7-foot-3 cager had six points, eight rebounds and one steal in 16 minutes but the 36ers fell to 3-4 before their home fans Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
It was Sotto’s first game since Dec. 18 when he made his NBL debut against Cairns Taipans.
Knee soreness kept the Las Pinas City native earlier in the season while postponements due to a COVID-19 outbreak that hit the Adelaide squad kept Sotto on the sidelines.
He didn’t see action last Tuesday when the 36ers defeated the erstwhile leader Perth Wildcats, 87-74, also at home.
He scored his first NBL first goal on a dunk with 3:12 left in the second quarter that reduced the 36ers’ deficit to 51-37.
Half of his rebounds came in the third quarter when Adelaide tried to mount a comeback, the biggest was when it narrowed the gap to six.
A dunk and a layup during the fourth capped off Sotto’s outing as the 36ers aim to bounce back Monday with an away match against the Illawarra Hawks.
Melbourne, led by Australia Boomers veteran Chris Goulding and former NBA player Matthew Dellavedova, improved to a league-best 7-2 record following the win.