Kai Sotto scored a season-high 12 points but the Adelaide 36ers absorbed a 100-89 road loss to the Illawarra Hawks Monday, Jan. 24 in Australia’s National Basketball League.
The 7-foot-3 cager converted his first field goal on a basket late in the first quarter but made just one of the next six attempts the rest of the way during the contest held at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
He did got most of his points from the foul line, sinking all eight attempts in 14 minutes off the bench in only the third game of the season for Sotto, who was sidelined in the first few weeks due to knee soreness.
Adelaide, however, dropped to 3-5 as Illawarra pulled away in the third quarter and led by a high of 23 points.
Sotto’s first basket came with 1:50 left in the opening period when he had to double-pump his layup try against a Hawks defender which put Adelaide behind 18-17.
But Sotto also some aspects he’ll probably try to work on moving forward, particularly one play in the second quarter when Sam Frolling made a quick spin off him before throwing down a left-handed dunk.
Frolling had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists as Illawarra improved to 5-3 for fourth place in the NBL ladder.
Sunday Dech’s 20 points were enough to send the 36ers to their second straight defeat.