36ers rout Taipans for 5th win in NBL


The Adelaide 36ers and Kai Sotto took their fifth win of the season after routing the Cairns Taipans, 82-71, at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in NBL Australia.

Kai Sotto of the Adelaide 36ers (Adelaide 36ers)

Daniel Johnson led Adelaide with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks while Mitch Mccarron and Sunday Dech scored 14 and 13 markers, respectively.

Kai Sotto, playing for 12 minutes, chipped in five points, three coming from free throws, five rebounds, and three blocks.

The 36ers held momentum heading into the payoff period, leading by as many as seven points, 54-47.

Cairns, however, could not put a stop at Adelaide's continuous conversion as the 36ers extended their lead to 13 points at 69-56 midway the fourth quarter.

The Taipans, through Stephen Zimmerman's desperate efforts, trimmed their deficit by 10 points with a minute left, 78-68.

But it was a little too late for Cairns as the dynamic duo of Dech and Johnson proved to be too much for the Taipans.

Dech alone waxed hot in the fourth with 10 of his 13 points while Johnson chalked up five.

Zimmerman paced the Taipans with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals.

Adelaide improved to seventh place with a 5-7 record while Cairns remained at rock bottom with a 3-8 slate.