In their first game in 31 days, Adelaide showed no rust.
The 36ers scored a surprising 87-74 wire-to-wire win over Perth in the 2021-22 National Basketball League-Australia season, Tuesday at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
It was a stunner, since the Wildcats only had one loss in their first six games.
Adelaide hit the pedal early, going on a 10-4 start and taking a 29-13 lead at the end of the opening frame.
Two free throws by Dusty Hannahs with 4:41 left in the first half gave the 36ers their biggest lead of the game, 46-18.
Slowly, the Wildcats were able to chip into the lead in the second half. They eventually cut it to eight, 81-73, after two free throws from Michael Frazier with 3:37 left.
A huge layup by Cameron Bairstow sparked a final 6-2 assault for the host to even their slate to 3-3.
Daniel Johnson led Adelaide with 21 points and eight rebounds as he survived a foul-plagued game.
Bairstow got 19 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Meanwhile, Mitch Mccarron flirted with a triple-double with 12 rebounds, 10 points, and eight assists.
Kai Sotto did not play in the game. Also sitting were Emmanuel Malou, Nick Marshall, and Isaac Gattorna. Adelaide’s Next Stars project Mojave King played 11 minutes in the game, finishing with three points and a rebound.
Victor Law paced Perth with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Bryce Cotton and Frazier got 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Sotto and Adelaide will next face Melbourne United on Saturday, January 22.
