Adelaide returned to the win column in the biggest of ways, stunning South East Melbourne with a 100-92 upset win in the 2021-22 National Basketball League season, Saturday at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The 36ers recovered from a dismal second quarter, turning it up to start the third canto with a 13-4 start to gain a 57-49 lead.
Sunday Dech then took charge in the final frame, scoring nine of his 21 points to fend off any Phoenix rally.
Dech also got five rebounds and three assists for Adelaide, who went up to 7-13 in the standings – still at eighth place in the 10-team league.
Daniel Johnson notched a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Mitch McCarron and Hyrum Harris both added 11 points each. McCarron and Harris also combined for 14 rebounds as Kai Sotto played limited minutes.
Sotto only played 15 minutes in the game, tallying four points, five rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.
The 7-foot-3 Filipino never got going in the final frame as he was slapped with three of his four fouls in a span of just a minute.
The Phoenix, meanwhile, fell to 12-10 – dropping to a tie with Tasmania for fifth. They have lost five of their last six games.
Mitchell Creek led SE Melbourne with 27 points and 11 rebounds while Xavier Munford added 24 markers.
Zhou Qi did not play in the game.
Up next for Adelaide is Tasmania on April 1 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
