Kai Sotto made his first start for Adelaide on Sunday.
However, the 7-foot-3 Filipino could not get things going as the 36ers fell to the Perth Wildcats, 73-92, in the 2021-22 National Basketball League-Australia season, Sunday at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
With Craig Bairstow out due to sickness and Isaac Humphries ruled out of the season, the 19-year-old was put in the position to start for Adelaide. Sotto though only played seven minutes and 56 seconds, went scoreless on one attempt with a rebound.
Sotto was no longer fielded in after the 6:08 mark of the second quarter and was no longer on the bench in the closing seconds of the contest. According to the broadcast, Sotto suffered a left leg injury during a box out situation prior to being subbed out.
Adelaide was behind by as much as 20 points before storming back in the final frame.
Behind Tad Dufelmeier and Daniel Johnson, the 36ers were able to cut the lead down to as low as seven points, 78-71, midway through the final frame.
Adelaide though went cold late while the trio of Vic Law, Luke Travers, and Todd Blanchfield sealed the deal for the Wildcats.
Perth went up to 10-6 with the win to remain in the top four while Adelaide suffered its fourth straight loss to fall to 5-11.
Bryce Cotton got a game-high 27 points for Perth with seven assists while Law tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds. Blanchfield also had 22 points.
Johnson paced Adelaide with 19 points and 12 rebounds while Dufelmeier chipped in 12 points. Both Sunday Dech and Dusty Hannahs added 10 points each with the former shooting just 4-of-17 from the field.
Up next for Sotto and Adelaide is Melbourne on March 10.
