City Sixers fire late to stop Snakes

Adelaide 36ers have come back from a 15-point first quarter deficit to defeat Cairns Taipans 78-75 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night.

Three clutch free throws from Robert Franks with 2.3 seconds left gave Adelaide the lead for only the third time in the contest.

Franks, who had 15 points and seven rebounds, struggled all night but came up big in the clutch.

A DJ Hogg final prayer caught iron at the final buzzer the crowd of 7198 roared as one.

Antonius Cleveland was everywhere for the home side, his team-high 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists led the way, while Sunday Dech was a huge spark off the bench for eight points, six rebounds and five assists. 

The Taipans, who are 5-1 on the road this season, started on target, opening an early 13-6 lead, forcing CJ Bruton into an early time out.

Tahjere McCall came off the Snakes bench to great effect, scoring eight points without a miss from the field, including a rare three-pointer.

Cairns built on their advantage as Adelaide couldn’t buy a basket, the 36ers shooting only 29 per cent from the field in the opening quarter as the Taipans took a 27-12 lead into the first change.

Adelaide, missing the energy and impact of the injured Anthony Drmic (back), continued to not capitalise on their offense as the Taipans increased the lead to 19 points.

Franks connected on his first three-pointer of the evening in the final minute of the second quarter, but Cairns took a 47-32 lead into half time.

Captain Mitch McCarron tried to lift his side but was forced to the change room with the blood rule as Nick Marshall, who was put into the starting line-up for Drmic, threw done a dunk as Adelaide mounted their charge.

Hyrum Harris gave major impact from the bench, then Marshall connected on a three-pointer that brought the crowd to life and reduced the Taipans lead to single digits for the first time since the opening quarter.

Two free throws from Franks cut the Taipans lead to 60-55, but McCall continued his stellar night, hitting a buzzer beating three-pointer to give Cairns an eight-point lead with 10 minutes to play.

McCall third triple of the night stopped an early Adelaide final quarter charge and when he found the ball under the hoop, the Taipans lead was back to double digits.

Franks found his range and Cleveland then brought the crowd to their feet with a breakaway slam dunk reduced the margin to 73-71.

Sunday Dech then made a tough layup to tie the game at 73-73, before Cleveland gave Adelaide their first lead since the opening points of the game from and offensive rebound

McCall tied game from foul line, but fouled out when he hit Franks in the final seconds.

ADELAIDE 36ERS 78 (Cleveland 23, Franks 15, Johnson 10) def CAIRNS TAIPANS 75 (McCall 24, Pinder 12) at Adelaide Entertainment Cente.

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