Cleveland's final act lifts 36ers past Taipans

A spectacular final quarter display from Antonius Cleveland has kept the Adelaide 36ers NBL23 playoff hopes alive, swooping home 99-96 against Cairns Taipans in Far North Queensland on Monday night.

After missing two free throws which would have sealed the game, Cleveland stole the ball from Tahjere McCall and the 36ers celebrated a three-point success.

Cleveland scored 11 of his game-high 27 points, to go with seven rounds and three assists and two steals, in the final 10 minutes as Adelaide fought back from a double digit deficit in the third quarter.

The victory snapped a five-game losing skid for the 36ers, who move to 12-14 for the season, and now have to win the final two matches of the regular season, against Sydney Kings at home on Friday night and an away trip to Melbourne against United on Sunday, have the Perth Wildcats lose both of their matches at home to Cairns and the Kings, and catch up much-needed percentage, to to qualify for the top six.

Fresh from his nomination for the Damian Martin Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year, Cleveland got the 36ers started at the offensive end and the visitors opened with a 10-1 run.

Kai Sotto started as a huge focus in the low post with the Taipans missing star centre Keanu Pinder.

Pinder, who won’t take any further part in NBL23 after an orbital fracture suffered in Taipans loss to South East Melbourne last Wednesday.

Adelaide pushed their lead to 13-3 before the Taipans caught fire, scoring the next eight points to reduce the 36ers lead to 13-11.

Hogg brought the Taipans back late in the first stanza, scoring 11 points in the opening 10 minutes as Cairns went on a 9-0 run, but Adelaide had a 25-24 lead at quarter time.

Sotto continued his inside dominance and Daniel Johnson had an instant impact off the bench as Adelaide continued to use their mismatches inside the paint.

When the 218cm went to the bench the 36ers had a 41-33 lead, but then the Taipans scored the next two baskets before Cleveland soared high along the baseline.

Deng Acuoth came in late in the second quarter and continued the 36ers’ inside focus continued and when Franks hit from the perimeter, Adelaide had a 50-41 lead.

But the Taipans again fired home late, Waardenburg having his way at the offensive end, scoring 19 points in the opening half as the home side scored the final 12 over the quarter to take a 53-50 lead into the main break.

A three-pointer from Sotto ended a 14-0 Taipans run across the end of the second and the start of the third quarter, but the home side continued to fire.

Sotto (12 points) picked up his fourth foul early, and Waardenburg continued his hot night and when Hogg connected from outside, the Taipans lead was out to 64-55.

But the 36ers responded, a dunk from Cleveland and Sunday Dech hit from outside as Adelaide sparked a 9-0 run to tie the game away at 64-64.

Adelaide found themselves in foul trouble as the Taipans got the lead back from the free throw line, then Ben Ayre and Buol Kuol hit consecutive three-pointers and the Cairns lead was double figures.

Anthony Drmic made a tough three-point play, Cleveland soared to the hoop and then Ian Clark connected from way downtown as the 36ers scored the final eight points of the quarter to go into the final 10 minutes trailing 77-75.

Franks opened the scoring in the final stanza to tie the game, then Hyrum Harris gave Adelaide the lead as the 36ers kept the Taipans scoreless for almost three minutes.

But Waardenburg and Hogg again hit consecutive three-pointers to give the Taipans a four-point lead, but Cleveland put the 36ers on his back, scoring eight consecutive points.

Franks (20 points, nine rebounds, five assists) then scored five points on his own as the 36ers opened up a 94-90 lead with just over three minutes to go.

Kyrin Galloway showed tremendous defensive presence when given his opportunity with eight minutes remaining, blocking and changing shots around the rim and when Cleveland hit his third triple of the final quarter, the 36ers had a five-point lead.

The Taipans reduced the margin to 97-96, but Clark found a way to the basket for a  layup with 31 seconds remaining before Cleveland played out his final act.

ADELAIDE 36ERS 99 (Cleveland 27, Franks 20, Sotto 12) def CAIRNS TAIPANS 96 (Waardenburg 26, Hogg 26, Kuol 15) at Cairns Convention Centre.

BOX SCORE