Harrell shines, but 36ers fall to Taipans

A breakout performance from Montrezl Harrell was not enough for the Adelaide 36ers, who fell 101-97 to Cairns Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night.

Harrell was everywhere for Adelaide, scoring 20 points on 81 per cent shooting, to go with five rebounds and three assists.

The 36ers fought back from a 15-point final quarter deficit, DJ Vasiljevic made it seven straight NBL games above 20 points with a team-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds.

Kendric Davis scored 14 points to go with eight assists, while Jason Cadee added nine points with four assists and Lat Mayen eight points with seven rebounds.

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Cairns started on target from downtown, opening a 14-6 lead after five minutes before Mayen connected on a three-pointer, then Vasiljevic scored eight straight points, including two three-pointers, as the 36ers took their first lead of the game at 20-19.

Vasiljevic kept ticking the scoreboard over, scoring 12 opening quarter points and when Davis went coast-to-coast on the buzzer, Adelaide had a 32-28 lead at the first break.

Harrell started the second quarter with a big alley oop dunk, then Marshall connected from the corner for a Davis assist before the 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year threw down another thunderous slam.

A third dunk from Harrell was then followed by a three-pointer as the Adelaide lead extended to 44-33.

Adelaide extended the margin to 12 points before the Taipans went on an 8-0 run, which was snapped by Vasiljevic’s third triple of the contest.

A fourth dunk for the quarter by Harrell rocked the rim, but the Taipans swished 10 three-pointers in the opening half to take a 58-54 lead into the main interval.

The scoring dried up to start the third quarter as the Taipans kept a slender lead before a Vasiljevic turnaround three-pointer cut the margin to 67-66.

Cairns continued the three-point barrage before Rob Edwards (31 points, four assists) hit Mayen hard going to the basket. A tough drive from Nick Marshall was followed by a huge three-pointer from Jacob Rigoni gave Adelaide back the lead at 72-70.

Rigoni connected again from downtown in the corner at the end of the third quarter as both sides went into the final 10 minutes locked away at 77-77.

The Taipans began the final quarter on a 13-0 run before Vasiljevic made a tough layup, a drive and finish from Mayen, then another Harrell dunk cut the Cairns lead to 94-83.

Harrell looked to lift his team down the stretch, but it was Davis who scored five straight points to cut the Taipans lead to 97-94 with under a minute to go, but Edwards sealed the win with his sixth three-pointer.

Adelaide will be back in action when the 36ers play at home for the first time in NBL25 against South East Melbourne Phoenix this Thursday night from 7pm.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 101 (Edwards 31, Waardenburg 21, Antonio 13) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 97 (Vasiljevic 24, Harrell 20, Davis 14) at Cairns Convention Centre.
BOX SCORE