Sixers show fight, but fall to fast-finishing Taipans

Adelaide 36ers have fallen to a late Cairns Taipans run in a 116-101 defeat at the Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.

Under interim head coach Scott Ninnis for the first this NBL24 season, the home side held a 91-89 lead with just under eight minutes to go, but the Taipans made the most of crunch time in front of 8954 fans.

DJ Vasiljevic was everywhere for the home side, scoring a game-high 30 points, while big man Isaac Humphries was enormous with 22 points and nine rebounds.

Trey Kell added 21 points to go with six assists and Jacob Wiley had 16 points to go with seven rebounds.

The Taipans, who connected on 15 three-pointers, had Patrick Miller scoring a team-high 26 points, while Bobi Klintman had 22 points and Tahjere McCall paired 19 points with 15 assists.

NBL Next Star sensation Trentyn Flowers entered the starting line-up for the first time as the only change for Ninnis, with captain Mitch McCarron coming off the bench as the home side looked to push the ball up the floor.

Kell looked strong scoring five early points, but the visitors caught fire from outside, connecting on three of their first five attempts from the three-point line to take an early 13-9 lead.

Nick Marshall was brought into the game first off the bench, but the Taipans found their scoring opportunities from offensive rebounds.

Humphries was a force inside, scoring consecutive baskets and converting a three-point play, and when Kell found Marshall for an alley-oop, the 36ers had a 25-23 lead.

Klintman and Jonah Antonio hit four consecutive three-pointers as the Taipans went on a 12-0 run as the visitors, who converted nine from downtown in the opening 10 minutes, took a 35-26 lead into the first break.

Wiley found some space inside for two quick baskets and Vasiljevic connected from downtown and when McCarron found Wiley again for a dunk, the home side cut the Taipans’ lead to 38-35.

The Taipans continued to hit from outside, a triple from McCall extended the lead to 47-35, but Wiley continued to score, the home side went on a 6-0 run.

Humphries (16), Vasiljevic (14), Wiley (12) and Kell (12) combined for 54 points, but Klintman had 20 in the opening 20 minutes as the Taipans took a 61-57 lead into the main break.

Cairns scored the opening seven points of the third quarter to gain a double-digit lead, but the home side came roaring back into the game, a Vasiljevic triple cutting the margin to 70-66.

Vasiljevic took over proceedings, scoring eight quick points, which included a four-point play, Starling also throwing down a dunk as the 36ers tied the game at 77-77.

A Starling three-point play gave the home side the lead, an unsportsmanlike foul on Kuol then saw McCarron swish two from the line, but when Antonio hit a triple on the buzzer, Cairns took an 85-84 lead into the final 10 minutes.

Wiley and Vasiljevic continued to attack the basket as both sides traded the lead early in the final quarter, the 36ers edging ahead by two points.

But the Taipans went on a 6-0 run and never gave the lead back, the visitors extending the final margin late in the contest as Adelaide tried gallantly to get back into the contest.

Adelaide now travel to Melbourne to play against United at John Cain Arena next Saturday night, before returning home for a Christmas Eve showdown against Brisbane Bullets.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 116 (Miller 26, Klintman 22, McCall 19) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 101 (Vasiljevic 30, Humphries 22, Kell 21, Wiley 16) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

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