Taipans topple 36ers on NYE

Cairns Taipans have stopped the Adelaide 36ers winning streak at four with an 86-83 win on Saturday night at the Cairns Convention Centre.

The Taipans, who had lost their past two matches and missing star big man Keanu Pinder with an ankle injury, fought back from an 18-point last quarter deficit for the three-point success.

A triple from Shannon Scott with 30 seconds gave the home side the lead and a late Robert Franks triple caught iron.

Antonius Cleveland had a team-high 16 points, while Ian Clark added 15 points and Anthony Drmic was everywhere again with 14 points and six rebounds.

Kai Sotto, starting for a fifth straight game, attacked the hoop early and used his height advantage to great effect, scoring six opening quarter points.

Clark checked into the game for instant impact, hitting a corner three as Adelaide took an early 14-7 lead.

Cairns fought back late in opening quarter and the home side tied the game at 18-18, but Drmic drove hard on the buzzer to give Adelaide a two-point lead at the first break.

Mitch McCarron opened the second quarter with a deep three-pointer, then found Cleveland on the break for a highlight dunk as Adelaide again took a seven-point lead.

A Daniel Johnson layup gave Adelaide a 10-point lead but the hosts came storming back through import point guard Shannon Scott and the Taipans took back the lead back 32-30.

Adelaide’s offense went stagnant and the 36ers couldn’t buy a basket for almost five minutes before Clark stopped a 16-0 Cairns run.

With DJ Hogg stuck on the bench with three fouls, the home side lifted a gear, Scott scored 18 first half points as the Taipans took a 41-40 lead to the main break.

Adelaide started the third quarter with a renewed intensity at both ends of the floor, Cleveland found Sotto on the alley-oop to give the 36ers back the lead.

Franks scored his opening points from the free throw line, then desperation from Cleveland ended up with Franks again, who hit the open three and Adelaide went out to a 47-41 lead.

The Taipans again fought back hard, Ben Ayre tied the game at 51-51 with a three-pointer, Drmic replied on the next play phase with a triple from the corner.

Adelaide then found some momentum in the half court, Drmic super important during a late third quarter push which gave the 36ers a 64-54 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Hyrum Harris opened the scoring in the fourth as Adelaide went on a 9-2 run after McCarron beat the shot clock with a three-pointer for a 73-56 lead.

Clark connected on his second three-pointer of the night to give Adelaide a 78-60 lead, but the Taipans fought back yet again, going on a 9-2 run of their own to cut the margin to 80-69.

The Taipans continued to attack the basket with Scott and McCall leading from the front and when Hogg hit a three-pointer, the 36ers lead was just two points at 80-78.

Scott tied the game with just over 90 seconds to go, then Hogg gave the home side the lead 82-80.

A Clark three handed the 36ers back the lead, but then Scott, who had a game-high 31 points, scored the basket which mattered most.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 86 (Scott 31, McCall 19, Hogg 13) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 83 (Cleveland 16, Clark 15, Drmic 14) at Cairns Convention Centre.