KAI Sotto finally was given the chance to posterize the opposition with highlight dunks.
But he and Adelaide failed to hurdle defending champion Melbourne United, absorbing a 78-97 loss last Saturday in Australia’s National Basketball League at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto came up with a dunk off his own miss for his first field goal over Sudanese-Australian big man Jo Lual-Acuil at the 3:12 mark of the second quarter.
Sotto, 19, wound up with two more dunk shots in the fourth period to finish with six points, eight rebounds, and one steal in 16 minutes of play in his second game for the 36ers.
He was sidelined in Adelaide’s first four games of the season due to soreness in his right knee.
Sotto suited up in the team’s 67-93 loss to the Cairns Taipans last Dec. 18 and saw action for nine minutes and 50 seconds off the bench and scored a point, to go with three boards, two dimes, and two blocks.
He also missed the 36ers’ four preseason matches and sat out Adelaide’s 87-74 victory over Perth last Jan. 18.
Chris Goulding showed the way for Melbourne United with 18 points, two rebounds, and two steals as the squad rolled to its seventh straight triumph and remained on top with a 7-2 record.
Lual-Acuil added 18 points, eight boards, and three blocks for Melbourne United.
Cameron Bairstow paced the 36ers with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Sunday Dech chipped in 13 points and four boards.
Todd Withers and Dusty Hannahs both scored 12 for Adelaide, which slipped to 3-4.
