Kai Sotto, playing for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian Basketball League, showed off his winning ways during the American National Basketball Association (NBA) pre-season game versus the Phoenix Suns.
The 7’3” center, who has been campaigning to be the first homegrown Filipino player in the NBA, played for the first time in an NBA-level game and came off with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist in the game won by the 36ers.
The 36ers blocked the NBA’s Suns in the latter’s homecourt, 134-124, in the game played on October 2, 2022 (October 3 Philippine time) at the Footprint Center in Phoenix – a historic first win by an ABL team against an NBA crew and the first time in 7 years for a non-NBA team to win a pre-season game since Fenerbahçe Basketball of Turkey beat the Brooklyn Nets in October 2015.
Sotto delivered 7 of his 11 points during the third quarter, including a slam dunk that triggered a 9-2 rally by the Adelaide 36ers that lifted the team above the Suns and eventually won the game.
The 20-year-old former NBA G-League trainee and The Skill Factory MVP contributed to Adelaide’s 3-point shooting spree, finished a no-look pass from teammate Mitch McCarron, and went 4-on-4 on his free throws.
Filipino basketball star @kzsottolive made his debut appearance on the @NBA court as part of the @Adelaide36ers STORY TO FOLLOW on @GoodNewsPinas_ https://t.co/oUDCIO21FH
— Angie Quadra-Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) October 4, 2022
The Adelaide 36ers dominated the boards and led all quarters: 33-28, 71-59, 96-90, 134-124.
Kai Sotto and the 36ers are in the United States for a two-game pre-season blitz before starting the ABL season on October 13.
The team will next meet the Oklahoma Thunder on October 7, 8 AM (Philippine time).
Kai Sotto was named the ABL fans’ MVP in hisEGilas Pilipinas national basketball team’s games in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
WATCH this highlights video and SEND MABUHAY CHEERS in the comments below to Kai Sotto and the Adelaide 36ers for winning a historic game versus the NBA’s Phoenix Suns!
WATCH @KaiSotto dunk, make a three-point basket, and more in this highlights video of the 36ers blocking out the Phoenix Suns STORY TO FOLLOW on @GoodNewsPinas_ https://t.co/zxIjzwlQIv
— Angie Quadra-Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) October 4, 2022
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