Kai Sotto scores 14 as Adelaide falls to New Zealand

Kai Sotto had a fiery start in the ball game but the Adelaide 36ers collapsed in crunch time to fall to the New Zealand Breakers, 84-75, in the National Basketball League on Saturday.

The Filipino import dropped 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half, which ended with the 36ers trailing by just six, 46-40.

Sotto, who hurt his thigh in their 92-73 loss to Perth last Sunday, finished with a total of a team-high 14 markers as his team absorbed their fifth loss in a row for a 5-12 card.

The loss also saw Daniel Johnson hammering 12 points and five boards while Cameron Bairstow and Dusty Hannahs each had 11 markers.

New Zealand, meanwhile, halted its four-game losing slump to improve to 5-13 but the team is still in the bottom of the standings.

Adelaide will next face Cairns on March 18 at home.

—MGP, GMA News