Taipans overcome sluggish start to beat 36ers

The Cairns Taipans shook off a horror start to both halves at home to the Adelaide 36ers to fight back and win in overtime 111-101 to keep their NBL top six hopes alive.

Despite Bul Kuol and Lat Mayen fouling out while Cairns sent Adelaide to the line 46 times, and already being without Sam Waardenburg and Jonah Antonio, and Sam Mennenga playing just four minutes, they found a way to win in overtime.

Adelaide arrived after their best two wins of the season in front of record home crowds to Melbourne and Sydney, and shot out of the blocks with the first 15 points.

While by half-time that advantage was just three at 56-53, Adelaide scored 11 of the first 13 points of the third quarter with that lead growing to 16 when the Snakes had no answers for Adelaide big man Isaac Humphries.

The Sixers couldn’t quite shut the door and the Snakes kept on coming with the back court pairing of Tahjere McCall and Patrick Miller doing the damage.

The duo combined for all but seven of Cairns' 22 points in the final period as they drew level with just over three minutes to play.

Scores were again level with just over a minute to play when Taran Armstrong threw the picture perfect alley-oop pass to Akoldah Gak on his way to the best performance of his 42-game career with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

That would be the last score of regulation but Cairns had momentum and scored the first eight points of overtime on the way to the 10-point win to improve to 10-12 on the season and stay in touch of the top six.

McCall was terrific with 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds with 3-of-5 long-range shooting with Miller adding 25 points and eight assists, and Josh Roberts 12 points and four rebounds.

Taipans coach Adam Forde was especially delighted in the way his team locked in defensively to turn the tide.

"There was a stretch from the 7:30 mark where they didn’t score another field goal until about the 1:30 mark in overtime so real happy with the guys defensively," he said.

"We did a great job navigating the ball screen to go that entire screen where the only thing that was keeping them in the game were the foul shots, which they had plentiful.

"Really happy with the guys."

Adelaide still have just one road win for the season to remain last at 7-14 despite a career-best scoring night from Humphries with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

Trey Kell III continued his strong form with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and DJ Vasiljevic scored 19 points.

Sixers coach Scott Ninnis was rightfully frustrated to miss the chance for his first road win his second stint in charge.

"That's as disappointing a loss as you get," he said.

"Obviously the way we started the game was outstanding and then to really go away with it in the third quarter too and get up by 16, but all credit to Cairns.

"They made the adjustments, upped the ante defensively and we had all sorts of trouble scoring most of that fourth quarter and overtime."