ADELAIDE coach CJ Bruton is convinced his team’s extended respite due to COVID-19 infections should work wonders for prized center Kai Sotto in their National Basketball League of Australia campaign.
“The seven days off our feet, I think, hurt a lot of our players when we were behind closed doors, but (Sotto has) definitely come back,” Bruton said on the Sixers Fix podcast.
“As he has all off-season and since I’ve been here, he has shown his ability to impact the game not only on the defensive end but also the offensive end,” he added.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto sat out the 36ers’ first four games due to soreness in his right knee.
Sotto suited up in Adelaide’s 67-93 loss to the Cairns Taipans last Dec. 18 and had one point, three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks and nine minutes and 50 seconds off the bench. He also missed the 36ers’ four preseason matches.
Adelaide has not played since December, with six of its matches getting canceled.
The NBL also postponed the 36ers’ tiff with Tasmania this Sunday.
“The health and safety of the players, coaches, clubs, staff and fans is the League’s number one priority when considering these matters,” the league said in a statement.
“The NBL will continue to follow the advice of governments and health authorities.”
Adelaide is set to tackle Perth Tuesday next week at home at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Bruton maintained Sotto could give the 36ers a much-needed boost to hike their 2-3 card.
“By being so big, he has the ability by being so big he can dominant around the rim in that role,” he said. “I see it no differently coming into our next game as well.”
Australia is also grappling with a surge in COVID-19 infections brought about by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
