Franks double-double sees 36ers down United

Adelaide 36ers have bounced back to defeat Melbourne United 91-86 at John Cain Arena on Thursday night.

Robert Franks, with a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds, came up big in the clutch as the 36ers levelled their win-loss record at 4-4.

Franks was clutch down the stretch, connecting on six straight free throws in the final quarter which halted a late United rally.

After Melbourne opened the scoring, Adelaide went on a 14-0 run to open an early double-digit lead.

Two quick fouls to Franks saw early minutes for Kai Sotto and Anthony Drmic continued with his starting spot with early impact at both ends of the floor.

But the home side fought back late in the opening stanza, cutting the Adelaide lead to 25-20 at quarter time.

Drmic continued his hot start to open the second quarter, but a second foul to Antonius Cleveland sparked United, who regained the lead on an Isaac Humphries slam dunk for 32-31.

Adelaide showed composure through Franks as Drmic’s night continued to shine and Sotto impressed in extended minutes, with a big dunk as the 36ers made some defensive adjustments to take a 40-34 lead.

But Melbourne caught fire from the three-point line, connecting on four straight three-pointers through Chris Goulding, Mason Peatling and Lachlan Barker as United cut Adelaide’s lead to 51-50 at the main break.

United didn’t score for the first four minutes of the third quarter as the 36ers regained a double-digit lead at 61-50 to cap off a 15-0 run.

Captain Mitch McCarron threw down a poster slam dunk on the break after Goulding took a solid knock to the floor, which resulted in the United captain to be helped from the court.

McCarron, a former United championship winner, then drew the wrath of the Melbourne crowd after he accidentally tripped over Goulding, who was still lying on the floor.

Adelaide remained patient at the offensive end, as Franks, Cleveland and McCarron scored at the rim, and the 36ers took a 74-64 lead into the final 10 minutes.

The 36ers offense dried up to start the final quarter as United, through the spark of import guard Rayjon Tucker started to fire up the home side.

Adelaide took nearly five minutes to score, through Franks, as Goulding returned to the game to the roars of the home crowd as Tucker continued his final quarter heroics.

But it wasn’t enough, as Adelaide rebounded on the road, before a huge trip to New Zealand on Sunday.

ADELAIDE 36ERS 91 (Franks 21, Drmic 21, Cleveland 15) def MELBOURNE UNITED 86 (Tucker 23, Rathan-Mayes 15, Peating 11) at John Cain Arena.

BOX SCORE