A Bryce Cotton-inspired third-quarter blitz propelled the Adelaide 36ers to a commanding win in opposition to the Perth Wildcats in entrance of a file crowd on the Adelaide Leisure Centre on Sunday.
Perth received off to a flyer and led by three factors at halftime, however Adelaide unleashed a surprising 29-9 third quarter, together with a blistering 14-0 run to complete the time period, to open up an imposing 17-point lead.
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The red-hot Sixers led by as a lot as 23 factors earlier than cruising to their tenth residence win of their spectacular season.
Cotton had 24 factors after three quarters, together with three buckets in a row within the pivotal third-term rally, and completed with a game-high 36 factors, together with six three-pointers, in opposition to his outdated crew in entrance of 10,041 followers.
“He sees issues the place others don’t … the man’s only a genius – a basketball savant,” NBL legend Andrew Gaze stated on ESPN of Cotton after he discovered Zylan Cheatham with a chic bounce go in site visitors early within the gorgeous third quarter.
The outcome improved the 36ers’ maintain on high spot on the ladder, Mike Wells’ facet ending 2025 with a 17-4 file, whereas Perth dropped to 11-10.
ON ICE EARLY
Isaac Humphries had to sit 4 minutes into the primary quarter after selecting up two early fouls and the star large’s issues have been emblematic of his facet’s points in a scratchy begin.
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr threw down a monster dunk and led the scoring because the guests snatched the early momentum.
Adelaide opened 0-of-5 from the ground, with its first factors coming when Flynn Cameron went to the foul line two minutes in.
He adopted up along with his facet’s first factors from the ground with a candy triple a minute later, nevertheless it did not spark the house facet, the Sixers trailing 23-9.
Cotton missed his first two scoring makes an attempt earlier than he opened his account with a triple, however the 36ers trailed by 29-20 on the first break.
BELIEVE IN BRYCE
After his first 20 video games as a Sixer, Cotton led the league in common scoring, free throws made, three-pointers made and steals, so it got here as no shock that the famous person led his facet’s second-quarter rally.
Cotton raced to 13 factors, together with two triples, as resurgent Adelaide led for the primary time midway by way of the second time period.
The five-time NBL MVP was 3-of-5 from lengthy vary within the first half, along with his facet 5-of-9, to Perth’s 3-of-14 (21 per cent) from exterior the arc.
Regardless of their long-distance points, the Wildcats had three shooters in double figures on the major break, together with Kristian Doolittle and Lual-Acuil Jr, to steer by three factors.
DUKE JR DONE
Perth import David Duke Jr was knocked out of the sport within the opening minutes and will face a stint on the sidelines after struggling a grotesque damage.
The American import badly hyperextended his left elbow preventing for a rebound with Troy Brown Jr and went instantly to the bench.