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NBL news and scores: Sydney Kings defeat Illawarra Hawks 98-71

Bryce Cotton was the hero as the Adelaide 36ers claimed a thrilling win over Cairns while a pair of Sydney Kings unsung heroes stood tall in an all-NSW clash. See the latest.

Jason Phelan
15 min read
November 16, 2025 - 8:30PM
News Sport Network
Breakers dominate Bullets amidst injury

Adelaide superstar Bryce Cotton inspired the 36ers in an overtime thriller against the Cairns Taipans on Sunday, with the five-time NBL MVP dropping a game-high 41 points in a pulsating four-point win.

Mike Wells’ side took a 10-point lead into the final term at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, but the rallying visitors sliced that margin to one point with just under a minute remaining.

In a tense final minute of regulation, a turnover from Zylan Cheatham gave Cairns the ball with Marcus Lee fouled with 34 seconds left on the clock.

Lee tied it up with his first shot, but missed the second, with Cotton missing two opportunities to take the win, with the game going to overtime where he got the job done.

The brave Taipans trailed by three points with a minute remaining in overtime, but a Jack McVeigh foul on Cotton proved pivotal, with the star guard icing his free throws to seal the win that improves his side’s win-loss record to 9-3.

McVeigh drained a career-high 39 points for the last-placed Taipans who slipped to a 3-11 record with the result.

Isaac Humphries passed a pre-game fitness test after rolling an ankle in Thursday night’s win over Tasmania, and the star centre finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Watch every game of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, live on ESPN, with Sundays live and free on 10.

HOT STARTS STOPPED

Adelaide had won 10 opening terms this season, and 13 of its past 14, but the visitors started brightly.

Mojave King drained three triples to propel his side to a one-point lead at the first break, with McVeigh chipping in with 10 points as the Sixers struggled to get their offence humming.

The home side shot 0-of-5 to start the game before Cotton drained his opening three-pointer and then added another triple to get Adelaide’s offence rolling.

WELCOME, TROY!

New Adelaide import Troy Brown Jr checked into the game four minutes into the first quarter and the former NBA first-round draft pick made an immediate impact, draining his first shot as a Sixer.

Brown Jr, a veteran of 356 NBA games, hadn’t played a game for seven months but showed few signs of rust in an impressive start.

“He has the makings to be a superstar in this league,” NBL legend Andrew Gaze said of Brown Jr on ESPN.

Troy Brown Jr made his NBL debut. Photo: Mark Brake/Getty Images.
Troy Brown Jr made his NBL debut. Photo: Mark Brake/Getty Images.

TRIPLE TROUBLE

McVeigh continued on his merry way in the second quarter, leading all players with a game-high 22 points, including 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range, but the Taipans didn’t help their cause with Admiral Schofield and Lee whistled for unsportsmanlike fouls.

The 36ers made the most of the gifts, with Cotton leading the charge, but Wells’ side had trouble connecting from long range in the first half, shooting 5-of-16 from outside the arc to the Taipans’ 8-of-14 at 57 per cent.

COLD CAIRNS

Having taken the game right up to the Sixers in the first half, suddenly cold Cairns managed just four points in the first five minutes of the third quarter.

Adelaide was dominating offensive rebounds 14-2 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter, with the home side making a move with a 27-18 quarter to storm to a 10-point lead at the last change.

Unheralded Kings thrive in fiery win over Hawks

— Brett Keeble

Sydney Kings reclaimed NBL bragging rights over bitter rivals Illawarra on Sunday, hammering the Hawks 98-71 in a Freeway Series blow-out at WIN Entertainment Centre.

Ending a six-game losing streak to the defending NBL champions stretching back to 2023, the Kings (7-5) led from start to finish to register their fourth straight victory, and the first for coach Brian Goorjian against Illawarra counterpart Justin Tatum.

Despite the lopsided score, the game was a typically fiery affair between the NSW clubs in the first leg of the Adrian Hurley Cup and the famed Freeway Series.

Referees handed out technical fouls to Sydney’s Xavier Cooks and Kouat Noi and Illawarra’s JaVale McGee and Todd Blanchfield, and blew an unsportsmanlike foul on Illawarra’s Mason Peatling, to maintain order on the court.

Sydney were without veterans Matthew Dellavedova (calf) and Shaun Bruce (illness) but it mattered little as they successfully executed Goorjian’s game plan to stifle Hawks big man JaVale McGee with swarming defence under the basket.

Watch every game of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, live on ESPN, with Sundays live and free on 10.

It was an unhappy afternoon for McGee, the three-time NBA champion, as he fouled out early in the fourth quarter with just nine points and nine rebounds to his name.

The game was played at a frantic early pace as the teams combined for 12 first-quarter turnovers and ice-cold shooting, but Sydney settled better to lead 18-14 at the break.

Leading 53-32 at half-time, the Kings held the hapless Hawks to their lowest scoring half of what has been a Jekyll-and-Hyde title defence so far.

After successive wins against Melbourne and Cairns, the Hawks (5-6) remain in the bottom half of the ladder after another heavy defeat on their home floor.

Illawarra rallied with the first nine points of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 53-41, forcing Goorjian to call a time out, but the Kings responded to re-establish their advantage and build a 71-50 lead heading into the final period.

Hunter Goodrick had big minutes off the bench. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.
Hunter Goodrick had big minutes off the bench. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

ROLE PLAYERS SHINE 

The absence of Dellavedova and Bruce, and Cooks’ early foul trouble, created opportunities for rarely used bench players Tyler Robertson and Hunter Goodrick.

Robertson, in only his sixth on-court appearance this season, delivered with an NBL career-high 14 points, including four-of-six from three-point range.

Goodrick battled on the boards against McGee and Peatling when the game was still a contest and was rewarded with eight points and five rebounds.

BOOM OR BUST 

Kings and former Hawks forward Xavier Cooks was called for a tech foul late in the second quarter after getting tangled up with Illawarra’s Davo Hickey on a rebounding contest.

Cooks extended the hand of friendship to help his Australian Boomers teammate off the floor under the Illawarra basket but Hickey rejected the offer, so Cooks pushed his leg and walked away, only to be hit with a tech for his troubles.

Hickey made the technical free throw but Cooks then knocked down his two free throws for the initial foul committed on him.

After suggesting the call was “soft”, a smiling Cooks tried to high five with Hickey after hitting the two shots from the charity stripe, but Hickey again turned him down.

Cooks had the last laugh against the club where he began his career, contributing 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

MILESTONE MEN 

It was supposed to be a day of celebration for Hickey and Hawks teammate Todd Blanchfield, playing their 100th and 450th NBL games respectively, but it was anything but.

Hickey (19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) did all he could to spark the Hawks, but his energy and enthusiasm were not enough on a rough afternoon in Wollongong.

Blanchfield was used sparingly off the bench and went scoreless until garbage time, knocking down a three-pointer, after picking up a tech foul for his part in a push-and-shove with Sydney’s Kouat Noi in the second quarter.

Doyle dominates but battered Bullets lose no fans

— Lance Jenkinson

American import guard Milton Doyle and Melbourne United just love to beat the Brisbane Bullets.

Noted Bullet dominator Doyle was instrumental in United’s 99-93 win over a desperately undermanned but gutsy Bullets at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.

It was too close for comfort for United, who had to fight back from a shock 12-point first-quarter deficit before staving off a late fourth quarter challenge to register their 15th win from their past 16 games against the Bullets.

Watch every game of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, live on ESPN, with Sundays live and free on 10.

Trailing by 18 at three-quarter-time, the never-say-die Bullets incredibly cut the deficit to just three with a minute to go, with Mitch Norton (19 points) and Lamar Patterson (18) lighting up the scoreboard in the fourth.

But to the relief of the home fans, United steadied to close out the game.

The best three scoring games in Doyle’s NBL career have all come against the Bullets.

The 32-year-old produced his best scoring game in United colours with a season-high 28 points on 11/18 shooting from the field, six rebounds and four assists in a dominant performance.

A middle of the road side looking to close the gap on a title contender, the last thing the Bullets could afford was to lose premier scorer Casey Prather to a season-ending knee injury on Thursday night.

The departure of star guard Jaylen Adams followed and it has left the Bullets unsettled.

But you have to credit the attitude of the visitors who not only kept it from turning into a blow out that most predicted but made it a nervous outing for the ladder leading United, who improved to 11-2 on the season.

Bullets centre Tyrell Harrison produced a lionhearted display with a double double 16 points and 11 rebounds.

BULLETS LAND EARLY BLOWS

The Bullets came out of the blocks scorching hot, opening up a 19-7 lead, knocking down three of their first four three-point attempts.

They were up for the challenge physically with Taine Murray throwing imposing United big man Jesse Edwards, who had 14 points, to the floor to set the tone for the visitors.

The tide of the quarter turned on the back of two gutsy three-point plays from Dash Daniels and Shea Ili.

Shea Ili made a triumphant return for United.
Shea Ili made a triumphant return for United.

SHEA’S BACK

Ili, returning from a hamstring injury, came into the game midway through the first period to thunderous applause.

The two-time reigning NBL defensive player of the year is a crowd favourite.

He played 14 minutes for 10 points, including 8/9 from the free throw line, which wa crucial late.

DAMAGING DOYLE

With Milton Doyle starting to take over, United erased a 12-point deficit with a level the score at 24-piece at quarter time.

A 23-7 United run prompted Bullets coach Stu Lash to hit the panic button with a clear focus on tightening up the defence in the time out.

The time out didn’t work as United brought out the showtime moves to quickly build a double digit lead.

Doyle was as active as he has been all season.

The Bullets stuck with United until half time, trailing 47-38, but an 8-0 United run to start the third, including triples to Tyson Walker and Finn Delany, blew the game out the water.

Another three from Walker and United’s lead was out to 20 midway through the third.

NOT GOING AWAY

But the Bullets weren’t ready to wave the white flag.

Patterson caught fire in the fourth and the travelling side somehow cut the deficit to just fice with 1.15 to go.

When Norton drained a three, it was just three points the difference with under a minute to go.

GLOVER’S THREE-POINT MASTERCLASS CRUSHES TAIPANS

— Mitch Turner

The Victorian control over the NBL ladder resumed on Friday night, with South East Melbourne’s 101-90 victory over the Cairns Taipans lifting them to second place behind only local rivals Melbourne United.

The Phoenix went into Cairns Convention Centre with an unwavering focus which saw them totally smother the Taipans’ offence.

And when it was their turn to score they did so mostly with precision.

The Phoenix seemed to be able to find a good look — or make a tough one — whether there was 18 seconds or two seconds on the shot clock.

The Taipans got increased production out of their star man in Jack McVeigh, while Admiral Schofield found some offensive rhythm.

But it was overshadowed by an epic all-round performance from the Phoenix, as yet again the Snakes allowed five opposition players to hit double digits, with Angus Glover leading all-comers with 20 points.

The Taipans gave their home crowd some moments to cheer about late in the contest as they trimmed the lead back below 20 in the fourth.

But it was apropos of nothing as the Phoenix took care of business and kept themselves in touch with the ladder leaders.

GLOVER SHOOTS FLAMES

The Phoenix staff might need to start bringing a portable fire extinguisher with them to every game if Glover is going to stay this hot from beyond the arc.

The 27-year-old New South Welshman had the ultimate green light to let it fly from well beyond the arc, hitting some truly back-breaking triples on what were decent defensive possessions from Cairns.

For all their woes, the Taipans have been a decent team at defending the three this season, and they continued that trend against most of South East Melbourne. Glover’s range and efficiency was simply a cut above, as he finished the first half shooting 5/8 from long range with 17 points.

TURNOVER TAIPANS

Offensive miscues have been part and parcel of the Cairns basketball experience so far this season.

But some of the errors on Friday night seemed especially egregious.

Perhaps the apparent severity was compounded by the fact that the Taipans first true possession of the game saw Admiral Schofield more or less drop the ball out of bounds on what should have been a regulation handoff.

Live ball turnovers, shot clock violations, stepping out of bounds, this game had them all.

The lineup shuffle has been never-ending for Cairns, but there’s a level of disjointedness that just shouldn’t be possible at the elite level regardless of who is on the floor.

MOJAVE SEIZES CHANCE

Mojave King continues to make the most of the opportunity to step into a crucial role with the Taipans.

He may not have reached the heights of his sensational 32-point outing last week, but the hustle plays combined with some timely makes beyond the arc made him among the team’s best contributors.

Both he and Forde have answered plenty of questions about his rapid rise to prominence, and while they’ll look to continue to keep a lid on things, his value to this side is becoming hard to deny after just four appearances.

36ERS UNLOCK CHEATHAM CODE TO SHOW IT’S NOT BRYCE OR BUST

— Jake Garland

The Adelaide 36ers have added more headaches for Tasmania JackJumpers after a big win which ended a five game losing streak in the Apple Isle.

Adelaide’s Zylan Cheatham dropped his biggest score of the season with 26 points as the 36ers claimed a 97-86 win at MyState Bank Arena.

It now takes the JackJumpers home record to 1-6 and a five game losing streak which adds more salt into an already harsh wound for Scott Roth and his men.

While Adelaide move to an impressive 5-1 road record.

The result also ended a three-year losing streak in Tasmania for Adelaide despite Bryce Cotton being kept to just 12 points.

It was obvious the JackJumpers were going to put plenty of work into arguably the league’s best player in the game but it gave the opportunity for Cheatham to stand up alongside former captain Dejan Vasiljevic who dropped 14 coming off the bench.

The JackJumpers came from 28 points down early in the final quarter to get the score back to single digits but weren’t enough to grab the lead and the victory.

Now, the JackJumpers will head to Perth to take on the Wildcats on November 21 while Adelaide will host the Cairns Taipans on Sunday.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

It is starting to become a common theme for the JackJumpers who seem to drop off during the second and third quarters only to peg it back in the final five minutes of the last.

It happened again, this time against the 36ers. Down by 28 at one stage throughout the game, the JackJumpers pulled back a mammoth lead to single digits, getting within seven points with 39 seconds left.

It happened against Brisbane and the Phoenix in Launceston in the last two home games.

The JackJumpers managed to pull off a massive comeback win against the Kings in Sydney before the five home game stretch, where they lost all five games.

Streaks continue

It is not the streak Scott Roth wants next to his or his team’s name but the JackJumpers have now lost the last five games in a row, all being at home. It takes their home record to 1-6 this season, the worst away record in the NBL competition while the 36ers jump to a 5-1 away record.

Bryce Cotton copped plenty of attention from the Jackjumpers.
Bryce Cotton copped plenty of attention from the Jackjumpers.

WRAPPED IN COTTON

All eyes were on how the JackJumpers could stop star Bryce Cotton and in a game where Tasmania might not be smiling too much, they may have just laid the blueprint on how to stop him.

Tassie’s Nick Marshall and Ben Ayre predominately rotated on Cotton throughout the course of the night shutting down his skills at the basket and abilities to run the play. Cotton became the villain midway through the second after he was clipped by Ayre which sparked the crowd to boo the five time NBL Most Valuable Player.

Zylan Cheatham was the man who stepped up with Cotton well held.
Zylan Cheatham was the man who stepped up with Cotton well held.

ADELAIDE ENDS STREAK

For the last five times Adelaide had come to Tasmania, they lost all five games but not on Thursday night. The 36ers ended the streak in a blowout win which saw arguably the league’s best player, Bryce Cotton finish in just 12-points. The last time Adelaide defeated the JackJumpers in Hobart was in 2022.

PRATHER OUT FOR SEASON IN SAVAGE BLOW FOR BULLETS

— Michael Randall

Brisbane Bullets star Casey Prather will undergo knee surgery on Thursday night and miss the remainder of the NBL season.

The 34-year-old went down late in Brisbane’s brutal 29-point defeat against New Zealand on Wednesday, clutching his knee in gut-wrenching scenes on the Gold Coast.

Scans on Thursday revealed the American had avoided a dreaded ACL tear but would require surgery to repair damage to plates or screws that were inserted in his right knee during a previous operation – the Bullets called it a “hardware related fixation issue”.

Wife Ariana Prather tweeted the news on Thursday:

“Thank you for the prayers, love and support,” she wrote.

“News better than expected with no tendons or ligaments (ACL, patellar, etc) broken.

“We’re taking it one step at a time, starting with surgery later today.

“My husband is a soldier, and will be back in due time.”

The Bullets will travel to Melbourne for Saturday night’s clash against top-of-the-table United with veteran import Lamar Patterson called up to replace Prather.

The 198cm forward was having arguably the best season of a decorated NBL career, pouring in 24.4 points on nearly 50 per cent shooting to go with 7.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals.

He leaves a massive void the Bullets will now work to fill with the recruitment of a new import.

PRATHER BLOW COMPOUNDS BULLETS’ NBL WOES

Embarrassment at another woeful effort from the Brisbane Bullets quickly made way for heartbreak amid fears superstar Casey Prather has suffered a serious knee injury.

Taking their Wednesday night Ignite Cup clash with New Zealand on the road to the Gold Coast, the Bullets would have been better off giving a walkover.

They conceded a modern 40-minute era record 41 second quarter points on the way to an insipid 113-84 loss to the Breakers in a display that was closer to training drill than professional basketball game.

The final 29-point margin, remarkably, flattered the Bullets, who were behind by as many as 37 at one point and did not lead at any stage.

Management has so far resisted any major upheaval, save for injured import Javon Freeman-Liberty’s exit after just two games and the benching of flaky import Jaylen Adams.

But the only thing that should take precedence over swift and decisive action is the welfare of their veteran leader, 34, who looked, at first when he landed awkwardly during the fourth quarter, resigned to a serious knee injury.

There are fears superstar Casey Prather has suffered a serious knee injury. Picture: Getty Images
There are fears superstar Casey Prather has suffered a serious knee injury. Picture: Getty Images

Moments later his jersey was up over his face, but the distress was clear as he hobbled from the court, consoled by chief executive Mal Watts.

It was a gut-wrenching scene, made all the more distressing by the fact wife Arianna Prather was on courtside reporting duties for the broadcast.

Prather, a three-time NBL champion, endured a horrific run of knee injuries and recovery from 2021-23 and missed the best part of two seasons, before joining the Bullets and revitalising his career.

Recently, he told Code Sports he felt like he could play into his 40s and it was only this week the great Andrew Gaze was touting the Tennessee native as one of the few players who could give Bryce Cotton a run for his money in this year’s MVP race.

But all of that is now up in the air.

Casey Prather endured a horrific run of knee injuries before joining the Bullets and revitalising his career. Picture: Getty Images
Casey Prather endured a horrific run of knee injuries before joining the Bullets and revitalising his career. Picture: Getty Images

Prather wears padding and a sleeve on the surgically repaired right knee to protect it in games.

When he clutched at that knee, a collective sadness descended on the NBL community.

While coach Stu Lash said the Bullets would need time to evaluate Prather to determine the severity of the injury, he acknowledged there was serious concern.

“I mean obviously it was his knee, so we hope for the best and we pray for him,” Lash said post game.

“It’s hard, he’s a great person, a great ambassador for the club (and) he’s a leader for us.

“We all know what he’s been through and what he’s done for us on the day-to-day.”

Many questioned why Prather was still on the floor in the fourth quarter with the margin 31 points and the game dead and buried.

There’s yin and yang to that — popular convention suggests a conservative approach to protect stars when a game is decided prior to the end of time.

But the injury could have happened at any moment in the game.

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Originally published as NBL news and scores: Sydney Kings defeat Illawarra Hawks 98-71

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/basketball/casey-prathers-serious-injury-fears-overshadow-woeful-brisbane-bullets-defeat/news-story/a4a36a1823df0024343db0a20bb8711e