NBL Round 11: Bryce Cotton condemns Adelaide 36ers to fourth-straight loss; Bullets stun United
Perth Wildcats superstar Bryce Cotton’s MVP-calibre form has claimed another victim, while Brisbane pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season over Melbourne United. CATCH ALL THE ROUND 11 NEWS.
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A superb return performance from Kendric Davis wasn’t enough to stop the Adelaide 36ers’ freefall on Sunday, with the Bryce Cotton-inspired Perth Wildcats coming from behind to score a 10-point win that consigned Mike Wells’ side to a fourth loss in a row.
After a quiet opening term, Cotton caught fire to record a third game with 40-plus points, becoming the first player to do so since Andrew Gaze in 1991, as the Wildcats came from as much as 13 points down in the second quarter to improve to a 9-8 record.
In a jaw-dropping display, Cotton’s stunning 49 points included a buzzer-beating half-courter to end the first half.
After winning 10 consecutive games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the 36ers have lost back-to-back games on their home court to slip to ninth spot on the ladder with a 6-8 record.
Both teams were missing key players, Adelaide without DJ Vasiljevic (hamstring) and Montrezl Harrell (suspension), and Perth Keanu Pinder (illness) and Kristian Doolittle (groin).
But that didn’t affect their offensive firepower in an entertaining blow-for-blow shootout.
Led by the hot hand of Davis, the 36ers surged to their equal highest first-quarter score and highest first-half score of the season to lead by six points at the main break.
Despite trailing for the entire first half, the visitors rallied to outscore the home side in the third quarter and sealed the result with a 36-23 final term.
Davis, playing his first game back since his controversial two-game suspension for his involvement in the ugly scenes against Melbourne United, drained a season-high 37 points, with 11 assists, with Isaac Humphries next best for the 36ers with a season-high 25 points.
Cotton largely played a lone hand on offence for the first three quarters, he was the only Perth player with a double-digit score at three-quarter time, but Dylan Windler and Ben Henshall chimed in late.
DECH DEPARTS
Adelaide suffered a huge blow when Sunday Dech clutched at his left hamstring and immediately left the floor with just under two minutes to go in the first half.
Not only had Dech done a good defensive job on Cotton, but he was also second in scoring behind Davis with 13 points, including two triples, when he pulled up sore.
Cotton, coming off back-to-back games scoring 59 and 40 points, was held to just six points in the first quarter by Dech.
But the Wildcats’ superstar imposed his considerable influence from there on.
LESSON LEARNT
Davis spoke about his part in the much-discussed melee against Melbourne United for the first time.
“I could have handled the situation better,” Davis told ESPN.
“I think we all could have – the fans, me, Melbourne – we don’t want that in our game.
“Playing basketball is a privilege, watching it is a privilege, and it was a lesson learned.”
DJ UPDATE
Vasiljevic missed his second game with a hamstring injury picked up in a loss to Tasmania, and his return remains unclear.
“It’s been a long week, I’ve been sleeping in the recovery place and doing all of the necessary things,” Vasiljevic told ESPN.
“Hopefully I’ll get back to running next week and just build from there.
“(My return) is really just about how I feel. I feel good now, but I don’t know until I start running, so I can’t really make a judgement when to come back.”
BULLETS PIERCE UNITED
- Ronny Lerner
Second-last Brisbane have pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the NBL season after they outlasted runaway league leaders Melbourne United 122-114 in a feisty and topsy-turvy contest at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
The stunning result not only snapped Melbourne’s five-game winning streak but also ended United’s run of 12 consecutive victories over the Bullets.
The thrilling contest featured a whopping 36 lead changes and 21 instances of tied scores, but the visitors displayed a lot more composure when it mattered most in the decisive fourth quarter.
Back-to-back threes from James Batemon and Casey Prather put Brisbane up 94-89 early in the final period, but Melbourne refused to give in and a 13-6 run catapulted them to a two-point lead (102-100) with 6:18 to go.
The Bullets hit back with the next seven points to take a 107-102 advantage with 4:44 remaining, and while the hosts got back within one, Brisbane had all the answers, and another six points in a row delivered them a game-breaking 113-106 buffer with 2:50 to go.
Prather was momentarily fouled out for contact on Shea Ili, but a coach’s challenge overturned that decision, and the Brisbane star didn’t waste time to make the most of his reprieve with a three from the top of the key to give Brisbane a seven-point lead.
Melbourne’s shooting deserted them when they needed it most as Ili, Jack White, Rob Loe and Matthew Dellavedova missed crucial buckets down the stretch.
Brisbane’s score was a record by an away team against Melbourne at John Cain Arena as they produced a stunning field-goal percentage of 64 on 41-64 shooting, compared to Melbourne’s 50 (41-82). The Bullets were also a sensational 50 per cent from three-point land (12-24) as opposed to United’s 33 (11-33).
There was no love lost between the two teams, with no fewer than 49 fouls committed and a combined total of 63 free throws taken.
BULLETS QUARTET ON SONG
Prather was brilliant for the winners, registering 27 points on 8-12 shooting, including 4-5 from three, seven rebounds and a steal, while Keandre Cook also had 27 points on a 9-13 clip and 3-7 from deep, six rebounds and a steal.
Batemon recorded 25 points (7-11), featuring 4-5 from downtown, and two steals, and Tyrell Harrison racked up 25 points, too, on an outstanding 12-13 from the field and he also reined in six boards.
UNITED START HOT, BULLETS RESPOND
The first four minutes were a seesawing affair that produced seven lead changes and two instances of tied scores. Cook and Melbourne’s Rob Loe were the main players in the arm wrestle with nine and eight points respectively.
After the Bullets grabbed a 13-11 lead, Melbourne hit back with a 13-3 run to lead by eight (24-16) as Ian Clark and Flynn Cameron sparked into life.
But the hosts then suffered from poor discipline, and a string of fouls helped the visitors go on a 12-4 run to tie things up 28-28 at quarter-time as Batemon and Prather lit up.
ARM WRESTLE CONTINUES
Absolutely nothing separated the two teams in the second period, which produced another 13 lead changes and six more occasions when scores were level as they headed into half-time all square at 57-57.
Harrison (10 points) and Prather (nine) were Brisbane’s main instigators for the quarter, while Clark put up another nine for Melbourne, including a three.
An early six-point burst in the third quarter from Dellavedova gave United a 63-60 buffer, but a 10-3 run in response, including six points from Prather, put the Bullets back up 70-66.
BRISBANE PULL AWAY
The contest then reverted to type as the lead changed hands a further 10 times and there were another eight instances of knotted scores as Brisbane headed into the final quarter with the barest of leads (88-87) after Batemon hit 10 points in the third stanza.
But the Bullets successfully pulled away at the crucial stage and new life has now been breathed into their spluttering campaign. They’re now within touching distance of the top six nearing the halfway mark of the season.
KINGS OVERCOME ILLNESS TO ROMP BREAKERS
Master coach Brian Goorjian benched two stars but it didn’t stop the Kings from romping to a huge 98-83 win to leave the Breakers in a rut in Wellington.
The Kings, who started without Cameron Oliver and Jaylen Adams, who were sick all week, scoring the first nine points of the contest as they established early dominance over a home side which simply didn’t have any answers at TSB Arena.
It took two and a half minutes for the Breakers to find the bucket, when Matt Mooney hit from deep, but a four-point deficit was as close as they got before the Kings took an 11-point lead into the first break.
That four-point margin would be as close as the Breakers got to the Kings, who led by as much as 24 points a tick less than two minutes from three-quarter time.
Sydney, led by Xavier Cooks (20 points), Jaylen Adams (20pts) and Kouat Noi’s 19, which featured five big treys, put the Breakers to the sword.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright (21pts) and Matt Mooney (19pts) topscored for the Breakers.
ROYAL RESHUFFLE
The under-pressure Kings shuffled the line-up in an effort to find a spark, and to cover the loss of key defender Bul Kuol.
Star duo Cameron Oliver and Jaylen Adams started from the bench as the Kings rolled out a starting five featuring ex-Breaker Izayah Le’afa, Shaun Bruce, Xavier Cooks, Alex Toohey and Keli Leaupepe.
Adams and Oliver entered the fray almost four minutes into the Wellington clash, with the Kings already holding an eight-point lead, but it didn’t lessen their impact at all.
Point guard Adams led Kings scorers, while Oliver chimed in with 12 points and seven rebounds in a big night.
STUCK IN A RUT
The under-pressure Kings shuffled the line-up in an effort to find a spark, cover the loss of key defender Bul Kuol, and look after two sick stars.
Oliver and Adams started from the bench as the Kings rolled out a starting five featuring ex-Breaker Izayah Le’afa, Shaun Bruce, Xavier Cooks, Alex Toohey and Keli Leaupepe.
They entered the fray almost four minutes into the Wellington clash, with the Kings already holding an eight-point lead, but it didn’t lessen their impact at all.
Point guard Adams led Kings scorers, while Oliver chimed in with 12 points and seven rebounds in a big night which proved their quality, illness or not.
ALL-STAR CAST OF BASKETBALL LEGENDS WATCH BULLETS BOUNCE BACK
—Nick Tucker
NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin headlined an All-Star-cast of basketball legends on deck to witness the Brisbane Bullets take care of business 102-83 against the Adelaide 36ers on Friday night.
Gervin has joined the Bullets ownership group alongside the GameAbove Sports team who were also present for Brisbane’s comprehensive win where not once did they trail.
Gervin, known by many as the ‘Iceman’, travelled all the way from the United States to attend the Heritage Round clash at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Bullets’ first NBL championship victory in 1985 in emphatic fashion.
Bullets 1985 champions Cal Bruton, Leroy Loggins, Murray Shiels, Bill Ward, Robert Sibley, Mark Kitching, Mark McGowan, Peter Pendle, Fred Van Dongen and Neil Hamilton-Smith were all present to witness modern day magician Casey Prather (33 pts, 5rbs, 2stls) steer his side to their fifth win of the season.
Prather (14-17 shooting) was on a heater from the first whistle and was the difference that propelled Brisbane back into the winners circle after a humbling 28-point loss against Perth last Friday brought them back down to earth.
Adelaide were without Boomer DJ Vasiljevic (hamstring), Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell (both suspended) and put up a gallant fight. However the firepower of the Bullets, who drew inspiration from the club champions present, was too overpowering for the visitors who are on a three-game losing skid.
Adelaide’s last win came on November 10 when they beat the Hawks and despite being undermanned, they came within six points on a handful of occasions.
That man Prather, Tyrell Harrison (19 pts, 18 rbs) and silent assassin Mitch Norton (17 points, 5ast) had different ideas.
Gun 36ers centre Isaac Humphries (14 pts) was worn like a glove by Harrison, while the athletic Nick Marshall (13pts, 6rbs) gave his side plenty, flashing to the basket.
HOT START
The Bullets blitzed the 36ers early in the piece to lead 34-24 at the end of the first quarter.
A fast start in this league makes all the difference and Brisbane coach Justin Schueller would have loved the energy, hustle and defensive interference his team offered to open the game and lead 12-2 after less than three minutes.
The presence of big man Harrison (out sick in round 10) was felt immediately in his return when he scored the first six points for his team, as was the purple patch of form from the white-hot Prather.
After last week’s 31-point performance in a big loss to the JackJumpers, Prather poured in 17 first quarter points to get the Bullets’ 1985 champions on their feet early.
Prather continued to cook in the second quarter as the gritty 36ers rolled up their sleeves and rallied to get back into the contest.
He went into the main break with 22 points on 9-10 shooting from the field and was a man possessed.
BIG MEN DUEL
As the match to-and-froed, it was the seesawing dominance of each team’s big men that played a big part in who had the edge.
Big Harrison had his way early over rival centre Isaac Humphries, scoring six straight before barging through the chest of Humphries to score a tough bucket in the second frame as if to say ‘I am not playing around’.
That ignited the fire within 36ers spearhead Humphries who replied in style for his side, dragging them back to within an arm’s reach in the process.
After a slow start, Humphries made quick work of teen Bullet Rocco Zikarsky and then Harrison to head into the main break with eight points and a block. Importantly, he led Adelaide’s second quarter charge that shrunk Brisbane’s lead from 11 to just six entering the third.
Without Prather piling on the pain, the Bullets would have found themselves in an ugly position against a sharp shooting 36ers outfit (51 per cent on field goals) missing three key scorers (K. Davis, M. Harrell, DJ. Vasiljevic).
The Bullets were clinical in the second half to run away convincing 19-point victors with scheming captain Norton, productive centre Tohi Smith-Milner (11pts) and James Batemon (10pts) key.
JACKIES OVERCOME SLICK SNAKES AS UNITED THRASH BREAKERS
-Ryan Rosendale
Tasmania has withstood a spirited Cairns outfit, led by hometown boy Taran Armstrong, to keep its undefeated record at MyState Bank Arena this season intact and win their fourth straight NBL clash.
Armstrong (29 points, three rebounds and three assists) was terrific for the Taipans, leading the visitors charge for a career-high night, but it was an even spread from the defending champions that secured them a 99-90 win and handed Cairns its 10th straight defeat.
It was Tasmania’s best offensive showing of the season and their fifth straight win on home floor.
Olympian Will Magnay continued his stellar season, finishing with an 18-points and 13 rebounds double-double while Majok Deng finished with a season-best 17 points.
Sean Macdonald (14 points, six rebounds and two assists) continued to impress in his third game back from injury, along with Milton Doyle (21 points, three rebounds and eight assists)
Hampered by injury for the majority of the season, it was the first time since round 3 Taipans coach Adam Forde had his first-choice starting five available with Armstrong, Rob Edwards, Sam Waardenburg, Pedro Bradshaw and Tanner Groves all starting the clash.
And despite both teams entering the matchup as the two lowest ranked teams on offence this season, neither had trouble finding the hole throughout the first-term.
Tasmania did the damage early, going on a 12-4 scoring run before Cairns fought back to produce their own run of 26-19 after a time-out.
But the JackJumpers still led by one at the first break – 31-30.
A technical foul on Forde midway through the second term, after continued verbal barrages on a referee, was the biggest talking point of the second quarter with Cairns taking a two-point lead into the long break after holding Doyle scoreless in the second.
It was much of the same after the break, and after the JackJumpers threatened to run away with the game, a three to Armstrong late in the third cut the margin back to two at the final break.
The home side held a four-point lead with three minutes to play before consecutive threes to Anthony Drmic and Doyle extended it to a game high nine points.
Tasmania will now turn its attention to a clash against New Zealand in Auckland next Thursday while Cairns will look to recover on home court against South East Melbourne Phoenix this Saturday night.
UNITED HANDS BREAKERS HUMBLING AT HOME
Veteran centre Rob Loe has returned to New Zealand with a vengeance, dropping a 25-point bomb on his former club as Melbourne United routed the Breakers 97-70 in Christchurch.
What started as a tight first half between two of the league’s top three teams blew out after the main break, as Melbourne Utd held the Breakers to just seven points to open a big lead by the final break.
Tall Ferns representative Loe, who spent six of his nine season in the NBL at the Breakers led the charge for Melbourne United, hitting 10 of 16 shots from the field (62 per cent)
Jack White chimed in with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Boomers veteran Matthew Dellavedova (10pts, 7ast, 4 reb) was also kept busy, as Melbourne United ran out 27-point winners.
The Breakers simply couldn’t buy a bucket in a rough third quarter, as they missed six straight field goal attempts, and two free throws, and turned the ball over four times in a scoreless final four minutes of the period.
Breakers trio Sam Mennenga (17pts), Matt Mooney (17pts) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (14) offered some resistance, but poor second half shooting stymied any chance of a second win over the NBL heavyweights this season.
The Breakers will be out to bounce back when they host the fourth-placed Kings on Saturday, while Melbourne United will return to their home court to face Brisbane Bullets on Sunday.
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Originally published as NBL Round 11: Bryce Cotton condemns Adelaide 36ers to fourth-straight loss; Bullets stun United
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