Bryce Cotton Dominates as Adelaide 36ers Topple Wildcats Again
Bryce Cotton was once again the star of the show, torching his former team, the Perth Wildcats, as the Adelaide 36ers claimed a 95-84 home victory in front of a raucous crowd of 10,041 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. The game started with the Wildcats coming out firing, determined to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Adelaide in Cotton’s return to Perth earlier this month, where they had let an 18-point lead slip late. With the returns of Jaron Rillie, Jesse Wagstaff, and Ben Henshall, Perth looked ready to make a statement.
The Wildcats opened the game strong, building a 14-point lead midway through the first quarter and showing flashes of the dominant side fans had hoped to see. However, their momentum was interrupted when import guard David Duke Jr suffered a nasty elbow injury, which forced Perth to adjust on the fly. Despite the early firepower, the Adelaide 36ers gradually found their rhythm, and it was Bryce Cotton who led the charge.
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Cotton, a five-time league MVP, was unstoppable. He scored 36 points, hitting six of twelve from beyond the arc, and added seven assists, controlling the pace of the game and breaking down the Wildcats’ defense with ease. By halftime, Adelaide had cut a nine-point deficit to trail 49-46, and the momentum had clearly shifted. The 36ers then turned on the heat in the third quarter, outscoring Perth 29-12, with Cotton contributing ten points in that stretch alone, allowing Adelaide to surge ahead 75-58 by the end of the period.
Supporting Cotton were DJ Vasiljevic and Flynn Cameron, each contributing 17 points, with Cameron also hauling in six rebounds and five assists. The 36ers’ collective effort ensured that their lead extended to 23 points before the final whistle, securing their 11th win out of the past 12 games and keeping them firmly atop the league ladder at 17-4.
Perth, now 11-10, struggled to contain Cotton despite strong performances from Kristian Doolittle, who led the Wildcats with 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists, and contributions from Elijah Pepper, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, and Dylan Windler. But it wasn’t enough to stem the tide against a red-hot Adelaide side.
The win capped off Adelaide’s final game of 2025, and the team will now prepare to host the Sydney Kings in the new year. Meanwhile, the Wildcats remain on the road, heading to Brisbane for their next outing on New Year’s Day. Once again, Bryce Cotton proved why he’s one of the league’s most feared scorers, and Adelaide fans left the arena buzzing after another memorable victory over their old rivals.
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