NBL “freak” Bryce Cotton has just dropped a remarkable 53 points to lead the Adelaide 36ers to a thrilling win over Cairns Taipans on Saturday night.
In the 91-86 win, it was the Cotton show in Cairns as he claimed the second-best 40-minute era haul – following on from the 59 points he dropped last season while playing for Perth.
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“I was so tired but I wanted to win,” Cotton said after posting the highest score at the venue.
The performance was so impressive, NBL commentators were left in awe given Cotton’s best performances have all come in the past 12 months.
“Bryce Cotton has singlehandedly lifted Adelaide with a truly extraordinary performance,” Joel Peterson said.
“He is a one-man band in the best way possible and that is why you go out in the off-season and you pay that man any dollar figure in the world that he wants.
“He’s a freak.
RECORD BREAKING 40 mins for Cotton | 01:30
“He’s the most absolute game changer in the most literal way. What a player he is!”
Derek Rucker believes the five-time league MVP Cotton could already have the MVP title sewn up by Round 5.
“This guy, not only has he achieved almost more than any other player in NBL history, he’s come back better,” he praised.
“He continues to dazzle us with performances like this.
“Let’s be real – he has won them the last two games virtually on his own. Not to disparage the rest of the guys, but his performances have been outstanding.
“I don’t mean to put a jinx on anybody… but we can go ahead and chalk up number six (MVP titles).”
“You run out of words to describe it,” Pete Hooley added.
“He is just a special, special human being.”
Whenever a basketball player’s name is mentioned alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, they’ve done something truly special.
And you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who would object to Cotton’s name entering that discussion, after Mike Wells heaped praise on his superstar point guard after Saturday’s win.
“What this guy’s done for his career is pure greatness, we’re so fortunate that he decided to stay in this league,” Wells said.
“And we’re really fortunate he’s in Adelaide, to see everything he’s accomplished, I’m in absolute awe.”
Cotton’s 53 is now the highest score ever by a 36er, surpassing the 48 scored by Darryl Pearce (in a 48-minute game) way back in 1988.
“He’s the best player in this league, It’s not even close. If he’s in the league, he’s the MVP every year,” Wells said.
“I was fortunate to work with Hakeem (Olajuwon), Charles Barkley’s first game in Houston with us he had 33 rebounds.
“I watched Kobe put 60 on us in his last game before retiring when I was in Utah.
“It’s harder to get open in this league than in the NBA because there’s no defensive three seconds.
“The lane has always got bodies in it. It’s a true credit for anybody to come even close to 50 in a FIBA International type game.
“So I just hope that everybody can really, really appreciate what this guy does.”
Cotton’s clinic was made more remarkable by the fact his 53-point effort came just two days after his former team Perth cut his replacement, US import Mason Jones.
The Wildcats had claimed they let Cotton go in a controversial call to secure the rest of their roster.
But their replacement guard in Jones lasted just five games before the decision was made to cut ties.
In Saturday’s thrilling contest, the Taipans fought to the end without their own injured superstar in Jack McVeigh.
But Cotton once again demonstrated himself a class above, scoring in basically every way imaginable – and finished with 16 free throws at 100%.
Cairns were never out of the hunt, but it also never quite felt like they had enough juice to close the barrier to less than two possessions.
Every time the margin was cut close, the 36ers went to Cotton for a bucket, and more often than not he delivered.
Flynn Cameron was the 36ers next best offensively, nailing several timely threes to keep the Taipans at bay and shift the momentum.
But ultimately it was Cotton who defined this matchup, essentially single-handedly overcoming the home side to secure victory.
Ref woes for Snakes
Tensions boiled over at the Snakepit, with Andrew Andrews ejected late into the contest after a protesting having tried to draw a foul on a three point shot with his side three points in arrears.
It was a brutal moment, as the Taipans lost both their best scorer on the night and handed their opposition a two-possession lead via the technical free throw which followed.
It came after coach Adam Forde was whacked with a technical foul earlier in the piece as a result of his own protests
Snakes shooting funk continues
The Taipans’ much-discussed struggles with their shot seemed to have bled into their free throws, with the team shooting just 1/5 from the stripe in the first term.
That was compounded with some bad misses from beyond the arc, with a pair of Galloway’s shots overshooting the rim entirely.
Admiral Schofield’s struggles from long range have drawn plenty of criticism, with the American import admitting he’s heard the noise from fans and the media.
After those struggles continued early, the veteran swingman nailed a pair of big triples to trim the lead back to single digits.
But outside of Schofields production, the Taipans were once again poor from beyond the arc.
-With Newswire
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