Match wrap: Cotton-less Sixers go down fighting in Perth

The Adelaide 36ers kept things interesting even without Bryce Cotton but the Perth Wildcats ended up doing what they needed to close the NBL regular season with the 86-74 home win.

It was the very last game of the regular season in front of a crowd of 13,574 at RAC Arena. With the Sixers unable to move from second position, five-time MVP Cotton didn’t suit up on his former home floor.

The Wildcats did need to win to lock away fourth position and avoid a knockout Play-In Qualifier to open the finals in two weeks' time against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

It then proved quite the rollercoaster ride with the Sixers scoring the game's first nine points before Wildcats coach John Rillie inserted games record holding captain Jesse Wagstaff.

He delivered 18 points and seven rebounds including his team's first four points once he came on.

Then with Elijah Pepper hitting five threes and 17 points in the first half, the 'Cats were in control 48-34 by half-time.

That lead got out to 19 in the third quarter too but then the Sixers put an almighty scare into the home team with a 12-2 run to close the term.

Adelaide got within four in the last quarter, but with Wagstaff inspirational in his 536th appearance, Perth did enough to hold on and win.

That means they finish in fourth place at 21-12 and will play the South East Melbourne Phoenix in a Seeding Qualifier with a chance to move straight into the Playoffs.

Pepper ended up top-scoring for the Wildcats with 22 points with 6/10 three-point shooting with Jo Lual-Acuil Jr providing 21 points and six rebounds with 13 of his points in the last quarter.

David Duke Jr also had a good showing in his third game back from an elbow injury with 13 points and three assists in 24 minutes.

They won with quiet nights too from Kristian Doolittle (five points, eight assists), Dylan Windler (zero points, six rebounds) and Ben Henshall (zero points, six boards).

Adelaide are already into the Playoffs and finish second at 23-10 and more immediately will play in the Ignite Cup final on the Gold Coast on Sunday against the New Zealand Breakers.

Big man Nick Rakocevic provided 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks with Zylan Cheatham contributing 11 points and 11 boards, Flynn Cameron 10 points and seven assists, and Isaac White 10 points and six assists.

Even without Bryce Cotton, the Sixers shot out of the blocks quickly with the game's opening nine points leading to a quick John Rillie timeout in less than two minutes.

It got the response he was after and it was all sparked by putting 536-game captain Jesse Wagstaff into the line-up. He scored Perth's first four points before Elijah Pepper landed a three and by quarter-time it was the Wildcats having assumed the 19-17 advantage.

It was the Wildcats that caught fire to start the second term as they came out to hit the first eight points to lead by double-figures. Pepper then landed his fourth triple already of the half to push that out to an 11-point lead.

It got out to 13 when Wagstaff hit from deep too and then Pepper made a fifth of the half with the 'Cats going into the break on top 48-34 with Pepper having 17 points to his name.

Pepper's sixth three helped push Perth's lead out to 19 as well early in the third quarter, but just when the home team looked comfortable Adelaide dug deep for a big finish to the term.

The 36ers closed it out with a 12-2 run to be only nine down by three quarter-time and then it was back to just four on a breakaway layup from Keanu Rasmussen two minutes into the final stanza.

Things got real interesting in the fourth quarter when Adelaide got back within four following a triple from Nick Rakocevic and layup to Keanu Rasmussen, but the Wildcats held them largely on the back of 13 fourth quarter points from Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – ROUND 22

PERTH WILDCATS 86 (Pepper 22, Lual-Acuil Jr 21, Wagstaff 18)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 74 (Rakocevic 18, Cheatham 11, White 10, Cameron 10)

BOX SCORE