Wells in awe of record-breaking Cotton performance

Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Mike Wells says he is in awe of Bryce Cotton after the superstar’s incredible record-breaking performance in his side’s win over Cairns on Saturday evening.

Cotton was unstoppable in a 53-point performance that also included two rebounds, five assists and a steal as the Sixers went 5-1 for the season with an 86-91 win at the Cairns Convention Centre.

His 53 points was the second most in the NBL’s 40-minute era, falling just short of his own 59-point record, and it included 22 in a tense final period.

It was the highest score ever by a 36er, surpassing the late Darryl Pearce’s 48 points scored in a 48-minute game in February 1988.

Speaking after the game, Wells said he felt fortunate to witness Cotton’s showing.

“I'm in absolute awe,” Wells said.

“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. He just is.

“I've been very fortunate to see Olajuwon do some things, Charles Barkley's first game with us in Houston (when) he had 33 rebounds. That was crazy. (I saw) Kobe's last game when he was with the Lakers, he put 60 on us with the Jazz… but it's harder to get open in this league than in the NBA because there's no defensive three seconds and things like that (and) 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.

“I love sitting there. I knew he was gassed, but we were going to keep riding it, and we were going to win and lose it by getting him the ball and spacing accordingly.

“But God, we're just so fortunate to witness that.”

Chasing a fourth straight victory over the Taipans and a second in Cairns in just 16 days, the Sixers needed Cotton’s scoring with Flynn Cameron the only other player to reach double figures for points.

The Taipans were missing their star recruit Jack McVeigh who sat out with a wrist injury. McVeigh was kept to just nine points when the sides met earlier this month, well below his 14.5-point average, but his absence was felt early by the home team.

The Sixers grabbed the first four points of the game before the Taipans returned serve with back-to-back threes.

The visitors flew out of a timeout and with Cotton hitting consecutive shots from beyond the arc and racing out to 11 first period points, they held a narrow advantage at the first break.

The Taipans had the first five points of the second period but then the Sixers outscored them 25 – 14 after that.

Import Nick Rakocevic started to assert himself on the contest, linking nicely with Cotton to pick up six points for the quarter with the Sixers holding an eight-point lead at half time.

The Taipans looked to Andrew Andrews to provide a spark in the third quarter while Cotton had 30 points before any of his teammates reached double figures.

Cameron hit a clutch three to tick over that mark, and with one period remaining the Sixers’ lead was seven points.

Still the Taipans would not go away, even with Cotton passing 40 points for the first time in 36ers colours.

The home side came with a late rush, closing to within a single point with a minute remaining, but the five-time MVP soon ticket past 50 for just the second time in his career, finishing with 22 points for the quarter to help stifle any thoughts in the boisterous Cairns crowd of a come-from-behind Taipans win.

Wells gave credit to his rival coach Adam Forde and his charges for their never-say-die attitude.

The Sixers are now 5-1 ahead of another road trip to face ladder-leaders Melbourne United next Sunday.

Wells was proud of the group, knowing it continues to grow together.

“We had a really good week of prep,” he explained.

“I felt like we got better - and this being on the back end of flying all day yesterday, you know, you're just a little fatigued, (so) you’ve got to do whatever you can do to get a win.

“At this point in the year for us to be five and one, you know, to me, it's just a huge accomplishment for a new group.

“I say this every press conference; we've won different ways already, which is really, really important.”