Cotton Leads Clinical 36ers Rout of Taipans

Adelaide’s new era under Bryce Cotton gathered even more momentum on Thursday night as the five-time MVP torched the Cairns Taipans with 28 points to steer the 36ers to a commanding 110–79 victory at the Cairns Convention Centre.

Cotton, fresh from his 39-point debut against Brisbane, wasted no time asserting himself again. He poured in 12 points in a blistering 156-second first-quarter burst, including the 6000th point of his storied NBL career, as the Sixers opened a 36–23 lead by quarter-time. From there, they never looked back.

The 36ers put on an offensive masterclass. They shot 49 per cent from the field, nailed 20 of 25 from the free-throw line, and dominated the boards with 15 offensive rebounds. Their 25 assists to just six turnovers highlighted their composure and ball movement, while their depth ensured constant pressure on a Taipans side that looked flat after a busy opening fortnight.

Cotton finished with 28 points, seven assists, and five steals on 11-of-18 shooting, again proving unguardable. But he wasn’t alone. Flynn Cameron backed up his strong start to the season with 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists, hitting four triples. DJ Vasiljevic dropped 19, including a buzzer-beating three to close the third quarter, while Isaac Humphries added 19 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.

There was also a promising debut for Nick Rakocevic, who joined the team in Cairns and delivered eight points and eight rebounds in just 16 minutes, five of them offensive boards. Import Zylan Cheatham sat out, but Adelaide’s production didn’t miss a beat as Vickerman’s men surged to their first 2-0 start since the 2008–09 season.

For Cairns, it was a step backwards after last weekend’s gritty wins over Brisbane and Sydney. Foul trouble limited Marcus Lee to 23 minutes, but he was effective when available with 18 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Admiral Schofield led the scoring with 19, Andrew Andrews added 10 points and seven assists, but Jack McVeigh looked weary after his heroics last week, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, and five assists, but also committing six turnovers.

The Taipans struggled badly on the glass, out-rebounded 25–14 in the first half alone, while their bench contributed nothing before half-time. By then, they trailed 58–38 and had little hope of recovery.

Adelaide only built on their advantage, with Cotton orchestrating and Humphries punishing Cairns inside. Vasiljevic’s long-range bomb to close the third stretched the margin to 25, and the Sixers cruised through the final period to complete a statement 31-point win.

For coach Scott Ninnis and Adelaide, the performance was as close to flawless as early-season basketball allows — clinical offence, suffocating defence, and a superstar guard who looks determined to drive the Sixers back into title contention.

Cairns remain at home to host the Perth Wildcats next Friday, while Adelaide return to the Entertainment Centre for three straight games starting next Thursday against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

Final score: Adelaide 36ers 110 defeated Cairns Taipans 79.