36ers star Bryce Cotton reveals 'I was dealing with a lot'

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Visibly distressed Adelaide 36ers' five-time MVP Bryce Cotton has revealed this morning that he was "dealing with a lot" when he left the floor in the third quarter while the game was still going against the Illawarra Hawks last night.

Cotton spoke on SEN in South Australia this morning. He said: "I was dealing with a lot.

"I was able to channel my energy and focus on staying in the game and giving it all I got.

"Last thing I wanted to do, despite what I was going through is come out the game and we end up losing.

"That would have really bothered me."

He came back soon after and torched the Illawarra Hawks for 31 points in 36 minutes as the 36ers delivered another statement 97-85 win against the defending champions in Round 10 of NBL26 on Wednesday, November 20, 2025 in Adelaide.

Cotton, 33, left the floor during live play in third quarter after speaking to head coach Mike Wells, leaving his teammates to defend four-on-five.

"Oh, he just was a little nauseated," Wells, who downplayed it significantly, revealed post game.

"You know what I mean? He must have been really sick, guys. You know what I mean? Thirty-six minutes, zero turnovers, 13 assists and 31 points.

"So he was really feeling sick. It’s not a big issue, right? He just had a little upset stomach, whatever, not feeling great.

"I don’t know. I mean, he kept looking at me and I’m looking at him and he’s like, 'I’m good'. So he kept playing. Not a big deal. I don’t know if it’s like that, but if it happens in the finals and we win, okay.

"I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything physically, you know, that he didn’t get cracked or something.

"And you’re just sitting there going, as long as he’s… to be honest with you, if he’s just nauseated, it’s like, okay, we’ll take our shot and then we’ll just take a foul. It’s just not a big deal. Just not."

It was a performance reminiscent of Michael Jordan's famous "Flu Game" in the 1997 NBA Finals. Jordan was suffering "flu-like symptoms" and was visibly exhausted by still scored 38 points in the Game 5 classic.

While originally thought be the flu, Jordan and those around him later revealed he likely had food poisoning from a pizza the night before the game.

“Probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” Jordan said afterward. “I almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game.” Bulls coach Phil Jackson added: "This was a heroic effort, one to add to the collection of efforts that make up his legend."

Cotton finished with 31 points, 13 assists, three rebounds and two steals. He shot 11-from-22 from the field including a scorching 6-from-10 threes.

His connection with 36ers centre Isaac Humphries, who went up against three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee, is already elite. Humphries was a staggering +30 in 30 minutes, had 22 points on 11-from-16, pulled down nine boards and had a block and a steal.

McGee, 37, finished with 12 points on his worst shooting performance of the season, just 4-from-18 in 32 minutes. He had 10 boards, four blocks and steal.

"I’m very much enjoying it," Humphries said.

"I think anyone who can wake up every day and be really excited to go to work… you know, that’s awesome for anybody.

"So the fact that, you know, our work’s a little bit different and we have to do it in front of 10–15,000 people on the weekend, it makes that situation so much nicer when you’re with a group of guys that you really enjoy and with a coaching staff that, you know, has your back in situations.

"We’re all just really gelling and our environment’s awesome. I mean, you guys come and see us at practice — like, we get what we need to done, absolutely, but we really enjoy our time together.

"So I’m reaping the benefits of that, sure — like, you know, having great guys around me and I’m getting to play some good basketball with that.

"But honestly, I need to put the credit to my teammates. Like, it’s just… I’m a five-man, I don’t have the ball, I don’t bring the ball up.

"So when I am successful I’ve always thought that it’s because of my teammates and who’s around me, because that’s just my position.

"So, yeah, that’s what I put it down to. But it’s just been awesome."

The 36ers moved to 10-3 and rock solid in second right behind Melbourne United, who are 11-2 while the Hawks' season is on the brink. They are 4-8 in their title defence with a game in hand against sixth-placed Tasmania JackJumpers at 5-8.

Key Details

• Result: Adelaide 36ers 97 def. Illawarra Hawks 85
• When: Tuesday, 19th November 2025
• Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
• Attendance: 9,964
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers) starred with 31 points, three rebounds, 13 assists, and two steals in 36 minutes.
• Tyler Harvey (Illawarra Hawks) scored 21 points, two rebounds, one assist in 31 minutes.

What Happened

The 36ers established early control, taking a narrow 21-22 first-quarter deficit before exploding in the second period to lead 44-49 at halftime. Adelaide's offensive firepower proved decisive as they extended their advantage to 71-64 heading into the final quarter, before closing out with a 26-21 fourth-quarter performance to secure the 12-point victory.

Cotton's exceptional floor leadership was the catalyst for Adelaide's success. The veteran guard shot an efficient 11-from-22 from the field, including a stellar 6-from-10 from downtown, while orchestrating the offence with 13 dimes. His ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates while maintaining his own scoring threat proved too much for the Hawks to handle.

Isaac Humphries provided the perfect complement to Cotton's brilliance, dominating in the paint with 22 points on outstanding 11-from-16 shooting. The big man's presence around the basket, collecting nine boards and contributing defensively with one block, gave Adelaide the interior advantage they needed. Zylan Cheatham added valuable support with 12 points and eight rebounds in a well-rounded performance.

For Illawarra, Tyler Harvey battled valiantly with 21 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 5-from-12 from the field. Quentin Peterson provided solid scoring support with 19 points, connecting on an impressive 5-from-7 triples, but the Hawks couldn't generate enough offensive consistency. JaVale McGee's disappointing 4-from-18 shooting performance highlighted their struggles in the paint.

The statistical story tells of Adelaide's superior offensive execution. The 36ers shot a solid 44.6% from the field compared to Illawarra's poor 39.5%, while both teams managed decent three-point shooting at 48.1% and 32% respectively. Adelaide's superior ball movement was evident in their 25 assists to Illawarra's 17, showcasing the team-first basketball that secured this convincing home victory.