'Best is yet to come' as 36ers humble Bullets

• Adelaide dismantle Brisbane 90-65 in NBL26 Round 11 statement win.
• Mike Wells says 36ers are only getting better after strong training block.
• Cheatham, Cotton star as Adelaide surge to 12-3 ahead of Perth clash.
• Brisbane shoot poorly, going 7-from-35 from deep in tough road loss.

Mike Wells thinks his Adelaide 36ers can only get better — and that should send alarm bells ringing around the NBL after they dismantled the Brisbane Bullets 90-65 in Round 11 of NBL26 on Friday, December 5, 2025 in Adelaide.

It wasn't close as the 36ers moved to 12-3 ahead of superstar Bryce Cotton's return to Perth on Sunday.

"We had a really good week of practice. I think that that's what you saw," Well said.

"The guys were exceptional this week. I thought we had five or six really good practices where everybody was invested in trying to do all the right things.

"We have the right culture, we have the right guys, and it was all about trying to get better this week.

"That's the result of us finally having a few week-or-so practices after playing two a week for maybe three or four weeks.

Cotton and Zylan Cheatham both had 20 points. Cotton's came on 6-from-10 and Cheatham, arguably playing the best basketball in the league right now, shot 6-from-7 from the field.

Cheatham's chemistry with former NBA star Isaac Humphries and American-Serbian Nick Rakocevic is outstanding.

"We have the three best bigs in the league," Wells declared.

"Very different, very talented, bring different assets. They're unbelievable human beings.

"They defend, rebound, roll, help guys get open. Everybody’s role is different.

"Ice pressures the rim. Z does so many things on both ends. Nick is really skilled.

"They’re unique — you have to change your defense when they come into the game. They give us versatility."

Import Troy Brown Jnr, who has replaced captain DJ Vasiljevic in the starting line-up, drew praise from Cheatham.

I've been consistent in my message about Troy — he's a professional," Cheatham said.

"He's been doing this a long time and he’s done it at the highest level. I expect nothing less of him.

"Today he made some good reads. He's getting more comfortable playing ball screens and making different reads, getting in the paint, getting some paint breaks and kick-outs.

"Defensively, having him on the floor with his size — I'm able to switch a lot more. It gives us another dynamic.

"Shout out Troy, man. He's bought in. It's beautiful to watch."

The Bullets we just 7-from-35 from deep and shot 33% from the field overall on 26-from-79.

"A tough one," Bullets head coach Stu Lash lamented.

"I thought we did some good things and just… it's a shot-making game and we just did not make shots through those first three quarters.

"We were 2-for-21 from three at half, and I thought we had good ball movement, I thought we had good looks, thought we were competing.

"We just… we just literally could not make shots inside, right around the basket, from three, all around.

"We'll have to go back and watch the film. Couple things defensively certainly need to tie up, but you know, really just came down to where we were at from the field goal percentage standpoint. It was a rough shooting night.

Brisbane welcomed back Sam McDaniel after morning that two months on the sidelines.

"We all know what Smack's capable of, certainly on the defensive end of the floor," Lash said.

"First game since the second game of the season, you know, he goes 2-for-10 from the field and, he'll tell you he needs to be better in that

"But I thought his defensive compete, like on Bryce, you know, was there and his effort's there and, you know, I can see three or four of those shots that he took that bounce in and out – good looks, shots he works on every day.

"He hasn't played a game in a while. It's there's just… there's just a touch and a feel, you know, to that, that I think he's got to get that rhythm back a little bit."

Javon Freeman-Liberty is back at the Bullets but he didn't play because of illness while new import Terry Taylor made his NBL debut. Taylor scored three points on  1-from-8 in 26 minutes but he did grab seven boards, had two assists, two steals and a block.

"(He) hasn't played 5-on-5 basketball for a little while and the rust is there and just adjusting to the league," Lash revealed.

"We're going up against a team, who's really talented and strong and physical, and I don't think they've had a player miss a game yet this year.

"So they're really in a groove and they had a good, you know, probably FIBA break practice with only one guy being away.

"So just a lot of continuity like in that group and Terry just adjusting to playing in a crowd, how physical the league is, understanding the whistle, finding his spots with who we are and how we can get him the ball, like in the right spots to be effective."

Key Details

• Result: Adelaide 36ers 90 def. Brisbane Bullets 65
• When: Thursday, 5th December 2025
• Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
• Attendance: 9,835
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Zylan Cheatham (Adelaide 36ers) dominated with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 25 minutes.
• Dakota Mathias (Brisbane Bullets) scored 14 points, and had three rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes.

What Happened

The 36ers established early control with a balanced first quarter, leading 23-20, before exploding in the second period to extend their advantage to 50-33 at halftime. Adelaide's 27-13 second-quarter dominance set the tone for what would become a comprehensive victory, as they maintained their relentless pace with another 27-12 third quarter to effectively put the contest beyond doubt.

Brisbane's struggles were evident throughout the middle periods, managing just 25 points across the second and third quarters combined. The Bullets showed some fight in the final period, outscoring Adelaide 20-13, but by then the damage was done with the 36ers holding a commanding 77-45 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Zylan Cheatham was outstanding for Adelaide, shooting an exceptional 6-from-7 from the field including 1-from-2 from downtown. His efficient performance, combined with perfect 7-from-8 free-throw shooting, anchored the 36ers' offensive attack. Bryce Cotton complemented Cheatham beautifully, contributing 20 points of his own while dishing out six assists and maintaining impressive accuracy from the charity stripe with a perfect 7-from-7 performance.

Isaac Humphries provided solid interior presence with 16 points on efficient 8-from-12 shooting, while also contributing five rebounds and two blocks. The 36ers' depth was evident with Isaac White adding 10 points off the bench, shooting an impressive 3-from-4 from the field.

Adelaide's superior shooting accuracy proved decisive, converting 48.44% of their field goal attempts compared to Brisbane's dismal 32.91%. The 36ers were particularly dominant from the free-throw line, attempting 28 shots to Brisbane's nine and converting at an outstanding 82.14% clip. Brisbane's three-point shooting woes were glaring, managing just seven makes from 35 attempts for a poor 20% conversion rate.

The 36ers controlled the boards effectively, securing 43 rebounds to Brisbane's 46, while forcing 12 turnovers compared to their own nine. Adelaide's defensive intensity was evident through four blocks and four steals, limiting Brisbane's offensive flow throughout the contest.

For Brisbane, Alex Ducas and Tristan Devers each contributed 12 points, with Devers shooting efficiently at 4-from-6 including 2-from-3 from deep. However, their efforts couldn't overcome the team's overall shooting struggles and lack of offensive rhythm against Adelaide's suffocating defence.