Big-time Bryce breaks Kiwi hearts in New Zealand

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Another vintage Bryce Cotton ($473,900) performance has helped the Adelaide 36ers escape New Zealand with a 108-101 win after the six-time MVP scored 13 final quarter points to stave off a Breakers fightback at Spark Arena in Auckland.

The 36ers were dominant in the first half and went into the major break with a 12-point lead but costly turnovers, some defensive lapses and more red-hot form from big man Sam Mennenga ($303,100) allowed the Breakers to climb back into the game in front of their home fans.

But back-to-back threes from Cotton in the fourth quarter, along with 21 points from John Jenkins III ($152,100), and another clutch triple from young gun Keanu Rasmussen ($69,000) closed the deal for Adelaide who have won three of their past four road games, including victories over Tasmania and Sydney.

"It was really good for us to come out aggressive in that first quarter. I thought that could really put the tempo of the game out there, had a little bit of runs in the third quarter, the Breakers were going to fight back without a question," 36ers head coach Trevor Gleeson said in his post-game press conference.

"They got a little bit hot and we struggled a little bit offensively getting into some rhythm but then we found it again in the fourth, especially the last five minutes.

"I think it was tied up, last couple of minutes and then we got some great quality looks, Bryce was open, Keanu was open, and then we sealed it on the foul line."

Gleeson praised the efforts of Rasmussen, who has stepped up in the absence of Flynn Cameron ($241,700).

"I didn't know him from a bar of soap when I first got here," he said.

"He worked hard in preseason and just Flynn getting injured in the third quarter of the first game opened an opportunity and he really grabbed it with both hands.

"He's picking up some of the best players in the league and then making big shots down the end. So, he's got great confidence, the guys have got a lot of confidence in him, he's doing a great job for us."

A key factor in Adelaide's win was the defensive job they did on Breakers star point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200), keeping him to just nine points off 4-from-11 shooting.

"I think (Matt Kenyon's) one of the best defenders in the league, so it gives a little bit of height on him and I thought the big guys did a great job too in not letting him come downhill and using his speed because he's lethal when he does that," Gleeson said.

"We've been doing a good job and then we let up some easy points and we just got to keep working in that to make sure we're a championship defending team."

Cotton finished with 31 points for Adelaide while Nick Rakocevic ($188,400) had 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and fellow big man Zylan Cheatham ($339,500) had 17 points himself.

Mennenga led the way for the Breakers with 28 points and was supported by Carlin Davison ($121,600) with 16 points, 11 assists and five rebounds but that didn't please coach Gordon Herbert, who called the performance "pathetic" from his team.

"I was really disappointed with our effort. The first half, it was pathetic. It's probably the most pathetic 20 minutes we've played this season. No fight, no will, no energy, no togetherness. Absolutely pathetic," he said in the post-game press conference.

"Couldn't play some guys the second half because of it. Never had a team come out like that in the first 20 minutes and play like that basketball. It's one thing to miss shots, but not to give effort, not to compete, lose every battle.

"It was ridiculous."

The game wasn't without controversy with Gleeson given another technical foul, which he said he was "bamboozled" by.

"I'm bamboozled number one and I got the technical foul for using my arms. Not anything, I didn't swear, I didn't go mad at the official or be disrespectful. Using my arms.

"If you're going to take the passion away from the game, I'm going to get a technical foul every week. That's just ridiculous, and then you got coaches, assistant coaches walking on the court and there's no technical foul. But I put my hands up and I get a technical foul."

Watch

NBL27

Tasmania JackJumpers vs Sydney Kings | Round 7 Highlights

Watch the highlights as the Tasmania JackJumpers take on the Sydney Kings in Round 7 of NBL27 on October 30, 2026.

What you need to know

• The Adelaide 36ers beat the NZ Breakers 108-101 at Spark Arena in Auckland in Round 7 of NBL27, moving to 5-5. The Breakers are 4-6 after their third straight loss and their first at home this season.
• Adelaide won the first two quarters, 28-24 and 28-20, to lead 56-44 at half-time and by 14 early in the third. New Zealand won the third 28-18 to get within 74-72, and Adelaide won the fourth 34-29.
• Bryce Cotton ($473,900) top-scored with 31 points on 10-from-18, including 4-from-10 from three and 7-from-7 at the line, and Sam Mennenga ($303,100) led New Zealand with 28 on 11-from-20, including 6-from-9 from three.
• The game was tied 91-91 with 4:29 left when Cotton hit threes at 3:47 and 3:21 to make it 97-91. New Zealand got back within three, at 101-98 with 1:16 left, but never drew level again. Adelaide shot 6-from-9 from three in the fourth.
• New Zealand made more field goals, 40 to 37, but Adelaide made 12 threes to 10 and went 22-from-25 at the line to 11-from-14, an 11-point gap at the line in a seven-point game.

Milestones

• Bryce Cotton moved to 1,493 career NBL assists, seven short of 1,500. That counts last season's Ignite Cup Final; without it he is 16 short.
• Cotton scored 30 or more for the fifth time in his 10 NBL27 games and moved to 7,308 career NBL points, also counting the Ignite Cup Final (7,274 without it).
• Adelaide's 108 points are their most in an NBL27 game. Their previous best was 97.
• Charles Bediako ($277,000) had five blocks and 16 points, both his NBL27 highs. Only Malique Lewis, with seven against Adelaide on September 27, has had more blocks in an NBL27 game.
• John Jenkins III scored 21, his NBL27 high, one more than his 20 against Sydney on October 11.
• Carlin Davison had 11 assists, his fourth game with 11 or more in NBL27.
• Sam Mennenga made six threes, his NBL27 high, one more than his five against Perth on October 10.
• Mojave King ($189,100) reached 800 career NBL points with his five. Sam Mennenga played his 94th NBL game, six short of 100 (seven short without the Ignite Cup Final).
• Isaac White ($98,100) moved to 950 career NBL points, 50 short of 1,000. Corey Webster ($97,000) played his 291st NBL game, nine short of 300, and Kouat Noi ($185,100) his 193rd, seven short of 200.

Adelaide 36ers

• Bryce Cotton ($473,900) top-scored with 31 points and six assists on 10-from-18, including 4-from-10 from three and 7-from-7 at the line, with 13 in the fourth quarter.
• John Jenkins III ($152,100) added 21 off the bench on 6-from-13, including 4-from-10 from three and 5-from-5 at the line.
• Nick Rakocevic ($188,400) had 17 points, 11 rebounds (six offensive) and five assists on 8-from-15, with no turnovers.
• Zylan Cheatham ($339,500) had 17 points and seven rebounds on 5-from-9, going 6-from-8 at the line, and fouled out with 2:12 left.
• Keanu Rasmussen ($69,000) scored nine on 3-from-4, and his only three, with 53 seconds left, made it 104-98.
• Matt Kenyon ($69,000) had three points and two rebounds off the bench in 21 minutes, with no turnovers.
• Isaac White ($98,100) scored five on 2-from-2 in four minutes off the bench.
• Adelaide shot 37-from-66 from the field, 12-from-27 from three and 22-from-25 at the line, with 35 rebounds, 20 assists and 11 turnovers.

NZ Breakers

• Sam Mennenga ($303,100) top-scored with 28 points on 11-from-20, including 6-from-9 from three, and had five rebounds.
• Carlin Davison ($121,600) had 16 points, a game-high 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals off the bench on 8-from-11.
• Charles Bediako ($277,000) had 16 points, five blocks and five rebounds on 4-from-6, going 8-from-10 at the line.
• Dejan Vasiljevic ($144,000) scored 15 on 6-from-14, going 0-from-5 from three.
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200) had nine points, six assists and five rebounds on 4-from-11, including 1-from-5 from three, and fouled out with 22 seconds left.
• Nelson Weidemann ($277,000) scored seven off the bench on 3-from-7.
• Mojave King ($189,100) had five points on 2-from-3 in 14 minutes.
• New Zealand shot 40-from-76 from the field, 10-from-29 from three and 11-from-14 at the line, with 30 rebounds, 26 assists and eight turnovers.