'Rivalry, what rivalry?' What Cotton said about Cole Anthony

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Stone-cold six-time MVP Bryce Cotton ($473,900) refused to get drawn into any notion of a rivalry with explosive Melbourne United's Cole Anthony ($300,000) after both guards put on playoff-level shows in Round 1 of NBL27 on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

"It was Adelaide 36ers versus United," Cotton said after the 36ers held off United 97-95 at John Cain Arena in the first game of the season.

"He had a good game. I had a good game as well, but both teams played amazing.

"One thing I'll never do is highlight any individual stuff, but he's a hell of a player, and he showed that tonight.

"Fortunately, we were just able to come out with two extra points than the other team."

Cotton, 34, had 29 points (9-for-19) in 37:03 minutes while Anthony, 26, announced his arrival with 30 points (10-for-21) in just 21:49 minutes off the bench.

Anthony, carrying a minor lower-leg injury, was on a minutes restriction, but it hardly showed, as his speed in transition, ball control, and finishing at the rim screamed NBA guard.

But it was Cotton's 36ers, under new head coach Trevor Gleeson, that went 1-0.

"It was just a great way to start the season," Cotton added.

"A great test, playing a team like United and to start the season on the road.

From that aspect, I would say it was great to win under those circumstances.

"But you still just treat it like another game."

Anthony, who has played more than 350 NBA games, including a stint alongside Joe Ingles ($300,000) in Orlando, showed his range (3-for-7 threes) and hit a couple of clutch shots from deep to keep it close. He only had limited possessions against Cotton, but it's a match-up that had Anthony excited.

"You can't ask for more than that," Anthony said.

"That's an elite match-up, game one, against a team that was this close to winning a championship last year.

"All credit to them. They were down bodies, and they played a heck of a game.

"Big shout-out to them. That's a good win. But I think we can be a lot better, so we'll clean that up."

United head coach Jacob Chance opted for size, Luke Travers ($292,900), against Cotton, but the new Australian took advantage with his quickness and elite shot-making ability to win that match-up.

What you need to know

• Adelaide opened the Trevor Gleeson era with a 97-95 road win over Melbourne United at John Cain Arena.
• The 36ers led at every break, 25-23, 49-48 and 75-70, and held on when United took the final quarter 25-22.
• The game turned at the three-point line. Adelaide made 13 of 30 from deep, United seven of 23, a difference of 18 points in a game decided by two.
• United shot better from the field, 50.7 percent to Adelaide's 48.5, and turned the ball over nine times to Adelaide's 13, yet still lost.
• Adelaide won the rebound count 33 to 24.
• Both head coaches picked up technical fouls.

Adelaide 36ers

• Flynn Cameron ($241,700) left the game with an ankle injury.
• Cotton finished with 29 points and seven assists in 37 minutes, shooting 9/19 from the field, 4/9 from three and 7/7 from the free-throw line.
• Zylan Cheatham ($339,500) added 18 points and seven rebounds on 6/9 shooting.
• Nick Rakocevic ($188,400) had 14 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes before fouling out.
• Matt Kenyon ($69,000) was plus 15 across 20 minutes off the bench, the best mark of any player on the floor.
• Adelaide won without John Jenkins ($152,100) and Isaac Humphries ($265,300).

Melbourne United

• Sam Waardenburg ($277,500) left the game with a lower left leg injury after playing 25:26 minutes. He didn't return.
• Anthony led all scorers with 30 points in 21 minutes off the bench, shooting 10/21 from the field and 7/9 from the line. United were outscored by two points while he was on the floor.
• Ingles had 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists in 25 minutes, making both his three-point attempts and committing a single foul – except a technical for trash talking after a tough made bucket in the paint.
• Travers finished with 11 points, five rebounds and six assists.
• Josh Oduro ($277,000) fouled out with 14 points from 5/6 shooting in under 20 minutes, the most efficient scoring night of any United player.
• Chris Goulding ($188,900) was held to seven points on 2/9 shooting, 1/6 from three.

"Just our heart," Gleeson said of Adelaide's ability to gut it out on the road.

"It really was. You know, down a couple of guys and obviously Flynn rolling his ankle, so it kind of put us on the back foot.

"But the guys just played. The bench guys were magnificent. They had a good Blitz period, our bench guys, with Whitey (Isaac White ($98,100)), Jacob Rigoni ($69,000), Keanu Rasmussen ($69,000), and even Deonte Williams ($58,500) and Ben Griscti ($69,000).

"I thought those guys really stepped up when we needed it."

The first play of NBL27 was a perfectly executed back screen by Cotton for Cheatham to catch a lob from Flynn Cameron ($241,700).

"He plays above the rim," Gleeson said.

"You know, he's athletic, he's dynamic. But more than that, it's just his energy he brings to the group, his personality, his charisma. You know, there's a lot of BS in there, but it's fun. It brings us together.

"When you're in a high-pressure environment, you need a good guy in the locker room, and Zylan backs it up on the court.

"He gets out there, and he's not shy of making a mistake and going for it. He plays with passion. I love it."

Once Anthony comes off minutes restrictions, and with Ingles' ultra-elite ability to see the floor, he had seven assists to go with 12 points in 25:44 minutes, Chance's rebuilt squad has plenty of upside.

"We played a really good team, and this league's hard to win in," Chance said.

"We just felt like we've got a lot of work to do offensively. We still scored 95 points. This team's so talented, we'll find ways to score the ball.

"But I spoke to them on day one when I got here: we'll go as far as our defense takes us.

"We did a good job, 34 points in the paint is a good number for us, but I felt like there were 10 or 12 that we could have done a better job on.

"If we do that, that's how small the margin for error is in this league, it would have given us a much better chance to win."

Cotton plays his 300th game against Perth in Perth while United square off against South East Melbourne Phoenix in the first Throwdown of NBL27 on Thursday, September 24 in Round 2.