Cotton goes for 39 in first up 36ers win

The Adelaide 36ers put a dramatic week behind them with Bryce Cotton putting up 39 points in his first game at his new club as they took care of business to beat the undermanned Brisbane Bullets 87-80.

The five-time league MVP more than lived up to the hype, having the sold-out Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd in raptures on Sunday as the Sixers claimed their first season-opening win in 10 years.

Cotton, who signed a three-year deal with Adelaide in May after almost a decade starring at Perth, hit 14/23 from the field, 6/9 from three-point territory and dished out six assists.

Cotton's haul was the highest-ever by a 36ers debutant but the rest of his team only scored 48 points on 17/36 shooting with Zylan Cheatham (eight points, 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals) the only import.

That's following Cotton receiving his citizenship and after the departure of Montrezl Harrell and with Nick Rakocevic not yet available.

The Sixers struggled to shake off a brave Bullets team who were without injured trio Sam McDaniel, Mitch Norton and Javon Freeman-Liberty – with McDaniel and Norton the best two options to guard Cotton.

Isaac Humphries did finish with 13 points and six rebounds for Adelaide with Isaac White adding 10 points but it was a tough night for co-captain DJ Vasiljevic with five points on 2/9 shooting.

It was a valiant effort from the Bullets who lost a tight one in Cairns on Friday with Casey Prather finishing with another 20 points, six assists and four rebounds.

Tyrell Harrison continued his standout start to the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds with Alex Ducas stepping up for 16 points, and Jaylen Adams 14 points and three assists.

Cotton was quick out of the blocks, scoring 15 of his first-quarter points inside a four-minute burst to give the 36ers a 27-23 quarter-time cushion.

Adelaide's advantage grew to nine points before Prather led a second-quarter revival for the Bullets.

After Brisbane pinched the lead briefly, the Sixers edged in front 48-47 at half-time on Flynn Cameron's reverse layup.

Cotton added 15 points in the third term as Adelaide assumed control once again, before he and Vasiljevic opened the fourth period with back-to-back triples, the margin ballooning to 16 points.

Vasiljevic's bomb was the only score by any 36er besides Cotton in the final term as Brisbane defended well and eroded the deficit.

The Sixers will now play their first road game of NBL26 taking on the Cairns Taipans on Thursday who are fresh off two wins this weekend while the Bullets will play at home for the first time this season hosting the Tasmania JackJumpers on Saturday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

ADELAIDE 36ERS 87 (Cotton 39, Humphries 13, White 10)

BRISBANE BULLETS 80 (Prather 20, Harrison 17, Ducas 16)

BOX SCORE