Cotton, Usher lift Wildcats to bounce back win

Bryce Cotton and Jordan Usher found some much needed form for the Perth Wildcats and the under-pressure home team responded to coughing up a 20-point lead to end up beating the Adelaide 36ers 99-88.

All the pressure was on the Wildcats for the battle with their old foes at RAC Arena after four consecutive losses.

Under fire coach John Rillie mixed up his starting group bringing in hustle machine Hyrum Harris for opening night import hero Jordan Usher.

It didn’t immediately work with Adelaide opening an 11-point edge midway through the second quarter after triples from Next Star Trentyn Flowers and recent signing DJ Vasiljevic.

The 'Cats responded finishing the half with a 23-6 run including a pair of three balls from Cotton with the three-time MVP finding some momentum.

The Wildcats led 50-44 at the half and then Cotton hit three triples to open the second half with Perth's lead out to 20.

That didn’t last. Adelaide closed the third quarter with a 17-2 run to get back within five.

That momentum continued with the opening nine points of the final period including back-to-back threes from backup forward Tohi Smith-Milner (11 points).

All the pressure was back on the home team. They had to dig deep and to their credit, they did and it was Cotton and Usher again important along with Next Star Alex Sarr (10 points, six rebounds) having an impact inside.

Harris (nine points, six rebounds) sealed the deal with a triple before 451-game captain Jesse Wagstaff added another with the 'Cats improving to 3-5 as a result ending the game scoring 26 of the last 37 points.

Cotton had a season-best 29 points and four assists with six three-pointers while Usher responded well off the bench for 17 points and improved defence.

Rillie was happy with the win and the improved performance, but immediately turned his focus to a road clash with the league leading Melbourne United on Monday.

"All I'm concentrating on is Melbourne United right now. We need to get a road win so we can move forward," he said.

"The only thing I care about is how our team performs. All I worry about is how I can get my team playing well and it's slowly but surely coming around."

The Sixers are now 3-6 with Trey Kell III their top-scorer with 25 points to go with six assists and five rebounds.

Vasiljevic added 14 points, Jason Cadee 11 and Isaac Humphries 10 but energetic import forward Jacob Wiley wasn’t seen after half-time.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton pinpointed Harris as the difference in the end – a player on his squad a season ago.

"You have all these guys around the league that we talk about as stars and how they make big plays, but the basketball one-on-one in between the lines will come down to who has heart and energy, and who can do the little things to get the win," Bruton said.

"Tonight, that was Hyrum Harris."

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL INDIGENOUS ROUND

PERTH WILDCATS 99 (Cotton 29, Usher 17, Pinder 12)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 88 (Kell III 25, Vasiljevic 14, Smith-Milner 11, Cadee 11)

BOX SCORE