The NZ Breakers have pushed the Wildcats all the way before the home team prevailed 123-112 in the 'Distance Derby' in Perth.
Bryce Cotton torched the Breakers for a career-high 59 points on Sunday as he continued his spectacular Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) career.
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Perth was looking to back up from their 28-point win over the Brisbane Bullets against a Breakers team fresh off having been belted by the Illawarra Hawks in their last game.
Four-time MVP Cotton was feeling it right from the start with 20 points in the first quarter on 7-of-9 shooting, with 3-of-5 from deep.
He added another 11 points in the second quarter to go into half-time with 31 and the Wildcats having put up the biggest half of the season to lead 69-48.
Despite Cotton surpassing his previous career-high of 45 by midway through the third quarter, the Breakers didn’t go away.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored 34 points to go with 10 assists and the Breakers had a 13-0 run late in the third quarter to make a real game of it despite losing Tacko Fall to injury in the first half.
Fall played 5.35 minutes for seven points, two rebounds and one block.
However, Cotton kept on going on his way to the 59 points on 18/28 shooting from the field, 7/15 from deep and 16/17 from the foul line with the Wildcats winning by 11 in front of 12,505 fans on Sunday afternoon.
The 59 points from Cotton is the most by any player since the league reverted to 40-minute games in 2009-10. He beat the club record of 57 points by James Crawford in 1987.
Also for Perth who are now 8-7, Izan Almansa stepped up without Keanu Pinder for 17 points and eight rebounds with Dylan Windler adding 15 points, Kristian Doolittle 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Ben Henshall 10 points and four boards.
On top of what Jackson-Cartwright did for the Breakers, Sam Mennenga continued his strong form with 25 points and nine rebounds with Grant Anticevich adding 10 points and four boards, and Next Star Karim Lopez nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
The Wildcats felt good after winning by 28 on Friday with the Breakers trying to bounce back from losing by 38 on Thursday, but the home team kept their momentum going with Bryce Cotton leading the way like only he can.
Perth put up 42 points in the first quarter with Cotton scoring 20 of those and while the Breakers did try to work back into the contest in the second period, the 'Cats were just feeling good about themselves.
As Cotton scored another 11 points, he also turned facilitator and had three assists with Perth putting up another 27 points to 24 to go into half-time leading 69-48 with Tacko Fall also a concern for the Breakers playing less than six minutes before heading to the locker room.
The Wildcats star kept on rolling in the third quarter and added another 17 points to surpass his career-high already, but the Breakers weren’t going away and had got back within eight by three quarter-time following a 13-0 run.
Cotton hit another three to go over 50 early in the fourth quarter and Perth's lead got back out beyond double-digits, and he finished with the 59 and the 'Cats got the job done winning by 11 in a game featuring 235 points.
The Wildcats now have their last home game of 2024 on Friday night against the Illawarra Hawks while the Breakers return to New Zealand but host Melbourne United in Christchurch on Thursday and the Sydney Kings in Wellington on Saturday.
Perth Wildcats 123 (Byrce Cotton 59, Izan Almansa 17, Dylan Windler 15) NZ Bearkers 112 (Parker Jackson-Cartwright 34, Sam Mennenga 25, Grant Anticevich 10). 1Q: , HT: , 3Q: