Call the fire brigade: Bryce Cotton has 49

• Bryce Cotton scored 49 points, his third consecutive 40-point game
• Cotton’s went 14-from-21 shooting
• Perth comeback from 13-point first-half deficit.

Bryce Cotton, please.

The 4-time NBL MVP is on fire delivering his third straight +40-point performance. He scored 49 points to lead the Perth Wildcats to a 115-105 come-from-behind road win victory against the Adelaide 36ers at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

Cotton is now in rarified air, he's the first player since Andrew Gaze in 1991 to rack up three straight 40-point games after his record-setting 59 against the Breakers and followed it up with 40 against the Hawks.

The seven-time scoring champion started relatively quietly with six points in the first quarter while battling Adelaide’s defensive stopper Sunday Dech.

But Dech exited with a hamstring injury in the second quarter, opening the door for Cotton to take over. And he did.

Cotton erupted for 17 points in the second quarter, followed by 15 in the third and 11 in the fourth, finishing with 49 points on 14-from-21 shooting, including 5-from-8 from three-point range and a perfect 16-of-16 from the free-throw line. He added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his stat line.

Despite trailing by 13 points in the first half, Cotton’s scoring spree kept Perth within striking distance. The Wildcats pulled ahead for the first time midway through the third quarter and cemented their lead with a strong fourth-quarter finish, outscoring Adelaide 35-25 in the final period.

"We knew it was going to take a full team effort, but Bryce was incredible again tonight," Wildcats coach John Rillie said post-game.

The win improved Perth’s record to 9-8 as they embark on a stretch of seven consecutive road games without Keanu Pinder and Kristian Doolittle.

Ben Henshall supported Cotton with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Dylan Windler added 13 points and seven boards.

Next Star Izan Almansa contributed eight points and seven rebounds, and Todd Withers chipped in eight points and two steals.

Adelaide, now on a four-game losing streak at 6-8, welcomed Kendric Davis back from a two-game suspension.

Davis delivered an impressive performance with 37 points and 11 assists, while Isaac Humphries added 25 points and five rebounds. However, the 36ers struggled to contain Cotton in the second half without Dech.

The game began with Adelaide seizing early control behind Davis’ quick 10 points and a transition dunk from Jarell Martin, giving the 36ers a 20-12 lead.

By halftime, Adelaide led 60-54, fuelled by 19 points and seven assists from Davis. Cotton’s 23 first-half points, including a 17-point second quarter, kept the Wildcats within reach.

In the third quarter, Cotton helped Perth take their first lead with a three-pointer from Hyrum Harris, only for Adelaide to regain a slim advantage. A buzzer-beating three from Cotton closed the quarter, leaving Perth down just 88-85 heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter was all Perth, with Cotton continuing to deliver and finding teammates such as Henshall, Almansa, and Dylan Windler for key baskets. Todd Withers’ late three-pointer sealed the game, pushing Perth’s lead to eight with just over a minute remaining.

The Wildcats closed out the game to win by 10-point.

Sheesh, Bryce, sheesh.

— Additional reporting by basketball.com.au