"Basically won the game for us": Adelaide's unsung hero

Bryce Cotton and Zylan Cheatham are the names that usually dominate the headlines out of Adelaide. On opening night, they did it again, Cotton with 29 points and 7 assists, Cheatham with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. But when the six-time MVP was asked who stepped up to get the 36ers over the line, he pointed to an unsung hero: Jacob Rigoni.

"Jacob basically won the game for us," Cotton said following the 36ers' two-point win over Melbourne on Saturday night.

That's a big call for a player who played just 12 NBL games and last took the court in an Adelaide 36ers jersey on January 26, 2025.

But with their key big man Isaac Humphries sidelined in the week leading up to Round 1, Rigoni got the start, and delivered, with eight first-half points.

Head coach Trevor Gleeson couldn't have been more impressed with the team's fight in the face of adversity, with the likes of Bul Kuol and John Jenkins also out of the team injured.

"I love our passion," he said post-game.

"Obviously they [the 36ers] were a tight unit last year when I was watching from afar.

"And then we bring Jacob in as a replacement player as we had a couple of players down, and that's where you find out about the spirit of the team.

"When you have some guys out, do you whinge and complain and say 'poor me'. Our guys didn't, they just went out and played, so very proud of them."

"Kenny [Matt Kenyon] had some great moments for us. Whitey [Isaac White], Raz [Keanu Rasmussen], I'm pretty sure everybody who stepped on the court had big minutes," Cotton continued.

"That's the stuff that we want to rely on. Everybody has equal value on this team, but they bring different things to it."

That depth proved decisive. Flynn Cameron rolled an ankle and Nick Rakocevic fouled out late, but Adelaide held on for a 97-95 win.

The 36ers now travel to Perth, where Gleeson faces his former club for the first time on Thursday.