Cotton the Hero in Remarkable Perth OT Win Over NZ

Vic Law set them up and Bryce Cotton broke their hearts as the star duo led the Perth Wildcats to an overtime win over New Zealand Breakers in Hobart on Monday night.

Law scored a game-high 39 points and hit the basket to force the extra session then Cotton took victory from the jaws of defeat as he made a three-pointer and was fouled with 1.4 seconds to play missing the free throw and seeing Perth to a 104-102 win.

Cotton finished with 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a performance where he saved his best play for last making key baskets in the fourth quarter and some vital ones in the OT.

Cotton said he didn’t know what to expect on the final play but when he saw space to pull up he focused on his shot. 

He admits that even by returning home now for the their last nine games of the season at RAC Arena, they will need to be better.

"It was just read and react and trying to find an open spot on the floor. I was anticipating a double [team] but it didn't happen. I think it was a miscommunication. So once that happened and I saw halfway, my eyes lit up and just wanted to take my time and follow through," Cotton said.

"I think for the most part we did a pretty good job sticking to the style, but obviously when we did, they made us pay. They made some big-time shots and players got hot but I think we weathered the storm and yeah, luckily we made some big shots as well. 

"But it's good to have games like this, especially heading into the latter part of the season. And it's a little bit better when you can have games like this where you learn from it but still win."

But the play of Breakers NBA prospects Hugo Besson (23 points), Yanni Wetzell (17 points, 19 rebounds) and Ousmane Dieng (eight points) can’t be ignored as they took their side to within seconds of a memorable victory.

Breakers coach Dan Shamir was disappointed but felt his side was simply unlucky Cotton ended with the last shot.

"We played some good basketball left everything on the floor. They made one more big play at the end and they get the W but overall, how can you complain when you do everything you can," Shamir said.

"The overtime was high scoring, it ended 16-14 In five minutes. So the tempo was good and both these teams were close the whole way. And games like that obviously are decided on very small things and very big plays done by players and tonight Bryce Cotton did again."

Besson said he always remained confident in his shooting even when shots don’t fall.

"I started the game a bit slow. So at half-time, I knew I had to step up my level so I just played my game and made some shots," Besson said.

"It's my game and I know how to step up to help the team to fight against a great team. I never really lose confidence. You know, it’s just basketball. You made some shots, you miss some shots.

"I started bad but I had 20 minutes left. So I just kept going and trying to do my best as I said to help the team and play at my level."

Dieng was aggressive for the Breakers in the opening minutes finding his way to the basket and showing his confidence while Breakers captain Tom Abercrombie returned after a season of disruption and nailed an early three.

But defensively the Breakers had no answer for Vic Law and no way to put together repeated stops as Law, Cotton and the Wildcats found ways to the basket or the free throw line building a 24-17 lead at quarter-time.

Law continued firing with 21 points in the first half but the Breakers had some good moments too with Yanni Wetzell almost had a double-double by half-time with 10 points and nine rebounds but the Wildcats remained in front on 47-40 at the main break.

Besson had missed his first four shots but with Law still scoring at will, the Breakers needed someone to fire and the French guard was that man as he nailed 17 points in the final four minutes of the quarter to drag his club from a deficit to leading 68-67 at three quarter-time.

The last quarter saw both sides exchanging baskets but it was the offensive rebounding of Wetzell and clutch baskets from Besson and Dieng that proved enough to keep the Breakers ahead despite Cotton’s three bringing the Wildcats within a point with 33 seconds to go.

Todd Blanchfield had two free throws to take the lead with six seconds left but he missed both and Wetzell made one of two free throws in response to make it 88-86 with four seconds to play.

That was enough time for Law to get the ball in the post and hit a fade away to force overtime, in Peyton Siva and Wetzell did their best in the extra period but Cotton was too good in the clutch.

Neither team plays again now until Sunday when the Wildcats make their return to RAC Arena for the first of nine straight home games with the Breakers their first opponents.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 15

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 102 (Besson 23, Siva 19, Wetzell 17)

PERTH WILDCATS 104 (Law 39, Cotton 32, Wagstaff 11) 

BOX SCORE