Cotton unmoved by rematch hype

Over the past two seasons, Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis have produced one of the Hungry Jack’s NBL’s fiercest rivalries, highlighted by the 2025-26 Championship Series.

Now on Sunday at Afterpay Arena, fans get the latest chapter of the story, as the 36ers travel to Sydney to play the Kings.

During a recent interview with SEN SA, six-time MVP Cotton played down what the intense rivalry means to him.

“I look forward to every game, and I don’t really dwell on individual matchups,” Cotton said.

“As I’ve said before, we don’t even guard each other.

“I don’t operate off that (wanting to play better than someone else).

“I feel like I’m good enough that as long as I’m playing my best basketball, I’m cool with however it pans out.”

Despite the 36ers losing three straight and four of their past five, Cotton explained there was no need to panic.

“It’s one game at a time,” he added.

“A few seasons back, I was a part of a team where we started 2-4, and we finished second on the ladder.

“I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen, but anything is possible.

“All seasons are long, so there’s no reason to hit the panic button; you’ve just got to go one game at a time.”

Davis, though, is taking a very different approach.

The last time the teams met, the Kings star poured in 35 points and 14 assists in an overtime Game 5 to deliver Sydney the championship, before claiming Championship Series MVP honours and declaring: “It’s my time now.”

This week, he doubled down.

“There’s no love between me and Bryce. There’s no love with me and Adelaide and there’s no love from them for us. We took their championship,” Davis said.

“You can’t shy away from it. It’s out there already.”

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The contrast extends to the ladder. The Kings are unbeaten at 3-0, while the 36ers sit at 2-4.

Davis expects that slide to make Adelaide even more dangerous.

“They struggling right now. So they going to come in desperate, and then it’s against us, so they going to come even more desperate,” he said.

On one point, at least, the two stars agree.

“We’re approaching it game by game, because whoever win this game don’t mean nothing in the long run,” Davis said.

Sunday’s Championship Series rematch tips off at 3pm AEDT, live on ESPN.