THE best players stand up in the biggest of moments, and that is exactly what Bryce Cotton did at John Cain Arena on Monday night.

Cotton’s Perth Wildcats faced off against the ladder-leading Melbourne United in the final game of Round 6 of the National Basketball League (NBL), and came into the match as underdogs in quite a significant way. United were on a six-game winning streak and had clearly been the best side all season. On the other hand, Perth was not performing at the level expected of a club with such a rich history of success. Although the Wildcats got back onto the winners’ list earlier in the round, facing Melbourne at John Cain Arena is always a big ask.

The game proved to be eventful from the opening minute, when Luke Travers collided with teammate Ariel Hukporti‘s knee. Travers was ruled out, while Hukporti was clearly hindered, making things a bit trickier for United. The two teams went back and forth all match, with proceedings going down to the wire. Perth import Jordan Usher delivered a massive three in the final seconds of the match to give his side a two-point lead, but experienced United guard Matthew Dellavedova sent the game to overtime with a tough layup. However, Perth always looked in control in the extra period, and calmly made their way to a seven-point win.

Cotton was an immense figure for the winning side, getting back to his best with a terrific offensive performance.

Melbourne United (95) def. by Perth Wildcats (102)

Bryce Cotton – 24 points, six rebounds, three assists

Perth’s best and most experienced player breathed some life into the team’s season with an important performance in the win over United on Monday night.

Cotton finished with a team-high 24 points, returning to the form that has won him the league’s highest individual award three times over recent years. When Cotton is at his best, he can make shots that make the opposition shake their head and wonder what more they could have done to stop it.

He created space off the dribble and was deadly when shooting the ball. Cotton might not have been the most accurate performer from the field, but was still as dangerous as anyone with ball in hand. Despite having a tough matchup in Dellavedova all night, Cotton still succeeded in his mission to drive his team to a winning score.

The star guard was also deadly from the free throw line, forcing the opposition into some sloppy defence and getting himself to the free throw line on a number of occasions. Cotton made 13 of his 14 attempts from the charity stripe, all of which were crucial in getting Perth to victory.

It was a vintage performance from Cotton, who showed that his slow start to the season would not last forever, and it would be a mistake to count out a proven performer like himself.