Former Basketballer and NBL commentator Liam Santamaria has commended Wildcats superstar Bryce Cotton for his record shattering performance over the weekend at RAC Arena.
The four-time MVP put on a stunning 59-point performance to help the Wildcats get over the line 123-112 against the New Zealand Breakers and in touching distance for a spot in the finals.
Cotton has further written his name into the history books with this performance, putting him in equal-sixth for most points scored in a match. He also smashed several records, including that of the best individual performance of a Wildcat in a game.
The previous record was set in 1987 when Wildcats legend James Crawford shot 57 points against the Melbourne Tigers.
Cotton’s previous career high of 45 points was surpassed midway through the third quarter, largely thanks to an impressive start where Cotton got 20 on the board in the first quarter.
Reflecting on this performance, Santamaria put this performance down to Cotton’s talent, but also his mental approach and state in the game.
“After getting off to a good start, he was able to enter one of those, what he described as a flow state. It’s what others over the years have described about being in the zone or that feeling of just being on fire,” he told SportFM.
“People have described it over the years as feeling like the game just kind of slows down for them. Andrew Gaze described it as seeing the hoop like a hula hoop, just feel like everything you’re going to throw up is going to go down and that was certainly the case for Bryce yesterday.
“So a truly phenomenal performance and it’s unsurprising that it was delivered by Bryce, who’s legend of the league, one of the all-time greats and certainly the greatest of this modern era.”
Cotton’s name now sits among the likes of Al Green (71 & 60), Reg Biddings (63), Shane Heal (61) and Andrew Gaze (60) within the record books after his tremendous high scoring game.
Additionally, the best individual scoring performance in the modern 40-minute era belongs to Cotton, who surpassed the record set by Brisbane’s James Batemon a fortnight ago. Earlier this season, Melbourne United’s Chris Goulding also gave 46-point masterclass against the Wildcats.
With numerous outstanding individual performances, Santamaria puts it down to the sheer quality of players within the league.
“The talent that exists in the NBL is extraordinarily high,” he said.
“Bryce and Chris Golding have been in this league for a period of time. Bryce is a four-time MVP, was already established as one of the greats of the game. Chris Goulding has been the face of Melbourne United, and one of the best players in the league for a long time.
“So, unsurprising to see those guys put up big scoring numbers. Then it just speaks to the quality of the players, a guy like James Mason, that would catch fire and go off to 51, a couple of weeks ago.
“I think you also throw into the mix the establishment of the three-point line in the style of game in recent years. and how much, if a guy can get hot from that type of territory, how much of a difference that can have.“
The Wildcats have locked away three crucial wins over the weekend against Brisbane and New Zealand to keep in reaching distance of the league’s front runners.
“They needed it really to stay in touch with the group all behind United at the moment, but they did need it, those couple of wins on the weekend.
“It’s not often you get two home games over the course of the weekend. To play on Friday night against Brisbane and then New Zealand coming into the Sunday game.
That was a big one circled on the calendar this weekend for the Wildcats coming out of the season break to say, we’ve got to utilize this opportunity to notch up two wins. They did that mission accomplished. I think they did it in pretty good style.”
IMAGE: Perth Wildcats