Adelaide end Sydney's unbeaten start 84-78 as Cotton and Davis clash again, and Cairns hit 18 threes at Illawarra

The rematch of last season's Championship Series ended the way the series did not: with Adelaide on top. The 36ers beat the Sydney Kings 84-78 at Afterpay Arena on Sunday, handing the champions their first loss of NBL27.

It did not end quietly. Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis, who clashed through the five-game series, had to be separated in the final minute, and each was called for a flagrant foul.

Adelaide had arrived at 2-4 after three straight losses. They leave at 3-4. Sydney are 3-1.

Also on Sunday, the Cairns Taipans won 110-100 at Illawarra. On Saturday, Melbourne United beat the South East Melbourne Phoenix 104-99, and the Perth Wildcats beat the New Zealand Breakers 100-84.

Sydney 78, Adelaide 84

It was 18-18 after one quarter, after Matt Kenyon's buzzer-beater for Adelaide. Sydney won the second quarter 26-23 and led 44-41 at half-time, with Xavier Cooks on 15 points.

The third quarter swung it. Adelaide scored 20 and held Sydney to 12, on six of 16 shooting, none of five from three. The 36ers led 61-56 after three and stretched it to 12, at 76-64, with 4:48 left.

John Jenkins III scored 20 and made six of his 17 threes. Cotton had 17 points and eight assists. Nick Rakocevic added 16 points and nine rebounds, Zylan Cheatham 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Kenyon 11 points and eight rebounds, with all three of his threes.

Cooks led Sydney with 22 points and eight rebounds. Davis scored 16 with seven assists but shot six of 19.

Scoring

Adelaide: John Jenkins III 20, Bryce Cotton 17, Nick Rakocevic 16, Matt Kenyon 11, Zylan Cheatham 10, Jacob Rigoni 6, Keanu Rasmussen 4, Corey Webster 0, Deonte Williams 0.

Sydney: Xavier Cooks 22, Kendric Davis 16, Makuach Maluach 12, Andrew Carr 8, Tyler Robertson 8, Torrey Craig 5, Matthew Dellavedova 5, Harry Wessels 2, Will Johnston 0.

By quarter: Sydney 18, 26, 12, 22. Adelaide 18, 23, 20, 23.

Illawarra 100, Cairns 110

Cairns made 18 of 38 threes and shot 58% from the field. Jack McVeigh scored 32 and made five of nine from deep. Jonah Bolden added 20 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, and made four of his five threes. Keanu Pinder had 19 points and six assists, Jaylon Brown 14 points and nine assists, and Reyne Smith 14 on four threes.

The Taipans led by 17 in the second quarter, 54-37, and 57-50 at half-time. They led 86-77 after three. Sam Froling scored five straight points to open the fourth and cut it to four, but Cairns scored the next five, and McVeigh's basket with just under four minutes left kept them seven clear.

Illawarra took 13 offensive rebounds to three and got to the line 10 more times, but shot 11 of 30 from three. Makur Maker scored 18 with nine rebounds, and Froling had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Cairns are 4-3 after three straight wins. Illawarra are 1-6, after losing twice at home this weekend.

Next Star Luke Paul had two points and three assists in 11 minutes for Cairns.

Scoring

Cairns: Jack McVeigh 32, Jonah Bolden 20, Keanu Pinder 19, Jaylon Brown 14, Reyne Smith 14, Malique Lewis 7, Luke Paul 2, Shaun Bruce 2, Kyrin Galloway 0.

Illawarra: Makur Maker 18, Sam Froling 16, William Hickey 13, Tyler Harvey 11, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk 11, Lamar Patterson 11, Kelan Martin 8, Kyle Adnam 8, Daniel Grida 4, Milton Doyle 0.

By quarter: Illawarra 27, 23, 27, 23. Cairns 28, 29, 29, 24.

Saturday: South East Melbourne 99, Melbourne United 104

The Phoenix led by 15, at 42-27 in the second quarter, and still led 65-55 midway through the third. United then scored 11 straight points to lead 66-65 with 3:01 left in the quarter. It was 74-74 after three.

The lead changed hands four times in the fourth quarter, the last when United went ahead 88-87 with 5:42 left. They did not trail again, and led by seven at 96-89. Luke Travers scored 24, Josh Oduro had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cole Anthony had 18 points and seven assists. Nathan Sobey scored 24 for the Phoenix and D'Shawn Schwartz 19. United are 3-3. The Phoenix are 2-4.

Scoring

Melbourne United: Luke Travers 24, Josh Oduro 21, Cole Anthony 18, Malith Machar 13, Sam Waardenburg 10, Joe Ingles 9, Fabijan Krslovic 4, Tom Wilson 3, Shea Ili 2, Kyle Bowen 0, Austin Shelley 0.

South East Melbourne: Nathan Sobey 24, D'Shawn Schwartz 19, Skylar Mays 15, Angus Glover 12, Yannis Morin 9, Jordan Hunter 7, Dash Daniels 6, Tanner Krebs 5, Akech Aliir 2.

By quarter: South East Melbourne 30, 23, 21, 25. Melbourne United 17, 28, 29, 30.

Saturday: Perth 100, New Zealand 84

Sam Mennenga scored 40 points with 18 rebounds and five assists for the Breakers, and it was still a 16-point loss. The game was tied 55-55 midway through the third quarter. Perth led 70-66 after three, and from 78-74 with 6:18 left they went on a 16-2 run to lead 94-76.

Dylan Windler scored 32 for Perth with eight rebounds, and Elijah Pepper scored 25. Kristian Doolittle had nine assists. Brandon Knight, the former NBA guard who signed with Perth in September, scored six points in 20 minutes in his Wildcats debut. Perth are 4-1. New Zealand are 3-3.

Scoring

Perth: Dylan Windler 32, Elijah Pepper 25, Jesse Wagstaff 13, Anthony Dell'Orso 10, Brandon Knight 6, Angus Brandt 5, Kristian Doolittle 5, Cameron Huefner 2, Jaron Rillie 2, Alex Higgins-Titsha 0, Marley Sam 0, Tana Kopa 0.

New Zealand: Sam Mennenga 40, Mojave King 17, Dejan Vasiljevic 10, Reuben Te Rangi 9, Charles Bediako 7, Carlin Davison 1, Izayah Le'Afa 0, Kouat Noi 0.

By quarter: Perth 21, 20, 29, 30. New Zealand 22, 16, 28, 18.

What is next

Perth and the Tasmania JackJumpers top the ladder at 4-1. Sydney play the Breakers in an Ignite Cup game in Canberra on Wednesday, October 14. Adelaide visit Tasmania on Friday, October 16. Cairns play the Phoenix at John Cain Arena on Saturday, October 17, and Illawarra visit Melbourne United on Sunday, October 18.