Game recognises game

Not often does a 34-point, 10 assist game get overshadowed at any level, but that’s what happens when a fellow MVP candidate breaks the Perth Wildcat single-game scoring record and has 59 points.

Bryce Cotton’s brilliance will go down in history as one of the greatest offensive games that the NBL has ever seen. Yet even the four-time MVP had to take a moment to appreciate what he was seeing from Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

“I wasn't aware of how impactful he was until I looked at the stat sheet and saw 34 and 10,” Cotton said on NBL Now.

“Like that's crazy. But it just goes to show the league that we're in. I always say it's the most talented era this league has ever seen.

“It's a privilege to play in it because we get players like this and it's an honour to battle against them every night.”

The NBL Overtime crew echoed Cotton’s sentiments on Jackson-Cartwright’s performance.

“He basically put the team on his back in that third quarter and said, 'we aren’t getting blown out in this game',” Peter Hooley said.

“He’s still probably leading the MVP race.”

That MVP race continues to heat up, as Cotton makes a push towards what would be his fifth Andrew Gaze Trophy.

“I think it was one of the greatest games we have ever seen in the NBL,” Derek Rucker said.

“It was such a complete game. He did it in transition, did it in the half court, did it in isolation and went to the line 17 times, where he made 16 of them.”

The back-and-forth battle was reminiscent of the highlights fans were treated to from Mitch Creek and Derrick Walton Jr in Round 11 of the NBL23 season.

When the Phoenix defeated the Kings by one point in double overtime, it was Creek’s 46-point, 10-rebound performance that overshadowed Walton Jr’s 45-point, 10-assist effort.