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NEW Zealand shot itself in the foot in both of its NBL Round 8 losses, this time in Sydney, while Dylan Windler led Perth to a competent win in Adelaide, reassuring Wildcat fans that there is "life after Bryce" even though Cotton still paced the 36ers with 23 points and seven assists. 

The master magician was made to work hard for his output, shooting 8-of-24 from the floor and not earning a single trip to the free throw line.

He did swish 7-of-13 threes and even before he started rolling, the 36ers were looking good early in front of their biggest home attendance of 10,029.

The Wildcats stayed in the hunt through their domination of the offensive glass in the first half, aided and abetted by the substitution pattern of 36ers coach Mike Wells who repeatedly had four guards running with Zylan Cheatham.

Isaac White (15 points at 75 per cent) and Nick Rakocevic (15 points at 50 per cent, 8 rebounds) ensured the match was entertaining throughout, Wildcats coach John Rillie drawing a good game at both ends of the floor from new import David Duke.

The new face finished with 16 points, 4 assists and was among the defensive rotation harassing Cotton all game.

Windler stood tall again, leading Perth with 18 points at 58 per cent (including a 3-pointer from the tram stop), 12 rebounds and five assists.

Jaron Rillie's three tied it at 82-82 before Kristian Doolittle helped push the buffer out to 90-84 and the visitors were home.

Not so in Sydney where the Breakers, as they had against Adelaide, came apart in the endgame once more, Parker Jackson-Cartwright's 23 points and 7 assists offset by his 6 turnovers as he again forced far too hard.

As Xavier Cooks (12 points at 60 per cent, 14 rebounds, 4 assists) helped the Kings pull clear late, NZ's game essentially broke down into PJC either forcing the play or giving the ball to Sam Mennenga and hoping for the best.

Sydney's recklessness with the ball (19 turnovers) allowed New Zealand to keep it close throughout and it even led by as many as 13. But by the time the game came down to the home stretch, the Breakers had taken the turnover lead with 21 of their own, sabotaging any chance of a road boilover.

Round 8

Illawarra Hawks 107 (McGee 37, Hickey 18, Harvey 17, Swaka Lo Buluk 14, Peterson 11, Peatling 10; McGee 14 rebs; Peterson, Hickey 7 assts) d Melbourne United 93 (Delany 21, Edwards 19, Doyle 16, Walker 14; Krslovic, Edwards 6 rebs; Doyle 11 assts) at The Sandpit, WIN Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 3,012 Q-Q: 32-22, 25-21, 22-25, 28-25. Ignite Cup Pts: Illawarra 6, Melbourne 1

Adelaide 36ers 83 (Cotton 23, Cameron, Cheatham 13, White 12; Cameron, Cheatham 8 rebs; Cotton 6 assts) d New Zealand Breakers 79 (Brockington 25, Jackson-Cartwright 21, Lopez 11; Baker 9 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 10 assts) at The Breakwater, Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch. Crowd: 3,859

South East Melbourne Phoenix 103 (Sobey 28, Lewis 23, Foxwell 15, Iwundu 11, Brown 10; Brown 14 rebs; Foxwell, Lewis, Sobey 4 assts) d Tasmania JackJumpers 102 (Hamilton 36, Deng 17, Bannan 15; Bannan 10 rebs; Hamilton 5 assts) at the SilverJinx, Launceston, Crowd: N/a

Illawarra Hawks 107 (McGee 28, Peterson 22, Hickey 19, Peatling 14, Harvey 11; Hickey 12 rebs; Hickey 12 assts) d Cairns Taipans 90 (King 32, Galloway 15, McVeigh 13, Schofield 11, Andrews 10; McVeigh 8 rebs; McVeigh, Andrews 8 assts) at the Taipanadrome, Cairns Convention Centre. Crowd: 4,025

Brisbane Bullets 83 (Prather 28, Harrison 21, Murray, Ducas 8; Harrison 9 rebs; Adams 7 assts) d Tasmania JackJumpers 81 (Bannan, Marshall 18, Hamilton 16, Ayre 14; Bannan 11 rebs; Campbell 8 assts) at MyState Bank Arena. Crowd: 4,340

Melbourne United 92 (Walker 24, Delany 18, Goulding 16, Doyle 12; Edwards 11 rebs; Walker 6 assts) d South East Melbourne Phoenix 81 (Sobey 15, Iwundu 10, Brown, Foxwell 9; Brown 8 rebs; Foxwell 7 assts) at the Firepit, John Cain Arena. Crowd: 8,806

Perth Wildcats 94 (Windler 18, Doolittle, Duke 16, Lual-Acuil 13, Rillie 10; Windler 12 rebs; Windler 5 assts) d Adelaide 36ers 87 (Cotton 23, White, Rakocevic 15, Humphries, Vasiljevic 13; Cheatham 9 rebs; Cotton 7 assts) at Brett Maher Court, Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 10,029

Sydney Kings 79 (Cooks, Davis 21, Noi 12; Cooks 14 rebs; Davis 6 assts) d New Zealand Breakers 72 (Jackson-Cartwright 23, Mennenga 15, Baker 9; Lopez, Brockington 8 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 7 assts) at the Kingdome, Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 10,067