Basketball On The Internet.

BRYCE in blue is creating havoc across NBL 2025-26 but the 36ers' long-suffering fanbase is not the only beneficiary of Cotton's creative abilities. Isaac Humphries is revelling as Adelaide's primary keyway target, coolly scoring 24 points against Tasmania at a wickedly efficient 80 per cent.

Cotton dished nine assists with his game-high 29 points at 50 per cent, with 3-of-5 threes and a whopping 14-of-15 free throws.

This era's greatest player received plenty of love from the officiating crew - some of it warranted - but when he wasn't singlehandedly terrorising the JackJumpers' defence, his elite passing was finding someone else to complete the mission.

One of his passes found a cutting Zylan Cheatham for a poster-worthy reverse dunk, but later Humphries also found the sneaky Cheetah cutting baseline and fed him with a no-look behind-the-back effort for a second memorable slammy.

The 36ers certainly had their moments, asserting their authority in the second quarter to pull 51-44 clear by halftime.

That lead was 12 on a Flynn Cameron jumper but a Bryce Hamilton free throw and a Will Magnay dunk from a Hamilton assist closed the half with Tasmania alive.

Magnay, Anthony Drmic and Hamilton rallied the Jackies after the interval but whenever they closed in, Cotton or Humphries had the debilitating reply.

Adelaide cruising to another double-digit lead, this time Ben Ayre strung together eight points, two free throws sandwiched between a pair of bookend threes and the Jackjumpers were again within touch at 65-67.

Nick Rakocevic, the perfect third foil in the Humphries-Cheatham rotation, and Dejan Vasiljevic with a three to cancel Tyger Campell's triple, ensured the 36ers led 76-72 with a period to play.

Vasiljevic's 3-pointer meant Adelaide was back out 85-74 but just when it was almost time to put the cue in the rack, Hamilton swished a pair of threes and the Jackies were 84-90 down.

The 36ers stiffened their resolve, worked for the best shots and Tassie would draw no closer, Josh Bannan's game hampered by early foul woes and coach Scott Roth erring in leaving interim import TJ Starks anchored to the bench for far too long.

Round 4 (Includes Ignite Cup)

New Zealand Breakers 117 (Mennenga, Jackson-Cartwright 20, Te Rangi 18, Lopez 16, Brockington 14, Davison 12; Lopez 9 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 17 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 88 (Harvey 22, McGee 19, Peatling 14, Swaka Lo Buluk 10; Blanchfield 8 rebs; Harvey 6 assts) at The Breakdance, Spark Arena. Crowd: 3,101. Q-Q: 30-24, 30-25, 27-23, 30-16. Ignite Cup Pts: New Zealand 7, Illawarra 0

Melbourne United 107 (Walker 27, Edwards 22, Doyle 16, Krebs 15; Edwards 12 rebs; Doyle 6 assts) d Sydney Kings 93 (Cooks, Davis 21, Galloway, Dellavedova 12; Cooks 10 rebs; Dellavedova 7 assts) at the Kingdome, Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 9,528. Q-Q: 29-25, 21-27, 31-19, 26-22. Ignite Cup Pts: Melbourne 6, Sydney 1

Adelaide 36ers 98 (Cotton 29, Humphries 24, Vasiljevic 13, Cameron 12; Cheatham 9 rebs; Cotton 9 assts) d Tasmania JackJumpers 89 (Hamilton 22, Magnay 17, Bannan 14; Marshall, Magnay 6 rebs; Hamilton 9 assts) at Brett Maher Court, Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 9,320