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AAP
AAP
Sport
Steve Barrett

Imports fire Perth past 36ers in NBL

Brady Manek nailed a game-high 25 points as the Perth Wildcats beat Adelaide 36ers 94-89 in the NBL. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Bryce Cotton has shrugged off a horrific shooting night to help the Perth Wildcats stun the Adelaide 36ers 94-89 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Cotton was held to just three points on 1-of-9 shooting at three-quarter time on Saturday night, before flicking the switch to stun the 9071 fans - the Sixers' biggest ever home crowd - into silence.

The three-time league MVP buried four three-pointers to spearhead a 14-0 burst which turned a five-point deficit into a nine-point lead inside three minutes.

Under-fire Wildcats import Brady Manek defied his critics with a career-best 25-point haul.

He was particularly damaging early, drilling two triples and throwing down a huge dunk in the first term.

Adelaide conceded a 7-0 headstart and fell in a 21-8 hole, forcing coach CJ Bruton to call a time-out.

In the opening stanza, the 36ers trailed Perth in assists 8-1 while leading the turnover count 7-0.

The Sixers lifted their game in the second period and went about chipping into the deficit, tying the game on Craig Randall's massive bomb on the halftime buzzer.

Adelaide led by one point at three-quarter time and looked to be easing their way into the driver's seat before Cotton and Manek ended those dreams.

Americans Robert Franks (24 points) and Antonius Cleveland (22) impressed for the 36ers, while Randall (13 points at 29 per cent) endured a streaky night off the bench on his return from injury.

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