NBL game reviews – 2026-01-18

Final Score and Game Flow

The final scoreline read Adelaide 36ers 108, SE Melbourne Phoenix 89. Adelaide were in control on the scoreboard in every quarter, steadily building and then extending their lead:

• 1st quarter: Phoenix 23 – 36ers 31
• 2nd quarter: Phoenix 20 – 36ers 22 (half-time: 43–53 to Adelaide)
• 3rd quarter: Phoenix 26 – 36ers 28
• 4th quarter: Phoenix 20 – 36ers 27

The Phoenix never managed to win a quarter, and while they kept in touch through the middle periods, Adelaide’s ability to close each half strongly showed up on the scoreboard. A 10-point margin at half-time became a 19-point blowout by the final buzzer as the visitors kept the pressure on at both ends.

Phoenix: Bryce Cotton Leads the Charge, but Help Is Limited

For SE Melbourne, Bryce Cotton was the standout. He poured in 30 points, hit 1 three-pointer, grabbed 2 rebounds and dished out 6 assists. His all-round influence is reflected in his 32 PR (points + rebounds) and 36 PA (points + assists), as well as a team-high 38 PRA (points + rebounds + assists).

Cotton also contributed defensively, adding 1 steal, and his total of 5 combined turnovers + steals + blocks shows he was heavily involved in the action at both ends. The downside for the Phoenix was that Cotton had to do a lot of the heavy lifting – he committed 4 turnovers, a sign of how much the ball was in his hands.

Zylan Cheatham provided important support with his work on the glass and in transition. He finished with:

• 12 points
• 10 rebounds (a double-double on the night)
• 2 assists
• 1 block
• 22 PR and 24 PRA
• 3 in turnovers + steals + blocks

Cheatham was the main presence inside for SE Melbourne, battling hard on the boards and giving them second chances.

Isaac Humphries also chipped in at both ends. His stat line included:

• 13 points
• 7 rebounds
• 1 assist
• 1 steal and 1 block
• 20 PR and 21 PRA
• 2 turnovers and 4 total in turnovers + steals + blocks

Humphries gave the Phoenix interior scoring and rim protection, but like Cotton and Cheatham, he needed more help around him.

On the perimeter, Isaac White and John Jenkins tried to add scoring punch:

• White: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 three-pointer, 10 PR, 12 PA, 14 PRA.
• Jenkins: 8 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, but hit 2 three-pointers; he finished on 9 PR and 9 PRA.

White distributed the ball reasonably well, while Jenkins provided some spacing from deep, but neither could match the scoring impact of Adelaide’s perimeter brigade.

Flynn Cameron offered secondary playmaking with:

• 5 points
• 5 rebounds
• 5 assists
• 1 steal and 1 three-pointer
• 10 PR, 10 RA (rebounds + assists) and 15 PRA
• 4 turnovers

Cameron’s line shows good balance, but his 4 turnovers hurt in a game where possession security was critical.

Nick Rakocevic made his presence felt defensively and on the glass:

• 7 points
• 4 rebounds
• 2 assists
• 3 steals
• 11 PR, 9 PA, 13 PRA
• 2 turnovers, 5 total turnovers + steals + blocks

His 3 steals were a bright spot, highlighting his activity on defence, but even with those efforts the Phoenix couldn’t slow Adelaide’s flow.

Dejan Vasiljevic rounded out the Phoenix contributions with:

• 6 points
• 2 rebounds
• 1 assist
• 2 steals
• 8 PR, 7 PA, 9 PRA
• 2 turnovers, 4 total in turnovers + steals + blocks

Overall, SE Melbourne got solid stat lines from several starters, but the lack of scoring spread and the turnover count from key ball-handlers gave the 36ers too many opportunities to run.

Adelaide 36ers: Balanced Scoring and Elite Playmaking

Adelaide’s win was built on a genuinely balanced performance, with multiple players stuffing the stat sheet and sharing the scoring load. Four players scored in double figures, and several posted strong combined totals in points, rebounds and assists.

Up front, Jordan Hunter was massive. He finished with:

• 20 points
• 9 rebounds
• 1 assist
• 1 block
• 0 steals
• 29 PR, 21 PA, 30 PRA
• 1 turnover, 2 total in turnovers + steals + blocks

Hunter’s near double-double anchored the 36ers in the paint, and his 30 PRA underlines how central he was to their game plan.

In the backcourt, Ian Clark led the way as a scoring guard. His line was one of the best on the night:

• 27 points
• 4 rebounds
• 3 assists
• 5 made three-pointers
• 1 steal
• 31 PR, 30 PA, 34 PRA
• 2 turnovers, and 3 total turnovers + steals + blocks

Clark’s shooting from beyond the arc was a key difference-maker. With 5 threes to his name, he stretched the Phoenix defence and punished any lapse.

Wes Iwundu added another reliable scoring option on the wing:

• 13 points
• 2 rebounds
• 4 assists
• 3 made three-pointers
• 1 steal
• 15 PR, 17 PA, 19 PRA
• 1 turnover, 2 total turnovers + steals + blocks

Iwundu’s combination of shooting and playmaking made him a perfect complement to Clark in the backcourt and Hunter inside.

The standout in terms of all-round impact, though, was Owen Foxwell. He packed the stat sheet:

• 15 points
• 4 rebounds
• 12 assists – a game-high
• 2 made three-pointers
• 3 steals
• 19 PR, 27 PA, a huge 31 PRA
• 2 turnovers, 5 total turnovers + steals + blocks

Foxwell was the engine of Adelaide’s offence. His 12 assists unlocked open looks for teammates all night, and his combination of scoring, rebounding and defence explains why he finished with one of the top PRA totals in the game.

Off the bench and in supporting roles, Adelaide continued to get useful contributions:

• John Brown: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 20 PR, 14 PA, 20 PRA, 1 turnover, 2 total turnovers + steals + blocks.
• Malique Lewis: 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 12 PR, 9 PA, 14 PRA, 0 turnovers, 2 total in turnovers + steals + blocks.
• Angus Glover: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 10 PR, 8 PA, 11 PRA, 3 turnovers, 4 total turnovers + steals + blocks.
• Daniel Foster: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 PR, 3 PA, 6 PRA, 1 turnover, 1 in turnovers + steals + blocks.
• DJ Mitchell: 3 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 made three, 5 PR, 3 PA, 5 PRA, 2 turnovers, 2 total turnovers + steals + blocks.

While not all of them were huge scorers, their combined rebounding, spot scoring and defensive activity maintained Adelaide’s intensity whenever the starters sat. Brown and Lewis, in particular, gave the 36ers strong minutes at both ends.

Defence, Turnovers and Hustle Plays

From a defensive and hustle standpoint, Adelaide edged SE Melbourne in the key areas that don’t always show on the scoreboard immediately but add up over four quarters.

For the Phoenix, Nick Rakocevic (3 steals), Dejan Vasiljevic (2 steals) and Zylan Cheatham (1 block, 10 rebounds) were the main disruptors, and Isaac Humphries chipped in with both a steal and a block.

On the Adelaide side, Owen Foxwell led with 3 steals, while Ian Clark, Wes Iwundu, Angus Glover, Malique Lewis and John Brown all added steals of their own. Jordan Hunter and Lewis provided rim protection with 1 block each.

Turnovers were an issue for both sides, but they hurt SE Melbourne more because of how well Adelaide turned live-ball turnovers into points. For the Phoenix, Cotton and Cameron each had 4 turnovers, while Humphries, Rakocevic, Vasiljevic and Cheatham all had 2 apiece.

Adelaide spread their turnovers more evenly across the roster, with no one blowing out the count. Glover’s 3 turnovers were the team high, while Clark, Foxwell and Mitchell each had 2. Crucially, Foxwell more than compensated with his 12 assists and defensive playmaking.

The combined “turnovers + steals + blocks” metric tells a story of involvement and disruption:

• Top for Phoenix: Cotton, Foxwell’s opposite number, on 5; Cameron and Rakocevic also at 5, Vasiljevic and Humphries on 4.
• Top for Adelaide: Foxwell on 5, Glover on 4, with Clark, Iwundu, Lewis and Brown all at 2+.

Adelaide simply converted their hustle and activity into more efficient offence, which is why the margin kept creeping out as the game wore on.

Key Takeaways for Bettors and Fans

A few big picture points jump out from this matchup:

• Adelaide’s spread scoring is a big asset. With Hunter, Clark, Iwundu, Foxwell and Brown all contributing double-digit points or strong PRA totals, the 36ers aren’t relying on one hot hand.
• Playmaking wins games. Foxwell’s 12 assists and Adelaide’s overall ball movement consistently created high-percentage looks, which is massive for total points and margin markets.
• SE Melbourne need more secondary scoring behind Cotton. Cotton’s 30 points and Cheatham’s inside presence were impressive, but the Phoenix will want a more even spread if they’re to match the better offensive teams in the league.
• Turnovers matter, especially from primary ball-handlers. Cotton and Cameron’s combined 8 turnovers gave Adelaide extra possessions, something that can quickly blow out handicaps and totals late.

From an odds and markets perspective, Adelaide’s combination of perimeter shooting and strong interior play suggests they could be a reliable option in overs and team total markets when they’re in rhythm like this. SE Melbourne, meanwhile, look like a side that can score in bursts but may be vulnerable against teams with multiple creators.