Cotton praises teammate over 'priceless' impact

Cotton, who won a record-equalling sixth Gordon Ellis Medal at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre over the weekend, credited a couple of starting-five members for helping unlock his and the team’s form.

The Wildcats and Cotton both turned things around after a slow start to the season.

Cotton went on to win a fourth Andrew Gaze Trophy as the League’s MVP, while the team finished the regular season in second spot after being 2-5 at one stage.

The 31-year-old felt New Zealander Hyrum Harris, who came into the starting five after the first seven games, was a big reason behind the stunning change in form.

Harris won the Most Improved Award, while Cotton also gave a special mention to rebounding machine Kristian Doolittle after his Andrew Vlahov Medal win as Best Defensive Player.

“Doo is a silent assassin, a man of few words but his impact is felt in practice and felt in the games,” Cotton said.

“And then with Hyrum, I can’t say enough about him. The impact he’s had on our team is priceless.

“Since he’s been put into our starting line-up, that was almost a direct correlation of just how much we took off as a team.”

“Just because of that energy he brings, it makes us want to match his energy, even though none of us can.

“Hyrum has been doing a hell of a job this season.”

The Wildcats are back on court on March 8 at RAC Arena, taking on the winner of Illawarra and Tasmania in a three-game play-off series.

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