Six of the best: Bryce Cotton lashes out at Kendric Davis as their feud bubbles once more. Photo: Robbie Stephenson/AAP PHOTOS
Sydney coach Brian Goorjian says basketball is the winner in the Bryce Cotton-Kendric Davis feud – arguably the spiciest individual rivalry in Australian sport – which boiled over late in Adelaide’s 84-78 NBL win over the Kings.
Tempers flared with just 26.3 seconds remaining in Sunday’s stoush at Sydney’s Afterpay Arena when Kings superstar Davis and Sixers great Cotton were whistled for unsportsmanlike fouls and had to be separated by teammates after exchanging shoves.
Cotton and Davis, arguably the two best players in the competition, clashed heatedly in Games 2 and 3 of last season’s grand final series, which Sydney won 3-2.
Davis went into that series carrying a personal grievance after finishing two votes behind Cotton for league MVP honours, before taking to social media to slam the process as “rigged” and a “popularity contest”.
Kendric Davis savoured the title last season but didn’t appreciate Bryce Cotton’s sixth MVP award. (Robbie Stephenson/AAP PHOTOS)
“You can tell when Bryce comes in here with their team, they’ve got an edge to them – and I know Kendric has as well,” Goorjian said on Sunday.
“Whatever it was, what you see just shows how we feel about each other.
“I think our sport needs it.
“Happy families, ‘I respect you’, big hugs? No. We’re looking forward to the next time they’ve got that.
“That (rivalry) generated a lot of support for our game in the (grand) final series, and it hasn’t gone anywhere.”
Brian Goorjian and Kendric Davis: the coach doesn’t mind his star’s spat with Bryce Cotton. (Robbie Stephenson/AAP PHOTOS)
Former 36er Davis stoked the fire during the week, declaring there is “no love between me and Bryce”, and “no love with me and Adelaide”.
Cotton replied: “That’s his cross to carry, not mine.”
Following the latest fracas, Davis pointed to the gold NBL emblem on his singlet signifying Sydney’s championship win, while Cotton held up six fingers to show how many NBL MVPs he has won.
“Sometimes people have got me marked around their calendar,” Cotton said when interviewed by ESPN post-game, clearly referring to Davis.
“I’m quiet until you’ve got something to say.
“Everybody knows how I get down. I’ve been doing this for years.”
Adelaide coach Trevor Gleeson felt Davis’s actions were unnecessary.
“I thought the game was over,” he said.
“It had nothing to do with the play and then to have the physicality out there, I was happy with Bryce to stand up for himself.
“You don’t want to see that.
“If it’s in the play, OK. If it’s off the ball, you can make your comment.
“There’s no reason for that.”
Australian Associated Press
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