Breakers lose in overtime

Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton broke the Breakers’ hearts, and maybe their Australian NBL season with it in Launceston on Tuesday night. Cotton came up huge after a sub-par first half to lead the Wildcats to a thrilling 85-79 overtime victory in the Breakers’ ‘‘home’’ debut in Tasmania. The import point guard poured in 26 second-half and extra-period points to finish with 31 for the game as the Wildcats improved to 16-5 for the season. None of his nine successful shots for the night were bigger than the off-balance three-pointer he hit with time up to force overtime after the Breakers had taken an unlikely 72-69 lead in the final seconds of regulation. Victory had been theirs for the taking with just 1.7 seconds left on the clock; only for Cotton to snatch it from their grasp. The Breakers, in contrast, drop to 5-14 for the season, their playoff hopes all but extinguished.