36ers humble Hawks as brawl erupts in tense NBL clash

Detailed summary

Zylan Cheatham has notched the first triple-double of the NBL season, as the Adelaide 36ers walloped the Illawarra Hawks by 28 points.

Adelaide have stormed to a 106-78 belting of Illawarra in a heated NBL clash marred by a huge fourth-quarter brawl.

Hawks big man Makur Maker was ejected with 3:51 remaining at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday, after copping a technical and flagrant foul in a clash with Nick Rakocevic under the 36ers' basket.

Rakocevic was in the thick of the action, pushing Maker, before being shoved in the chest by Will Hickey, then ending in the arms of Illawarra coach Justin Tatum, while still being pursued by Maker, as the melee spilled into the Hawks' bench.

Bryce Cotton shook off a quiet start to finish with 22 points, Zylan Cheatham racked up a 21-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, while Rakocevic paired 20 points with 16 boards.

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