The American import took no part in last week’s thumping of the Hawks, despite warming up and taking his place on the Breakers' bench with Andrej Lemanis erring on the side of caution, a decision that proved the right one given the performance of his team in dismantling the Hawks so comprehensively.

The extra week looks like working wonders with Rickert moving more freely at practice on Monday.

“He has taken part in most of practice today and looks to be making good progress. While he is not yet 100% we will monitor him carefully this week with a view to getting some court time on Thursday night,” said Lemanis.

Rickert himself was pleased to be practicing after a week on the sidelines.

“I feel much better, the improvement in the past few days has been great, I feel real confident about Thursday night but I still have some treatment and some progress to make before I can be totally satisfied.”

Tom Abercrombie meanwhile has also benefited from another week back in practice with his ankle injury now close to 100% recovered and his general fitness also improved. While showing signs he was back to his best in the win over the Hawks, Abercrombie will be further boosted by a full week of training and will be putting his hand up for more court time against the Blaze.

The Breakers will not lack for motivation, the game is a must win against another play off rival in the Gold Coast Blaze and will be the final regular season home game in the career of Tony Ronaldson, the former Boomer announcing his retirement two weeks back, effective at the end of this season.

Penney won the NBL’s weekly award back in Round 17 and also came close to winning again in Round 18, just being edged out by Gold Coast’s Adam Gibson. 

With the Breakers needing to win the remainder of their fixtures to have a chance at a playoff berth, Penney stepped up once more in his team’s Round 19 game against the fourth-seeded Wollongong Hawks on Thursday at the North Shore Events Centre.  He hit 23 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 from downtown. Penney also added four rebounds, two assists and two steals, which helped the Breakers upset the higher-ranked Hawks, 88-60. Penney was also great from the free throw line hitting six of his seven attempts.

Penney’s 12 first half points helped the Breakers hold an eight-point lead heading into the half time break. Penney seemed to have a tight grip on the match throughout the third quarter with most of his shots finding the bottom of the net. The Hawks simply could not stop the inspirational skipper as he cut and weaved his way through the defence with ease.  With seven minutes remaining on the game clock Penney was in no mood to see his side lose a fourth quarter lead, burying a three pointer to see the Breakers’ lead balloon out to 29 points.

With two season-defining games coming up this week for the Breakers, (Gold Coast at home and Cairns away) New Zealand will hope Penney remains on song and helps them make the final four. Although currently in fifth, so close is the NBL playoff race that the Breakers could in fact rise as far as second if results fall their way.

Erron Maxey of the Gold Coast Blaze was excellent in Round 19 and may feel hard done by in not winning the weekly honour.   His monster double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds helped the Blaze take care of the first placed Perth Wildcats on Friday night. Maxey went 8-of-12 from the field in his 30 minutes of court time. He also added two blocks, one assist and two steals to his stat sheet.  In the Blaze’s loss to the Hawks on Saturday night, Maxey scored a team-high 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting which included 3-of-5 three pointers from the big man.

Townsville’s Corey Williams was another top performer in Round 19.  The man known as ‘Homicide’ had 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals as the Crocs downed archrivals Cairns.

Other players in consideration for the weekly award in Round 19 included Julius Hodge (Melbourne), Erron Maxey (Gold Coast), CJ Bruton (New Zealand), Russell Hinder (Townsville), Brad Williamson (Townsville), Phil Jones (Cairns), Rich Melzer (Cairns), Adam Gibson (Gold Coast), Luke Schenscher (Perth), Dusty Rychart (Cairns), Rhys Martin (Wollongong), Tim Coenraad (Wollongong) and Matt Campbell (Wollongong).

NBL PLAYER OF THE WEEK 2009/10
Round 1 – CJ Bruton (New Zealand)
Round 2 – Rich Melzer (Cairns)
Round 3 – Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round 4 – Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round 5 - Mark Worthington (Melbourne)
Round 6 – John Gilchrist (Adelaide)
Round 7 – Adam Ballinger (Adelaide)
Round 8 – Julius Hodge (Melbourne)
Round 9 – Dusty Rychart (Cairns)
Round 10 – Oscar Forman (New Zealand)
Round 11 – Tywain McKee (Wollongong)
Round 12 – Tywain McKee (Wollongong)
Round 13 – Adam Ballinger (Adelaide)
Round 14 - Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round 15 – Julius Hodge (Melbourne)
Round 16 - Mark Worthington (Melbourne)
Round 17 – Kirk Penney (New Zealand)
Round 18 - Adam Gibson (Gold Coast)
Round 19 - Kirk Penney (New Zealand)

21,620 fans attended the six games in the penultimate Round 19 of competition last week, with several teams recording season highs in attendance. 

The NBL is also currently enjoying a 7% increase in average attendance at games over last season.  The NBL averaged 3,342 people per game last season but that figure has grown on the back of increased community activity from clubs and a thrilling on-court title race to 3,563 through the end of round 19.

The second largest NBL crowd ever recorded at the Gold Coast Convention Centre was on hand Friday night as 4,588 people saw the Gold Coast Blaze score an 86-73 victory over the Perth Wildcats in a top-of-the-table clash.  The attendance was only marginally short of the largest crowd ever at a Blaze game (4,612 on 8 February 2008). 

The Blaze have been strong performers all season in the attendance stakes, enjoying a whopping 30% increase in their average attendance this season.  In 2008/09 the Blaze averaged 2,572 people per game, but this season have grown that figure to 3,261. 

The OAMPS Melbourne Tigers also had a season-high crowd of 3,368 at ‘The Cage’ on Saturday to see their clash with the ladder leading Perth Wildcats.  The crowd topped their previous best this season of 3,351 achieved on 19 December against the New Zealand Breakers.

The Wollongong ahm Hawks had their third biggest crowd of the season on Saturday night when 3,620 people packed the WIN Entertainment Centre to witness the Hawks score a 100-88 upset over the Gold Coast Blaze.   The Hawks have been big improvers this year in terms of attendance, with the new community backed team averaging 3,383 people per game at ‘The Sandpit’, which is a remarkable 46% increase on their average crowd last season

The Townsville McDonald’s Crocodiles attracted their second largest crowd of their season thus far on Saturday night when 4,313 people flocked to ‘The Swamp’ to see the home team take on archrivals, the Cairns Taipans.

The Hood Sweeney Adelaide 36ers also attracted a mammoth crowd of 6,991 to the Brett Maher Court at The Dome in Round 18 to see the Sixers take on the Townsville Crocodiles in a double-header with the Adelaide Lightning Women’s National Basketball League team.

The 2009/10 NBL season enters its final round of home-and-away play this week and five of the eight teams are still in the title race.  Only Perth have secured a guaranteed trip to the 2010 NBL Finals, with Townsville, Gold Coast, Wollongong and New Zealand all battling it out for the remaining three berths. 

The 2009/10 season is officially on track to be the closest ever in the NBL’s 31-year history, with the differential between first and last in the current season being the closest ever on record.  The league is also on track for the minor premiers to have the lowest winning percentage in history, and the wooden spooners to have the highest winning percentage ever. 

“This season has been like no other, with more upsets and more twists and turns than a Tarantino movie,” said NBL General Manager Chuck Harmison.  “We’ve had no clear cut favourite all season and picking who is going to win each game has been almost impossible.  The public is clearly enjoying the unpredictability of the season and we have been very pleased with how they have responded, coming to games in increasing numbers.”

“This season has seen the end of an era for the NBL, with first Tony Ronaldson and now Chris Anstey and Sam Mackinnon deciding that it was time to move on and let the new generation of Australian stars move into the spotlight,” said Sengstock. 

“As a league we owe a great debt to these three champions.  They all represented Australia tirelessly on the world stage and provided fans with some amazing memories during their time in the NBL.  Whether you barracked for them or against them, they were always worth watching when they stepped onto the court.  

“A lot of players go through their entire careers without winning a championship, but these three achieved a remarkable record of success in the NBL.  They will be missed and we hope to find a way to keep them all involved in the league in some capacity.

“Their retirement however also marks the dawn of a new era for the NBL,” Sengstock continued.  “It’s now time for the next generation of stars – the likes of Mark Worthington, Daniel Johnson, Stephen Weigh, Thomas Abercrombie and Adam Gibson – to shoulder the burden as marquee stars in the league.  It’s an exciting time for Australian basketball and I can’t wait to find out just who steps up to the plate in the years ahead.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Sam Mackinnon's Career

OAMPS Melbourne Tigers players Chris Anstey and Sam Mackinnon have called an end to their outstanding basketball careers, announcing on Monday that this season will be their last in the NBL.

Both Anstey and Mackinnon have been icons of Australian basketball and between them have five NBL Championships, four Olympic Games representations, three NBL MVP’s, three NBL Grand Final MVP’s, two NBL Best Defensive Players, two Gaze Medals for International Player of the Year and 795 NBL games.

Anstey had hip surgery at the start of the season and has been battling hip and back injuries since returning in December.

“For me it has been a very tough decision, I have been thinking about it for a while but now feels like the right time. I pride myself on my work ethic and my body can’t work as hard as I would like or as it needs to be at practice,” Anstey said.

“My best moments would have to include the Under 23s World Championships Gold Medal in Melbourne, the Olympic Games and all three NBL Championships. The two championships with the Tigers are very special considering the teammates I shared them with and my role in the team.”

“It’s also fantastic that I get to share the day with Sam. We grew up playing basketball together, we have been teammates many times and although our careers took different turns here and there, its great to be able to share this day with him."

Anstey went on to talk about what the future holds.

“I will look to take a break from basketball for a little while and spend some time with the family.”

‘Slammin’ Sam Mackinnon also found the decision to close his playing career difficult.

“The decision to retire has been building up for the past couple of weeks, it’s a decision that hasn’t come lightly but it has been coming for a couple of years. I have had a long career which I have thoroughly enjoyed and I am comfortable in what I have achieved.”

“My best memories include the Under 23s World Championships Gold Medal in Melbourne and the Olympic Games. The Championships were great and I consider myself very lucky to have many special moments rather than just the one or two standouts.”

When asked who had major influences on his standout career Mackinnon said, “My father, junior coach Fred Liddy and Mike Kelly have all been fantastic for me and have inspired and helped me along the way”.

When asked about his future plans Mackinnon was more than happy to discuss his job with pizza company Crust.

“I am the Area Manager for Crust Pizza in Queensland so that will be taking up a fair bit of my time along with spending some time with my family.”

Tigers Head Coach Al Westover paid tribute to the outgoing stars.

“It’s a sad time for the Tigers and also Australian Basketball with two legends of the game retiring. Both Chris and Sam have been fantastic for the Melbourne Tigers and Australian Basketball. We would like to wish them all the best for what they move onto in the future.”

Tigers CEO Seamus McPeake was full of praise for the departing NBL champions.

“Chris and Sam have given so much to the game over a long period of time and should be congratulated on their outstanding careers," said McPeake. "Both their team and individual records speak for themselves. It will be sad not to see them out on the court after this season, but I am sure they will find success in their careers after basketball.”

Basketball fans will have the chance to say goodbye to two legends of the game this Saturday night (13th of February) when the Tigers take on the Gold Coast Blaze in their final game of the season.

The Perth Wildcats (16-11) appeared to have relinquished their hold on first place after being overrun by Gold Coast Blaze 86-73 on Friday night, coming on the back of a 79-76 loss to the Phill Jones (25 points)-inspired Cairns Taipans two nights earlier.

The successive defeats saw the Blaze (15-11) reacquaint themselves with the league’s summit while the Wildcats headed to Melbourne to complete their hectic road trip against a Tigers side battling to save its season.

With the Wildcats playing their third game in four nights and Luke Schenscher and Galen Young fouling out to join injured guard Brad Robbins on the sidelines, the odds appeared to be firmly stacked in the Tigers’ favour.

However, the visitors showed an impenetrable resolve which will hold them in good stead for the playoffs as Kevin Lisch (17 points) again nailed crucial baskets down the stretch, Stephen Weigh (10 points, eight rebounds) oozed explosive athleticism and Shawn Redhage (17 points) put an otherwise forgettable week behind him.

The gutsy win provided much-deserved celebrations for the rabid group of travelling ‘Cats supporters who paid up to $3,299 for the round’s ‘Tour of Duty’, and commiserations for Tigers fans as their team turns its focus towards the dawn of a new era.

Perth’s focus, however, is now on a blockbuster clash with Townsville (2nd, 15-11) at Challenge Stadium on Sunday which will signal the end of the regular season and potentially decide top spot.

If the Wildcats prevail they will guarantee themselves a higher seeding than the Crocs, who notched an 89-76 victory over Cairns (7th, 11-16) at ‘The Swamp’ on Saturday night.

If the Crocs succeed, however, and also beat Adelaide (8th, 10-16) on Wednesday they will clinch the minor premiership, while a 1-1 split and two Gold Coast victories would see the Blaze complete their transition from worst to first.

Exemplifying the equality of this season is the fact that the Blaze and Crocs will both be simultaneously fighting for top place and their playoff lives, as it’s possible that neither of them will have splits over Wollongong nor New Zealand, meaning they could still miss the finals.

While occupancy of the league’s apex brings home court advantage throughout the finals series, it may also be a poisoned chalice if the New Zealand Breakers sneak into fourth place.

The Breakers (5th, 13-13) continued their late-season revival with a dominant 88-60 win over Wollongong on Thursday night.

The Kiwis played with ruthless aggression on defence, picking the Hawks’ pockets on a season-high 12 occasions, and exhibited the class and desire of a team capable of challenging for the championship. For that to occur, however, the Breakers must aim to beat Gold Coast by more than seven points at NSEC on Thursday night and hope for the Blaze, Crocs or Hawks to falter.

The Hawks (4th, 14-12) could have been expected to bow out of the top-four after such a demoralising loss, but a 100-88 home win over Gold Coast on Saturday night suggested otherwise.

Mat Campbell (23 points, 5/8 3pt FG) and Tim Coenraad (19 points, 4/4 3pt FG) reinforced why Wollongong’s the  most efficient team from long-range and they can now officially serve up some humble pie to the myriad of pre-season pundits who wrote them off by winning one of their two remaining games.

Those games are against Melbourne and Adelaide, who will join Cairns in the other battle of Round 20 – the fight to avoid the wooden-spoon.

It’s a fight that none of the teams envisaged being part of, but from a fan’s perspective it will only add to the intrigue of what will be a thrilling finale to the 2009/10 home-and-away season.

Round 19 Results:
'Skytrans' Cairns Taipans 79 (Phill Jones 25, Julien ‘Skip’ Mills 16, Rich Melzer 15)
defeated
Perth Wildcats 76 (Stephen Weigh 15, Kevin Lisch 13, Luke Schenscher 10)
Venue: Cairns Convention Centre, Queensland

‘Burger King’ New Zealand Breakers 88 (Kirk Penney 23, CJ Bruton 19, Tony Ronaldson 10)
defeated
Wollongong ‘ahm’ Hawks 60 (Tim Coenraad 12, Cameron Tragardh 12, Mat Campbell 8)
Venue: North Shore Events Centre, Auckland, New Zealand

Gold Coast Blaze 86 (Adam Gibson 23 points, Erron Maxey 19, Anthony Petrie 15)
defeated
Perth Wildcats 73 (Shawn Redhage 13 points, Damian Martin 12, Martin Cattalini 11)
Venue: Gold Coast Convention Centre, Queensland

Wollongong 'ahm' Hawks 100 (Mat Campbell 23, Tim Coenraad 19, Rhys Martin 15)
defeated
Gold Coast Blaze 88 (Erron Maxey 21, Adam Gibson 14, Chris Goulding 14)
Venue: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, New South Wales
 
Perth Wildcats 84 (Shawn Redhage 17, Kevin Lisch 17, Stephen Weigh 10)
defeated in Overtime
'OAMPS' Melbourne Tigers 78 (Julius Hodge 24, Mike Rose 12, Chris Anstey 10)
Venue: State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne, Victoria
 
Townsville 'McDonald's' Crocodiles 89 (Russell Hinder 18, Brad Williamson 17, Corey Williams 15)
defeated
'Skytrans' Cairns Taipans 76 (Dusty Rychart 17, Gary Boodnikoff 14, Julien Mills 12)
Venue: Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, Queensland

The Townsville Crocodiles built on their narrow three-quarter time lead to comfortably defeat the Cairns Taipans 89-76 at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.

Russel Hinder (18 points), Brad Williamson (17), and Corey Williams (15) were the chief destroyers for the Crocodiles which have their sights set on a championship.

Dusty Rychart (17), Gary Boodnikoff (14) and Julien 'Skip' Mills (12) were the only threats for the Taipans who are left second last on the NBL ladder.

The home side won the second quarter 22-11 but conceded the third quarter to the visitors 24-13 leaving it just three points in front at the final change.

Townsville took an early lead in a lightning first term with captain Hinder leading the way with a radar-like shooting performance.

Hinder hit four consecutive three-pointers to propel the home side short of a double-figure lead.

Cairns struggled to match the intensity with only Aaron Grabau enjoying minor success against a frantic defence.

Grabau drove hard for three lay-ups but the visitors were left trailing 23-27 at quarter-time.

The Crocodiles returned with a 13-6 run with Williamson nailing a three-pointer from left of the arc.

Williamson sunk four field goals and a second three-pointer for 10 points for the term.
 
The Taipans chipped away at the margin with Rich Melzer dropping two well-measured field goals but they were outscored 12-22 for the quarter.

Melzer's four points were the most among the visitors who were left behind 35-49 at half-time.

Cairns returned with an improved defensive effort to force several turnovers and cut the deficit to just seven points.

Mills found his touch after a quiet start with a long three-pointer.

Townsville was clearly rattled, with Michael Cedar left to steer a wavering ship, and was outscored 24-13 for the quarter.

Cedar made a late three-pointer and field goal to stay in front 62-59 at three-quarter time.

The Crocodiles killed off any momentum with Williamson nailing a huge three-pointer from down town.

Hinder was barged off the court as the physicality increased but picked up two easy free-throws.

The Taipans were in need of a miracle to save the match which was out of reach with two minutes on the clock.

Williams hit a run-away slam dunk and was followed up by partner-in-crime Rolan Roberts with another run-away slam dunk to seal victory.

Townsville 'McDonald's' Crocodiles 89 (Hinder 18, Williamson 17, Williams 15)
'Skytrans' Cairns Taipans 76 (Rychart 17, Boodnikoff 14, Mills 12)
@Townsville Entertainment Centre 06/02/10. Attendance: 4,313

The Perth Wildcats have moved back to the top of the NBL ladder after an 84-78 overtime victory against the Melbourne Tigers at the State Netball Hockey Centre on Saturday night.

The result also ends Melbourne's playoffs hopes after the Hawks defeated Gold Coast in Wollongong.

Perth showed no ill-effects of playing its third match in four days as it dominated overtime to secure the six-point victory.

Shawn Redhage was the Wildcats' main contributor with 17 points, including six in the extra period, while Kevin Lisch hit four three-pointers on his way to 17 points as well.

Stephen Weigh and Jesse Wagstaff also added a valuable 10 points each.

Star American import Julius Hodge once again led the Tigers with 24 points, while compatriot Mike Rose added 12 and Chris Anstey 10.

For much of the night it looked like Melbourne would cause an upset and keep its playoffs hopes alive and when Hodge scored the first points of the extra period, the hosts had all the momentum.

But Redhage immediately responded with a three-pointer and then another two from the free-throw line to hand the Wildcats the lead.

Tommy Greer pulled one back from the charity stripe before Stephen Weigh sent the Wildcats four points clear with a superb offensive rebound and slam dunk in the one motion.

Melbourne showed its frustration with a number of fouls late in the game and five successful Perth free-throws later saw the visitors suddenly enjoy a nine-point lead as the match entered its final minute.

It proved too much for the Tigers as Perth kept its minor premiership hopes alive with a hard-fought victory.

Going into the fourth stanza trailing by four points, the Wildcats found themselves short of big men when Luke Schenscher fouled out and then Galen Young did likewise with still over six minutes of regulation time remaining in the match.

But they were still able to hit the front with Lisch hitting a massive three-pointer to give his side a one-point lead with 4:40 left in the final quarter.

The Tigers responded with a Greer three-point play only for Weigh to tie up the scores with a classy jump shot.

Both sides missed gettable shots before Lisch finally gave the Wildcats the lead with just 22 seconds left.
 
Hodge immediately responded to level the scores again and Perth wasted the final play of the fourth period as the match went to overtime.

It was a cagey beginning with both sides committing turnovers and struggling to score points.

Perth raced out to an early five-point lead before Hodge inspired his side with two telling slam dunks that had the crowd on its feet.

The first was the product of a desperate Sam Mackinnon, who forced a turnover when the Wildcats were looking to mount an attack, while the second was all class as the American intercepted a loose pass and ran the length of the court to add another two points.

The Tigers poured in 12 unanswered points to grab a seven-point lead, before Redhage responded with a three-pointer to stop the run.

Mark Worthington then nailed a three with the first quarter winding down, while Redhage added two from the free-throw line to reduce the deficit to five at the first change (21-16).

The visitors were quickly back on level terms at the start of the second quarter with Damian Martin connecting from long range and Martin Cattalini scoring from close range.

Hodge combined with Daniel Johnson twice in the space of one minute to push the Tigers up by five, only for Lisch to hit consecutive threes and give his side the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

It was short-lived though with Rose scoring from beyond the arc and another Hodge dunk restoring the Tigers' six-point advantage.

However the Wildcats closed the half with the last five points to reduce the gap to just one at the long break (38-37).

Neither side was able to break clear in the early stages of the third quarter with the lead changing no less than six times.

It was Hodge's compatriot Rose that inspired the Tigers with nine points in the stanza, while Schenscher was benched midway through the term after racking up four fouls.

Hodge let himself down with a technical foul that allowed the Wildcats to draw level only for the import to respond with a three-point play to keep his side in front.

A superb Rose steal led to him running the length of the court and scoring an easy lay-up to give Melbourne a four-point lead going into the final quarter (62-58).

Melbourne's (11-15) next match is away to Wollongong on Friday night, while Perth (16-11) hosts Townsville on Sunday week in the last match of the regular season.

Perth Wildcats 84 (Redhage 17, Lisch 17, Weigh 10)

'OAMPS' Melbourne Tigers 78 (Hodge 24, Rose 12, Anstey 10)

@ The Cage, 6/2/2010. Crowd: 3,368

The Wollongong Hawks have boosted their playoff chances after outlasting the Gold Coast Blaze 100-88 at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.

Tim Coenraad and Mat Campbell spearheaded a phenomenal long-range shooting onslaught, as the duo combined for nine of the team's 11 three-pointers.

Wollongong was 11-of-16 from distance on a 53 percent effort from the field, while the Blaze also impressed with a 13-of-31 three-point clip.

Campbell finished with a game-high 23 points, Coenraad had a career-high 19, while Rhys Martin added 15 points, six assists and six boards.

The Hawks shrugged off Thursday night's disappointing loss to New Zealand to improve their grasp of fourth place on the ladder, also racking up their league-leading 12th home win.

Gold Coast was ultimately unravelled by foul trouble, conceding an additional 12 points from free-throws, while Tyson Demos and Mika Vukona fouled out in the fourth term.

Erron Maxey led the way for the visitors with 21 points, James Harvey and Chris Goulding each chimed in with 14 points.

The Blaze registered the opening five points of the game, but quickly found themselves in a battle after Campbell drained a trio of long-distance bombs to push the Hawks in front 16-12.

Wollongong led 21-19 late in first quarter when it capitalised on a technical foul to Vukona.
 
After David Gruber and Glen Saville converted three free-throws, Saville made it a five-point possession with a jumper in the lane to help secure a 28-21 advantage at quarter-time.

Both teams maintained a frantic pace from beyond the arc in the second stanza, Adam Gibson and Vukona both struck from deep as part of Gold Coast's four triples.

Coenraad made his presence felt, carrying the home side with three treys, his third dagger opening up a nine-point buffer (52-43).

Gold Coast pulled to within five (49-54) behind Maxey, who collected eight points in the period, but paced by Coenraad's 13 points, Wollongong held on to a 59-51 lead at half-time.

Both teams suffered a slow start in the third, with just six points produced in the opening four minutes.

Maxey and Rhys Martin exchanged threes to kick-start the scoreboard, Maxey quickly connected again from range to keep Gold Coast within striking distance until Campbell heated up.

The veteran guard posted seven quick points to maintain a double-digit buffer, as Wollongong closed the third up 78-67.

The Blaze (15-11) now head to New Zealand to take on the Breakers on Thursday, while the Hawks (14-12) host the Melbourne Tigers on Friday.

Wollongong 'ahm' Hawks 100 (Campbell 23, Coenraad 19, Martin 15)
Gold Coast Blaze 88 (Maxey 21, Gibson 14, Goulding 14)
@ WIN Entertainment Centre, 06/02/2010. Crowd: 3,620.

Where and When: Saturday 6 February, State Netball and Hockey Centre, 7.30pm (local)

Past Five Games
Tigers: LWLWW
Wildcats: LLWLW

Past Three Head-to Head
Perth Wildcats 94-78 Melbourne Tigers, Round 17, 2009-10
Melbourne Tigers 100-86 Perth Wildcats, Round 17, 2009-10
Perth Wildcats 93-90 Melbourne Tigers, Round 5, 2009-10

Season Series
Melbourne Tigers 1-2 Perth Wildcats

Current Standings
Tigers 11-14 (6th), Wildcats 15-11 (2nd)

Melbourne has done well to move up the ladder in the second half of the season but still need to win its final three matches to have any chance of nabbing an unlikely play-offs berth.

Its first hurdle comes in the form of the Perth Wildcats who are always a challenging opponent. In Round 17 the Tigers and Wildcats clashed twice with both teams recording a win at home. 

Since then Al Westover's men have recorded a convincing win over Adelaide before being beaten 99-91 in overtime against the in-form Gold Coast.

In that game Julius Hodge top-scored with 26 points, Mark Worthington sent the game into the fifth period with a clutch bucket and finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds while Tom Greer (12 and nine) was the other major contributor.

Perth remains one of the championship favourites but appears vulnerable after losing consecutive road games.

On Friday night the Wildcats led by five points at half-time but eventually lost to the Gold Coast 86-73.

Captain Shawn Redhage top-scored with 13 points, Damian Martin was next best with 12 points and veteran Martin Cattalini added 11 points.

The 12-29 fourth quarter suggests the already tough road trip is taking its toll on Rob Beveridge's boys and they'll be desperate to get something out of their last stop-off in Melbourne. 

But the Tigers have had a week to fire-up for this clash and should be urgent enough to take advantage of the Wildcats.

Sportal Tip: Tigers by 11