The New Zealand Breakers were mown down in sight of the finishing line for the second week in succession when beaten 106-100 by the Perth Wildcats in a bruising encounter at the North Shore Events Centre on Thursday night.
Despite 29 points to Kirk Penney and 19 to CJ Bruton, it was the in-your-face style of the Wildcats that picked off the composure of the home team which at one stage in the third quarter had a 17-point lead.
Martin Cattalini's 18 points, and hauls of 17 from Kevin Lisch and 15 from Jesse Wagstaff proved vital in the end.
It might have been only 2:34 from the end but the Wildcats worked on frustrating the Breakers and it worked as they lost their composure, never more clearly seen than from Bruton making mistakes and Penney finding his usual three-point arm failing him.
It was the veteran Cattalini, whose second half three-pointers got his team closer and closer and then finally got the side to a four-point lead (100-96), that proved the difference.
Penney laid up two to reduce the margin but Damian Martin got a free run at the hoop and while Dillon Boucher scored two, he then fouled Lisch and the Wildcat made no mistake from the free-throw line to secure the vital lead.
The Wildcats brought a raw-boned element to the contest which featured some heavy defensive work, but for a long time the home team proved more than willing to trade the heavyweight stuff and it proved more proficient in setting up its chances. Ultimately, however, it was worn down and lost another golden chance for success.
Penney had three three-pointers in the first half but none were more sweetly-executed than the quarter-time buzzer-beating shot to John Rillie as the Breakers used their 8.3 seconds after a Wildcats free-throw to take a 27-23 lead to the break.
The visitors were not helped by Luke Schenscher three times being called for progress in attacking plays.
Highlighting the confidence he felt, Rillie opened the second quarter with another long-range shot to extend the lead. The Breakers took more three-point attempts, 17 to six in the first half, with the success percentage in the Wildcats' favour (67-41).
A three to Wagstaff was followed by his lay-up after an intercept to level the scores at 34-34. Stephen Weigh was able to keep the Wildcats in touch with a well-taken three-pointer, but just as the Wildcats looked to get a decisive break, Bruton fired off an unerring low-flying three-pointer which took the home team to 45-41.
Thomas Abercrombie might look slight of frame but he showed a willingness to mix it in the heavy traffic and thrived to help the Breakers gain a decisive break just before the half-time hooter, and a superb rebound set the side up at 53-45.
The success of the Breakers defensive effort was seen from their 39 field goal attempts to 23 for the Wildcats, and it was the greater number of attempts that gave the home side its advantage. Rick Rickert was especially effective scoring 10 points to go alongside Penney's 15 to this point of the match.
But a telling stat saw the score sheet lacking any offensive rebounds from the Wildcats.
Bruton stepped up in the early phases of the third quarter, a superb three-pointer landed as he fell away, scarcely on balance when making the shot and setting alight a run that saw the Breakers to a double-figure lead for the first time in the game which soon grew to 64-47.
However, the Wildcats kept ploughing into the home side and the frustration began to show with the Breakers looking for some payback but getting over-exuberant in the contact situations.
A three-pointer to Cattalini and an offensive rebound and field goal to Shawn Redhage pulled the margin back to three points early in the final quarter.
While Penney was back in the three-point action Cattalini responded and followed up with a field goal.
However, Penney fired in another to keep the home team out by six. Cattalini kept working at it and another field goal got the Wildcats to only two points behind with 5:15 to play.
Statistical Note: The Wildcats outscored the Breakers 38-22 in the final period. The Wildcats' 38 points was the highest fourth quarter score by any team thus far this season. Perth's 106 total points was the eighth time this season that a team had reached the century mark and the equal-third highest team score in a game this season.
Perth 106 (Martin Cattalini 18 points, Kevin Lisch 17, Jesse Wagstaff 15).
New Zealand 100 (Kirk Penney 29 points, CJ Bruton 19, Rick Rickert 14).
